Effectiveness of Bilateral Transnational Policing as Compared to Multilateral Approaches - Essay Example

Introduction The emergence of global security risks and terrorism has led to the development of bilateral and multilateral policy approaches to secure the boundaries of countries and prevent international terrorism. Countries have been brought together by a common threat that affects the integrity of their borders and involves the operation of international criminal gangs and cartels that cannot be addressed solely as a country. A number of policing approaches have been adopted to address the challenges of insecurity and terrorism caused by international terror organizations that have widespread networks and operations beyond the boundaries of one single country. Bilateral policing involves the use of security machinery and force from two countries who are involved in the security issue at hand (Andreas & Ethan, 2006). Such countries cooperate on intelligence issues and attempt to track and stop the criminal activities of the terror groups or criminal mafias without involving other nations. Multilateral policing approach to transnational security issues on the other hand involves a number of countries who have interest in the security question at hand. The countries invest their security and intelligence tools in stopping the terrorist activities from affecting the security of their country. The two approaches have limited applications and benefits but bilateral approaches have been favoured in the right against terrorism and transnational security threat. In this paper, the effectiveness of bilateral transnational policing will be evaluated to determine its applicability in international security collaboration as compared to multilateral approaches (Le & Bell, 2013). Effectiveness of bilateral over multilateral transnational approaches The global war on terror, economic crimes, continued genocide in different parts of the world and drug cartels that control the economy of other countries makes the world a very unsafe place to be in. the threats have gone beyond the local and regional threats that can only be attributed to one country to international threats that affect international security and the peaceful coexistence of the global world. These complications have affected the approaches developed in the fight against insecurity and led to the development of transnational policing approaches like bilateral and multilateral approaches (Andreas & Ethan, 2006). Different schools of thought exist on the effectiveness of these two approaches in fighting insecurity and global terror with Universalists arguing for the development of one world, governed by one law and protected by one transnational security system similar to multilateralism. However, unilateralists who have advanced the bilateral notion have continued to advance the effectiveness of approaches that involve a few countries as opposed to a global approach (Kauppi & Madsen, 2013). In the development of international security approach, independence has remained a major concern and several countries have shied away from multilateral approach due to fear of interference. Multilateral transnational approaches require the countries involved to share their resources, merge their intelligence tools and operate as one unit. Developed countries have used this approach to advance their course in the pretext of international security collaboration and this has watered down the trust on the approach (Blum, 2008). Most countries avoid entering multilateral policies with countries like the united states and the united kingdom for fear of espionage instead of fighting a common enemy, a fear that is not present in bilateral transnational policing. Bilateral policing approach is best placed to handle the challenges associated with competing need for uniformity, the competing values between countries and the cultural diversity that affects the adoption of multilateral approaches. With bilateral approaches, a balance is achieved that protects the individual needs and concerns of the different countries involved while improving the bilateral transnational communication between countries and the Interpol (Le & Bell, 2013). The security arrangement and structure of different countries has hampered the adoption of multilateral approaches as uniformity issues have arisen that makes it difficult for the countries to cooperate. However, bilateral provides a better room for creativity and flexibility that beats the political challenges that have been attributed to the failure of the multilateral collaboration in transnational security. Countries like the united states and France have had reservation on their security and military operations and this has made the application of multilateralism impossible (Kauppi & Madsen, 2013). The united states, for example, have highlighted their unwillingness to allow foreign countries have access to their intelligence and military resources and France is unwilling to trade its culture for a common transnational security approach. As a result, countries have expressed reservation towards keeping their country’s international security operation private which makes bilateral the best option in international security and terrorism approach (Blum, 2008). In the pretext of developing multilateral transnational policies, some countries have been accused on acquiring a room for a free ride and neglecting their domestic security roles especially if the multilateral approach involves superior countries. This has discouraged a number of countries to enter into multilateral agreements as their resources are bound to be exploited and their intelligence system exhausted to cover the security concerns of other countries (Ashraf, 2007). Bilateral security policy approach is beneficial in this context as it eliminate the presence of free ride nations and thus makes it possible for all countries to participate in the management of the security needs of the two countries involved. Rivalry and competition also affects the effectiveness of multilateral transnational approaches as competition affects the effectiveness of the approach. Some countries worry about the benefits of cooperation on their internal security needs and how it promotes other countries as compared to the independent countries. This affects the inputs and contribution of the countries involved in multilateral agreement and provides leeway for organized international criminals and cartels to infiltrate and control the security apparatus. However, bilateral approach is developed on a common and mutual benefits basis which enables the countries involved to highlight the resources they are willing to commit to the program and how each country stand to benefit in enhancing internal and cross border security (Kauppi & Madsen, 2013). Countries in bilateral transnational policies are therefore less worried about losing ground to rival country that has been lumped into the multilateral cooperation due to its strategic location. Issues associated with relative gains which are more dominant in multilateral policies aimed at promoting transnational security lacks in bilateral approaches and this increases its likelihood to succeed as compared to multilateral approaches. In a situation where the bilateral partner is a more developed nation with stronger security apparatus, the benefits associated with the corporation will be enjoyed by the lesser nation as she will benefit from the complicated security and surveillance system of the dominant nations. This eliminates the possibility of competitive attitude that has the possibility of affecting the success of the approach in tackling international crime and terrorism (Ashraf, 2007). When the Korean peninsula war escalated, the benefits of bilateral approaches to international security and agreements were witnessed and this partly led to the diffusion of the war without intervention that would have been occasioned by multilateral approaches. The continued rivalry provided an opportunity and japan and Taiwan in different ways and this occurred majorly as a result of its bilateral nature. Despite the boon it provided to the two countries, none was willing to make military intervention and become part of the war as they were not ready to recognize with any of the warring faction (Block, 2010). China was actively involved in the peninsula war and this provided Taiwan with a breathing space and safety as the focus of china was shifted towards the Korean War. During the war, the United States pursued a bilateral agreement and security alliances with its alienace and this allowed the country to have free access to the warring factions without appearing partisan and actively engaged in the conflict (Ashraf, 2007). Bilateral transnational approaches in the era of globalization With the current advances in globalization and the growth in international terror, bilateral approaches to transnational security and fight against terrorism have created massive benefits. With bilateral tries, different countries are capable to manage their borders and eliminate the infiltration of these countries by terror groups and organizations that promote cyber-crime, child pornography and human trafficking. The advances in globalization has led to an increase in the complexity in tackling national, regional and international security as terror and criminal groups target more than the geographical borders of a country (Kauppi & Madsen, 2013). Though globalization has not significantly altered the international relations, it has affected the approaches used in tackling international security issues. On a shallow look, globalization can be viewed as a channel through which international peace and understanding is fostered. This is due to the increased contacts that globalization creates which makes it possible for countries to adopt common approach to similar problems (Block, 2010). Through globalization, different countries have been exposed to different threats ranging from the proliferation of weapons, increase in cyber targeting attacks, ethnically instigated violence and trafficking. Human and drug trafficking are today some of the most serious international security issues that have grown beyond the confines a country’s internal security due to globalization. Human trafficking has escalated as a result of globalization and this has led to the development of modern day slavery as people from different parts of the world are transported illegally to other parts of the world to offer cheap labour. Human trafficking has continued to increase illegal immigrants in different parts of the world as the traffickers kidnap people from their home countries and transport them to the developed world where they live and work illegally (Block, 2010). Terrorism today remains one of the major security threats in the world as networks with massive following in different parts of the world are continuously developed and strengthened. As international trade and globalization increases, the terrorism networks also increase in their presence, strength and financial abilities as they control some of the illegal drug and arms cartel. The Al Shabab is one of the strongest and largest terror groups operating in different parts of the world with bases in the Middle East and other affiliate groups in other parts of the world (Block, 2010). This terror group has managed to spread its wings beyond the Middle East and continue to recruit more sympathisers due to the influence of globalization. Globalization is therefore about the connection of different states and its citizens that allow for different level of economic and political interactions. Though well handled by Friedman in his passage, globalization does not end on political and social integration but the development of communication and business approaches that bring states together. It has created a greater cultural integration that does not actually require an individual to be somewhere in person but does actually gives an individual the power to feel a culture several miles away (Kauppi & Madsen, 2013). Practices initially seen as too western or too African are currently seen in the African and the western countries thanks to the power of globalization. Different people that initially valued their culture and practices are currently losing the grip on them due to the sweeping impacts of globalization. Other groups like the Hamas and the Hezbollah in the Arabian Peninsula are affiliated to the group and have continued to rein terror. This demonstrates the negative impacts of globalization in the development of international security as terror groups and illegal activities are also globalized as the world grows (Block, 2010). Apart from the globalization of the terrorism networks themselves, globalization has also increased insecurity in countries that were considered safe. Most of these developing countries were out of the terrorist radars because attacking them will add no value to their course. However, with globalization, the super powers that are the targets of the terror groups have expanded their interest in different parts of the world. These countries invest in the development of military bases in these parts of the world due to the space create by globalization. Though essential in ensuring the development of security in these regions, this has exposed such countries to international terror groups who have shifted their focus from attacking the main countries to attacking their interest abroad. Countries like the United Kingdom and the United States have continuously