Terrorism and The Threat to Democracy - Assignment Example

Homeland Security Capstone HLS-498 TESC, August Assignment 5 When 9/11/2001 happened, everyone in America and throughout most of the world, were in shock and horrified. How could such a thing happen in America? Not only did one plane crash into a tall business building, but a second plane crashed in to its sister building only a few minutes later while the whole world was watching on television. Then there was the shock of the Twin Towers collapsing in on themselves, straight down to the ground. Only minutes later we began hearing about the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. Then close to an hour later, it was a plane, Flight 93, lost suddenly from the radar, that was finally tracked down, crashed, in a remote field in Pennsylvania. Ten years later, we are still looking for answers although much speculation and some verified facts have come out for public viewing since then. There are things we know for sure now – and then things we can only wonder about because there is no one available to answer the questions that only the dead know. But we have been able to piece some pieces of information together, only to come up with more questions, some of which we really dont want to ask because the answer could mean we were betrayed by our own government who did not heed the warning signals. For instance, Phillipine intelligence had indicated to the United States that there was an attack being planned to hit the Twin Towers and other well-known sites. The plot, Project Bojinka, was known about as early as 1995. “Project Bojinka was known by the CIA, and the FBI. It was described in court documents in the trial in New York of Ramzi Yousef, and Abdul Murad for their participation in the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993” (Ahmed, 2002). Additionally, FBI agents were aware of suspicious Arab-Americans learning how to fly planes in certain parts of the country. Special Agent Robert G. Wright Jr. said the Offices of the Directors of the FBI threated Wright with criminal prosecution if he said anything to the media about the prior knowledge the FBI had of the attacks against the United States, (Vernon, 2002). Special Agent Wright was demoted to doing paperwork at a desk in the office, and was scheduled to testify against the FBI for not saving thousands of innocent people of September 11, 2001, (Vernon, 2002). Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study has been to determine if there were any precautions we could have taken ahead of the event that would have prevented such an occurrence. We then look at what we have done since the attack to prevent further occurrences of terrorism in the country and how well those solutions are working, based on the research results. Qualitative research was determined to be the best method of surveying respondents to find out the most effective systems we have in place to this point. Here were the questions posed and answered during the research process. 1. At this point, we know that the airline security was lax up to that point, but had they been followed that fateful day, could the hijackers plans have been foiled? 2. If the different agencies such as the FBI, CIA and the US Military Intelligence had shared their information, which they had at some point, could they have thwarted 9/11 long before it took place? 3. If normal procedures were followed by the FAA and NORAD, such as the numerous and specific warnings and fore warnings had been acted on, and investigative leads had been allowed to be properly followed, could the plot of 9/11 have stopped in its tracks? 4. Was the collapse of the twin towers an inside job? In history, not one steel frame high rise building has collapsed to my knowledge due solely to fire. The free fall speed collapse of the Trade Center, with attendant melted steel and powdery dust leaves one unanswered question in my mind. Was the collapse of the World Trade Center due to a controlled demolition? Review of the Methodology The respondents were members of Homeland Security in various departments who were contacted through telephone interviews and surveyed with a number of questions in order to collect primary data for subsequent analysis. Secondary data was collected through published and unpublished periodicals, journals and books written concerning the subject matter directly. This data was obtained through Homeland Security sources and through the online library system. Summary of the Results Airline Security Lax on 9/11/2001 The terrorists were determined to make the disaster happen, using simple box cutters to take over the planes. The box cutters may well not have shown up on the scanners or, if they did, the gate agents did not see those as a threat, or did not understand what they were looking at. Procedures for getting through the gate are far more stringent today than back then. Even bottles of liquid soap are suspect and everything is defined sharply in the rules on what you can bring on board the plane or in your luggage. Information Sharing Between the FBI, CIA and U.S. Military Groups While there were hints here and there of possible terrorist activities that different agencies picked up on, there was no central dissemination point of the information whereby there could be analysis and research or discovery undertaken to find out the full informaiton. The FBI has since established the National Information Sharing Strategy (NISS) where any information concerning possible