Targets and Tactics of Homeland Security Policy - Research Paper Example

Homeland Security Policy Today the entire world is threatened by terrorism. All countries across the globe are at risk from these terrorists either on social, economical, financial or religious basis. Security of USA and its citizens is the most important and crucial problem that is being currently faced by US security forces. It is a matter of high priority for them to devise a strategy that would help in combating threats to the homeland security by these terrorists groups. To accomplish the desired target, it is necessary to first identify this terrorist group, than properly understand the goals, ideology and ambitions of the entity. Having this information fully sorted out, the security policies that are consistent with the structure of the terrorist group should be selected for critical analysis to identify its ability to counter terrorism, so that its optimum use can be made to combat the terrorist group in question. The objective of this report is to fully understand the structure, ideology, goals, strategies and objectives of any one terrorist group that is currently threatening to the US homeland security. In order to combat it, the security policies of US should be critically analyzed and match against the group to identify its ability to fight against threats from this group. 1. The Terrorist Group 1.1. List of Terrorist Groups Under section 219 of U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), a group of non-US based organizations have been declared terrorist. The list comprises of the majority being the Islamist extremist groups followed by communist and the remaining are the nationalist groups. Namely; Hezbollah (Party of God) (Lebanon), al-Qa’ida (Global), Islamic Jihad Group (Palestinian), Afghanistan (Haqqani network), Lashkar-e Tayyiba (Army of the Righteous) (LET) (Muridke, Pakistan), Lashkar i Jhangvi (Pakistan), Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) (Pakistan), United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) (Colombia), Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland), Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland) and many more. 1.2. Al-Qaida (Global) 1.2.1. Introduction & Structure The organization was founded by the leader Osama-Bin-Laden somewhere between 1988 and 1989. It is morphed into number of affiliates across the globe. It’s a huge group that is very much self-sufficient financially and organizationally. Any attempt yet to target its leaders and the organization as whole, has made it further divide into affiliates and spread across the globe. It is a source of constant threat not only to US homeland but to the peace of the entire world. They have many faces, just to name a few Arabian Peninsula (AQP) in Yemen; Ansar Dine in Mali; Lashkar-e-Tayibba (LeT) in Pakistan and India; Taliban in Afghanistan. 1.2.2. Ideology There are three essential elements that must be fully understood in order to understand the ideology of this group. As the record from past three – four years shows, the world has seen some serious resistance against the unwanted dictators, which have been staying in power due to continuous American support. This is the first element of Al-Qaida strategy, which is to exploit and drive democratic sentiments of general public against such un-wanted dictators and use the power of the negative sentiments of the public to over throw the pro-American governments and bring in anti-American people in power and control. The second element of the ideology is in-lined with the first one. By achieving their desired first element they want to set-up a Global Islamic Caliphate, as per which every country across the globe will have an Islamic leader who will enforce complete Islamic Laws. The last and the most important element is the rabid anti-Americanism. 1.2.3. Targets and Tactics The Al-Qaida movement is based on certain targets, namely: As have been seen in the Mali and Somalia region they target to hijack the separatist regional aspirations by Al-Qaeda They have aimed and to some extent achieved the target of logistic collaboration and better communication between all affiliates of Al-Qaida across the globe. Analyzing the case of Qaddafi fall in Egypt they have paved their ways for free flow of Libyan arms to Tuareg rebels. They also target to attack and threaten US security by using their inside connections within US. This target is the biggest threat to the US security currently. In order, to achieve these targets they have formulated a detailed step by step policy with extreme professionalism and intelligence. They first tactfully evoke US to attack any Muslim country in response to their pre-planned attack on US soil that brought about massive massacre of innocent civilians and agitated the US government. They then decided to give full resistance to the US forces in the invaded area. This would definitely gain involvement of other neighboring countries and US allies, which would ultimately lead to a long war of attrition After all this has been accomplished they would make Al-Qaida an ideology that would be fed and spread across the raw minds, which would prepare an entire army of Jihadist without even a direct control or command required. These hypnotized minds would then undertake the activities of terrorism across US and its allies, until they agree to withdraw from the conflict and surrender. Ultimately, the US economy would fall and dollar being the measuring factor of reserves of all countries across the globe, the financial breakdown will be faced by the entire world. And only then, their ultimate goal of establishing a Wahhabi Caliphate and installing it across the globe will be accomplished. 