had other countries like strategically placed African and Asian countries attacked by the terrorists. These countries lack adequate personnel and ability to fight the advances of such terrorist activities in their countries and this increases their vulnerability to further attacks (Block, 2010). Not all is gloomy as far as the impacts of globalization and democratization and international security is concerned as these advances have also aided in the development of stronger security agents. Through globalization, the fight against terrorist activities has been globalized and different countries across the world with varying abilities and financial strengths are involved. attack of one country by a terror group is not treated in isolation as it possess danger to other countries, leading to the adoption of an integrated approach to the fight against terrorism. Globalization has therefore strengthened the fight against terrorism and led to the strengthening of the security apparatus of the developing countries. This has increased their abilities to fight terror and protect their borders against aggressive terrorist attacks at all times. Through globalization, catastrophic events in different parts of the world are no longer treated in isolation as it has become the problem of each and every country. Through globalization, economies of countries have been integrated and events within one economic region affect others located thousands of miles away (Block, 2010). Environmental, social-political and cultural factors have also been integrated and these issues are no longer handled at isolated country or regional levels. Societies and institutions have also developed a similar operation level supported by the tenets of globalization and this has led to a synergized development process (Sheptycki, 2002). The concept of globalization thus affects the current needs and the likelihood of the future generation to meet their desires and demands in life. The debate on whether sustainable development presents opportunities or challenges to the achievement of sustainability in the global sphere has created attraction from global scholar Bilateral policies and fight against terrorism Terrorism is considered as a global crime that affects citizens in different parts of the world, irrespective of government security abilities or the strength of intelligence services. Though multilateral approaches have been used to mitigate the threat of terrorism in different countries and regions, bilateral approaches have a number of benefits especially for countries with common interests and goals. The United Kingdom and the United States, for example, have continued to share their strategic interests in different parts of the world and this has made bilateral transnational policy the best policy in their fight against terrorism. This was witnessed during the gulf war when the two countries successfully rallied the support of their respective countries to attack Afghanistan and Iraq and neutralize the strength of the Taliban terror group. Increasing the number of parties to this agreement would have affected its success and created a global conflict that would have pitied the Muslims against other religions. Though the Taliban’s adopted a number of strategies in their terror approaches, the transnational approaches adopted by Britain and the United States overpowered the Taliban and led to their rooting from the region (Sheptycki, 2002). After understanding the strategies used by terrorist, the government can be able to mount a counter terrorism strategy that borrows mostly on the terrorism approaches adopted by the groups. The strategy of attrition that requires a government to concede its hold on areas or principles viewed by the terrorist as improper, the government can adopt a number of counter strategies. The use of inessential concession on issues that does not affect the policies of the government on terrorism can provide room for the initiation peace talks. When the targeted issue is of importance to the government and cannot therefore be conceded, the use of targeted retaliation can slow down the progress of the terrorist and affect their plans. Such targets can include essential areas controlled by the group, assets, sympathizers and followers, an approach that will affect their attrition war and slow their progress significantly. Access to the strategic and powerful weapons is one of the dreams of most terrorists; a process that they believe will give them power to advance their plans against the government. To counter such an approach, the government can use its machinery to ensure that terrorists do not get access to the weapons. In instances where terrorist are planning to overthrow the government and change the regime a strategy that seeks to reduce the influence of the terrorist should be adopted. The territories controlled by the terrorist should be overtaken by the government to reduce their influence and affect their operations, which is a threat to the existence of the legitimate regime. By selecting specific territories controlled by the terrorist, the government increases its ability to significantly affect the grip of the terrorist. This approach is known as the ‘clear and hold strategy’ that was developed by the United States forces during the war with terror in Afghanistan (Sheptycki, 2002). Provocation seeks to put the people against the government in an effort by the terrorist to overthrow the government and enforce an illegal regime change. To counter this, the government should adopt a selective targeting strategy that will result into no or little collateral damage, one that remains the main desire of the terrorists. By reducing the collateral damage and the number of civilians affected by the responses, the government will water down the provocation campaign of the terrorists. By developing a mutual trust between the moderates and the government, the spoiling strategy of the terrorist will most likely fail and this will provide room for the government to implement the agreements made in the peace deal (Cockayne, 2007). The growth of terrorism in the world has affected the peaceful existence of governments and its people as the terrorist groups work towards creating anarchy and affecting the peace process. Though a costly approach of achieving goals, terrorist groups have continued to adopt a number of strategies in an attempt to make the government concede its control on essential areas. From the historical development of terrorism, terrorist have continued to evolve their approaches and forms of violence and this has enabled them to achieve their objectives and force governments into concession (Zanotti, 2006). Effectiveness of bilateral transnational approaches on cyber crime Apart from physical criminal groups, internationally