Research Part 2

Running Head: HOMELAND SECURITY AFTER 9/11 1

HOMELAND SECURITY AFTER 9/11 2

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HOMELAND SECURITY AFTER 9/11

Introduction

After the glaring terrorist attacks that took place in the United States on 9/11 in 2001, the Department of Homeland security became a critical nationwide concern. “Law enforcement bodies and their respective roles were changed right from the local, federal, and state levels” (McEntire, 2018).

The Congress played its part after the attacks by passing the “Patriot Act”. This act was aimed at restructuring the local, national, and state system of government together with helping distribute powers to the law enforcement bodies across the different agency departments. In this research paper, I will illustrate and look at the way how the homeland defense was reorganized and the national strategy that has been put in place to prevent and to disrupt another terrorist attack.

Research question

Several national intelligence issues continue posing threats to the future of the department of homeland security, which includes strict system of government structures, the inadequacy of funds, lack of coordination and disintegration instead of integration (Gaines, & Kappeler, 2019). However, it is essential to look at the various strategies that have been put in place t ensure that a repeat of the 9/11 attack is never witnessed on our soil and in any other area across our borders. Therefore, the article will answer the question on the various steps and measures that have been put in place by the department of homeland security in their preparedness.

Purpose statement

The most prominent future intelligence challenges today encountering the department of homeland security can be attributed to the 9/11 attacks. Various measures were put in place by George Bush's government to ensure that a repeat of the same will not be witnessed in the future (Alizadeh, 2019).

Literature review

The characteristics of terrorism make it very difficult and very dangerous, combating it. The strategies and tactics of conventional combat have to be tailored and modified in a way that will help in addressing novel distinctiveness. The 9/11 attacks brought a challenge to the administration that was far beyond the used natural disasters challenges that had decades been the biggest challenge. The attacks suggested the possibility of other attacks in the future that would engage more of society.

The United States and the partners across the globe have been trying their best to waging an unremitting war on terror whether abroad or at home. “Over the short term, the government has been working on trying to prevent terrorist attacks and denying weaponry of mass destruction to rogue states and terrorists” (Alizadeh, 2019). The terror war has changed over time and it is today a divergent kind of war that today involves a battle of arms as well as a battle of ideas.

Today, various strategies are implemented by the department of homeland security to prevent terrorist attacks like that, which happened on September 11. One of the major ways homeland security has been working on is denying terrorists as well as weapons and materials that are related to the terrorists from gaining entry into the United States (Shiekh, 2019). The other way is disrupting the terrorist's ability to operate within the United States' borders and trying to put off the materialization of vicious Islamic radicalization, which denies terrorists future human resources and helps in defeating domestic radicalism.

By denying the terrorist enemies the ability to travel internationally, especially across and within the United States' borders, it severely inhibits their effectiveness. The terrorists are also hindered from identifying and surveying their possible targets; they cannot conduct planning and launch any attack within our borders (Johnson, & Hunter, 2017).

The department has also been able to strengthen travel and document security while at the same time improving information sharing within the domestic and international partners while at the same time improving the screening of all people that are visiting the united states as well as the cargo that is entering the country.

Strengthening our layered systems of protection, which starts overseas continuing along our borders at the ports and the roadway, railways, and the skies, have been a very fundamental aspect that has been used by the department of homeland in protecting the country against terrorists, weapons as well as all the other related materials from getting access in the United States.

Through the improvement o screening of visa applicants, it has been possible helping in managing access through entry ports. Improving screening means that there is the capability of identifying potential visitors who may pose security terrorization. This is done through enhanced interview techniques, collection and comparison of biometrics, and doing background checks among other measures.

“The infusion of technology in conflicts has resulted in changes to the strategy and tactics used in a war, which today determines who achieves victory” (Lahneman, 2018). The homeland security has a responsibility of ensuring physical security which is the safety of personnel, hardware, software, and networks, from physical actions and events which are capable of causing serious damage or loss (Napolitano, 2019).

References

Alizadeh, M. (2019). Police Policy Shifts After 9/11: From Community Policing to Homeland Security: a New York Case Study. Springer Nature.

Alizadeh, M. (2020). Research on Community Policing and Homeland Security. In Police Policy Shifts After 9/11 (pp. 7-14). Springer, Cham.

Gaines, L. K., & Kappeler, V. E. (2019). Homeland Security and Terrorism. Pearson.

Johnson, T. C., & Hunter, R. D. (2017). Changes in homeland security activities since 9/11: an examination of state and local law enforcement agencies’ practices. Police Practice and Research, 18(2), 160-173.

Lahneman, W. J. (2018). Homeland security intelligence. Introduction to Homeland Security, 97-122.

McEntire, D. A. (2018). Introduction to Homeland Security: Understanding Terrorism Prevention and Emergency Management. John Wiley & Sons.

Napolitano, J. (2019). How Safe are We?: Homeland Security Since 9/11. Hachette UK.

Shiekh, I. ((2019). Democracy and Homeland Security: Strategies, Controversies, and Impact.