2. U.S Security Policies Over past many decades of administration in US, various strategies and policies have been deployed to protect the homeland and the entire world from these terror threats, ranging from diplomacy to international cooperation, and constructive engagement. Protective security measures, economic sanctions and military action have all been used to combat these threats. Among all of them the one which had been most commonly used, is the sanctions made by the US government on financial aid and support of any country whose government have policies that evidently or subliminally favor/help the terrorist groups. Since all these years from late 1970’s to mid 1990’s US security policies have been more focused on punishing the sponsors of the terrorist groups rather the terrorist groups themselves. Therefore, it was of great importance for the US to combat the terrorist rather the sponsors. After the incident of 9/11 US has directly and specifically targeted the leader and masterminds of the group. They have re-analyzed their policies and involve in it the element of direct targeting and head hunting. The goal has been accomplished by entering into the territories that have been the hub and source of these terrorist activities. 2.1. Critical Analysis of the Current Policy 2.1.1. Constructive Engagement/Diplomacy This element has been seriously criticized and questioned. Some people are skeptical to this element in the security policy. Person like, James Woolsey, former CIA director, in 2001 stated that: “terrorists do not just want a place at the table; they want to blow up the table and everyone who is sitting at the table.”[1]. But, as said before, the strategy of Al-Qaida is not to just blow everyone up, but to make Al-Qaida an ideology itself, that could be injected into raw minds and prepare them against America. Therefore, it is of great importance to talk and negotiate with these terrorist group leaders so the practitioners who deal with psychology can understand their physic and a preemptive approach could be prepared and adopted against them and their attacks. 2.1.2. Public Diplomacy This is the best policy to win the heart and minds of the general public. A lot could be achieved by accomplishing this through various Medias such as print, electronic and social media. By doing this, it would be possible for the US government to prepare people to fight against terrorism and support them in the cause. While, Al-Qaida works on developing itself as an ideology, the public diplomacy will help as brain washer. General public across the globe will become aware of the good and the bad, and will push their individual country’s government to work against this terrorist group and support US in developing strategies that would combat the Al-Qaida ideology from propelling into the raw minds and creating terrorist across the globe. 2.1.3. Economic Sanctions and Inducement The policy that places economic sanctions on countries like Libya and Iran, that dose not only support the terrorist groups but also provide them with shelter to conduct their terrorist activities. With no financial backing, Al-Qaida will not be able to sustain for long in its rabbit hole and will be supposed to surrender and expose itself. Similarly, as per the statistics, terrorism is high in countries that have high number of un-employed human force and economic instability. Economic inducement to such countries would create jobs and improve the conditions of living of a normal citizen in such countries. This would lead to healthy minds and aware humans, who cannot be brain fed as easily as any person who is suffering from anti-government, depressing and hopeless sentiments. This would help in combating the spread of Al-Qaida as an ideology in mind of innocent people. 2.1.4. Covert Actions and Military Force In today’s world, billions and trillions of data is generated each day. With the advancement in tools and technologies, gathering, debugging and scanning of this data has become a matter of few hours. Such data should be collected and analyzed for some insights and hints. This policy could become a great asset in fight against terrorism if properly used. Through these methods of gaining information such as tracing phone calls, twitter messages, facebook chatting and log on, many people and inside links could be traced and matched. This pre-hand information when combined with the proper utilization of the skills and capacities of the security forces can not only counter many attacks but as well be of great help for preparing in against any anticipated and planned attack and catch the involved entities and people working at the backend red handed. 3. Conclusion Al-Qaida is not only a terrorist group it is an ideology that is spreading in the raw minds of innocent people at the pace of fire. Finishing Al-Qaida does not mean the end to it. The affiliates are present across the globe and have propelled and propagated into the entire system, politics and economy of different countries. It is becoming a day by day bigger source of threat to US security and peace and must be immediately addressed and cured. US needs to be ever so alert and aware about the treats it is facing in terms of security from this terrorist group. It should make the best use of its policy in combination of financial, military, intelligence, and law enforcement in order to protect its interests, its people and its allies. References: 1. Testimony of R. James Woolsey before the Committee on National Security, U.S. House of Representatives, Feb. 12, 1998. [http://www.loyola.edu/dept/politics/intel/ 19980212woolsey.html] 2. Amit, Kumar. "The Current Threat from Al-Qaeda and US Counterterrorism Strategy." Security Center - Center for National Policy. 11 Sept 2012: n. page. Web. 3 Oct. 2012. . 3. Raphael F. Perl. United States. CRS Report for Members of Congress. International Terrorism: Threat, Policy, and Response. Chicago: Congressional Research Service, 2007. Web. Read More