organized criminal groups have continued to hold governments and major multinationals hostage through internet espionage and cyber-crime. These have been committed by international organizations which massive existence in different parts of the world which makes independent approaches ineffective. However, multilateral approaches will also affect the effectiveness of watering down the impacts of such attacks especially if it targets two countries with historical associations. Bilateral approach remains the most effective approach for governments affected by internationally organized cyber criminals and terror organizations (CarrieLyn, 2000). The government has the uppermost responsibility of ensuring that its citizens are protected. Any step that may threaten the fabric that holds the security of the country cannot be taken for granted whatsoever the reason is. The government of the United States has put in place several measures that ensure cyber security and the integrity of their data. There is however a lot of steps that need to be done by the government to seal all the routes that have been used to access confidential information. These include use of personal computer systems without the necessary authorizations (Sheptycki, 2002). As a result, the integrity of the personal information in such a computer is violated and lost. Hacking and denial of access leads in the cases of cyber-attacks that are reported. Denial of service attack on the Estonian government by an individual caused a lot of panic in the country as it brought it economy to its knees. A number of infrastructure threats also make it impossible to maintain the integrity of personal financial, health and business information. The protection of such serious information cannot be delegated to any other group apart from the government (Zanotti, 2006). However, the department of homeland securities has not made important progress that can enable it effectively fight and reduce threat information technology. DHS is the leading security federal agency in the country and therefore holds the legal mandate of countering cyber-crime. However, the infrastructural progress of the department has not enabled it to develop proper tools that can enable them tackle such security threat. The government should therefore make more budgetary allocation to this department in order to equip it with the necessary infrastructure for fighting cybercrime (CarrieLyn, 2000). The formation of the joint functional component command network warfare has also enabled the department of defence to improve and enhance its war against any security threat to defence information. The government does all it can possibly do to ensure that its defence infrastructure is protected. This is because it is a major target from cyber-crime and terrorist related crimes. This step has strengthened the government’s ability to defend and secure its military infrastructure at all times (Zanotti, 2006). The legislation of the cyber aptitude involvement and protection act is another sign of the government’s commitment and efforts to ensure internet and network security. Even it was widely criticized by the public and rights groups, it is a step towards sealing the leeway that has been available for terrorist’s exploitation. It ensures the coordination of the government and the private sector in ensuring that any anonymous information that pose a threat to national security is shared within the legal parameters available. These include sexual exploitation, child pornography, trafficking and kidnapping, this acts calls for the voluntary corporation of both the public and the private sector; however, it does not force any individual to provide the information without their own voluntary decision (Sheptycki, 2002). The fourth amendment provides protects the citizens against any move by the government that can be seen to infringe on their privacy and confidential information. It therefore provides guidelines for the government on how to acquire important private information that can be used in legal proceedings. Such restrictions have been a fertile ground for criminal minds to conceal any incriminating evidence that can be used against them in a court of law. The fight on the cybercrime and threats to important information technology can only be won if the government is given powers to access private information from telephone, mail and social media records if they feel that such information can be used to prove a case legally (Zanotti, 2006). Access to third party records should also be made easier for the right government organizations in order for the government to accurately collect intelligence information. Banks and telephone companies hold important incriminating information on their clients but the law strictly regulates its sharing. Such records can be used by the government well in time to prevent an impending cyber-attack before it does occur. The current laws make it tough for the government to easily and in a timely manner access such information (Kauppi & Madsen, 2013). Apart from human trafficking, the links and trade networks developed as a result of globalization have also provided links for drug trafficking and the emergence of international drug cartels. These cartels have controlled to ruthlessly control illegal drug business in different parts of the world, operating mainly from Columbia and Mexico but selling their drug consignments in different parts of Europe like the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States (Sheptycki, 2002). This has affected the global approaches to fighting drug trafficking as globalization has given the cartels enough muscle and financial strength to buy the judicial and security apparatus in different parts of the world. As a result, the traders transport their wares with the help of the rogue police officers and when arrested, buy their freedom due to the compromised legal systems associated with the increased globalization (Zanotti, 2006). Conclusion The development of international and transnational policies towards the development of a secure globe has been attributed to the reduction in terrorist activities. Terror groups like al Qaeda and Taliban that have caused widespread havoc and affected the international security have been curtailed and their impacts reduced through bilateral and multilateral approaches. In this paper, the effectiveness of bilateral approaches in fighting terrorism and maintaining cross border security has been analysed. The paper has demonstrated how bilateral approaches have been helpful in developing common terrorist approaches by countries like the United States and the United Kingdom which has significantly reduced the impacts of insecurity in the globe. 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