terroristic activities can be put in and possibly cross linked with other information acquired from local and state law enforcements, tribal partners and other agencies. If this had been in place before 9/11/2001, then there may have been a good chance of thwarting that attack. FAA and NORAD Responsibilities to Act on Leads There is belief that both agencies failed to do their jobs in respect to protecting their country. Yet in the actual parameters of their own specific job duties, they were not wrong, just unaware of their connections. FAA handled internal aviation situations while NORAD was focused on threats from the outside. In actuality, the threat came from the outside, using an internal machine but that was not understood at the time how that implicated or impacted both agencies. The Collapse of the Twin Trade Towers – An Inside Job? The sight of the planes hitting in each tower were horrifying enough. Both buildings coming straight down on top of its base, was another shock that had people speculating that there was more to the situation than met the eye. There are reports from surviving firefighters and police officers in the buildings who heard explosion reports that sounded like demolition charges set off in rings. Dust clouds that came out of the buildings also represented the same type as one would find in demolition explosions. In the wreckage of the Towers, sliced steel was found, much as it would be done to steel if a demolition was planned. One can speculate that there was a thought that this could happen, so the building was rigged in advance to make sure it would fall straight down as opposed to falling over onto other buildings, just in case the event occurred. Relationship of Research to the Field Organization and Analysis of Data (from Chapter 3) Data analysis is the most important part of the research. Without analysis, collected data cannot be used to make statistical inferences that answer the main research questions. (Aronson, 1994) Data collected from all the interviews were sorted in various ways to show meaning to the study topic. Data was grouped by homogenous trends, then harmonized to provide more concrete data sets for meaningful analysis. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and analytic methods. Statistical software (MS Excel or SPSS) was used in the analysis of data to offer a means to explain the findings. Thematic analysis is proposed under the analysis of data drawn from interviews (Aronson, 1994). This approach showed trends and patterns as indicated by individuals within their setting. The averages of statement scores was subjected to modes of measure: arithmetic mean and percentages of distribution frequencies. The arithmetic mean is intended to show the degree of agreement with each of the statements given (Blaxter et al., 1996). This set of information was then contrasted with the percentage of frequency distribution in order to establish a curve that would show congruence, or absence of, in a particular result of a statement response. Discussion of the Results The results of the survey and analysis of data pointed to a lack of solid information gathering techniques back on 9/11, methods of rounded interpretation of that information in a central repository, and methods in place to forstall such an event in happening. It would seem that the event must happen first and we learn from that event, in order to avoid futures events of the same type from happening. How to think ahead of the terrorist can be really hard to do until it happens. Conclusions If there was a suspected attack planned on the Twin Towers, which was only in theory up until the attack actually happened, then were there demolition charges set in the Twin Towers in advance so that it would not cause more death and damage by the buildings falling outwards instead of downwards, as they actually did? In fact, should all tall buildings be set up that way for maximum protection of the surrounding areas? Who is to say that this has not already been done? Sometimes we can think ahead of what a terrorist is planning to do and side step potential threats by putting in preventive measures. That really can only be accomplished by capturing suspected terrorists and grilling them to find out what potential attacks are in place. That also means that anyone suspected of even speaking in a manner that suggests possible threats to a nation, must now be watched by members of the intelligence community. This means more resources in manpower and funding to accomplish these needs for proactive measures. References: Ahmed, N. (2002), Did Bush know? Media Monitors Network, http://www.mediamonitors.net/mosaddeq36.html, Retrieved August 1, 2011. This seems like a credible source that explains so much about what the Bush Administration new of the pending events on September 11. This article explains much more, and has information dating back six years before the events. Vernon, M. (2002) Agent: FBI could have prevent 9/11, Newsmax, http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/5/30/161204.shtml, Retrieved August 1, 2011. This is a source that explains what the FBI new, and how the formation of the Department of Homeland Security was thought of. It is a useful article that offers much information. Aronson, J. (1994). A Pragmatic View of Thematic Analysis. The Qualitative Report, 2, 1-10. Blaxter, L., Huges, C., & Tight, M. (1996). How to Research. New York: Open Press University. 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