SEC450 .Article Analysis

Article Analysis

SEC420 Article Analysis

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Article Analysis

In the article Globalization’s Security Implications the author Lynn Davis discusses the security implications involved with the world becoming more globalized. Davis finds globalization is a multidimensional phenomenon that has become a rapidly evolving process due to new information technologies. Technologies and improved transportation methods have always been the cause for the world’s globalization. Through ships explorers discovered other civilizations and cultures while telephone and television allowed citizens all over the world to glimpse the live of citizens from other countries. New information technologies have sped up the pace of globalization which has benefited all societies but it has also resulted in serious security implications.

Davis finds possibilities to achieve economic prosperity, spread political freedom, and promote peace but it can also allow terrorists to wreak havoc and destruction on countries they once could not reach and gives organized crime group the opportunity to commit crime all over the globe. Information technology has also created a new criminal threat that everyone on the globe with access to new information technology, such as computers, internet, and smartphones, is vulnerable to becoming a victim. Cyber crime is a whole new crime genre that has emerged with new technology. It is employed by larger threats, such as transnational organized crime groups and terrorist groups, as well as smaller criminal threats all over the globe.

The author discusses expanding global economic interactions that can contribute to some of the problems that lie at the root of international security threats (Davis, 2003). For example through the action of American businesses and government China has now become a powerful economic player in global society. This communist society could use their new found economic strength to attempt to force other countries to embrace a communist political model even greater than this threat involves threats, such as Al Qaeda or other international terrorist groups.

Globalization is both good and bad. Through access to the global market businesses can flourish through getting their product or service to a large market but every citizen on the globe that is involved in the digital world become vulnerable to fraud and theft. The author discusses the beginnings of a global effort to stop crime but also outlines the many difficulties faced by international community. First Davis discusses the different transnational threats at length. The first being discussed and the threat they pose to global society especially westernized countries such as America.

The threat posed by the transnational terrorist is great but in this threat are countries, such as North Korea, that have obtained access to nuclear weapons they are now threatening to use against south Korea and America. If a terrorist was able to obtain a large dangerous weapon, such as a weapon of mass destruction, America and other westernized countries face the threat of a large death toll. Terrorist could also obtain some form of biological substance that is released in the air and causes a large amount of fatalities. Terrorists use new information technologies to gain access to different avenues that allows them to conduct violent attacks.

The author discusses the need for credible international prevention measures to limit the reach of the international terrorist. She finds that preventing cyber attacks will require new security standards and systems to provide early warning and attack assessment and by preventing cyber attacks many other attacks by international threats can be thwarted (Davis, 2003).In order for this occur countries across the globe will need to be willing to share information and unite against these global threats. Davis continues by discussing the current anti-terrorism measures being employed by countries across the globe and their ineffectiveness when addressing the underlying causes of terrorism and the success of transnational organized crime groups and cyber criminals.

The most prominent underlying cause identified by Davis is economic hardships. When a country is suffering economic hardships the citizen can resent this inability of the government to establish a strong economy resulting in the development of crime groups that take advantage of opportunities provided by information technologies in order to commit cyber crimes. When economies are weak or vulnerable they will be subject to the manipulations of terrorist or organized crime groups that access these countries in order to engage in illegal enterprises or to take advantage of the lack of laws or treaties with westernized countries that will ensure they are never prosecuted.

Davis goes on to discuss the need to stabilize the economy of countries, large and small, to be able to better prevent international threats and the dangers they pose. The author finds democratic countries with strong economic growth will be the most equipped for developing effective prevention measures to limit the security threat posed from terrorist, organized crime, and the cyber criminal. Various principles are associated with democracy which includes public accountability, respecting the will of the majority and human rights, free representation of views, and the rule of law (Davis, 2003).

Without laws and a justice system a society cannot become civilized and will not have the tools to combat the international crime threat. Other political models have been successful in preventing the international threat but without a democratic partnership will have little success. Davis finds the first step in preventing international crime threats is to establish international economic assistance programs. The international economic assistance programs would allow the international community to assist other countries in identifying and punishing criminal threats.

These programs would allow the international community to work together to stop these threats and to ensure that they can be punished. Terrorist that commit acts in one country would be captured and sent back to the victim country and criminals would be made to pay for their crimes. The author does not suggest an international court or law enforcement system but suggests that the country were the crime was committed gets jurisdiction over the crime but supporting locating and investigating the international criminal. Next Davies suggests countries that are developed should provide assistance to underdeveloped countries so they will not be so vulnerable to the manipulations of the international criminals.

Davis finds that when a country has a weak economy they are more vulnerable to terrorists and other international threats. One suggestion was to provide funding to the under developed country to assist in strengthening their economy and helping rid the country of corrupt political leaders. Next the developed country should assist the country in establishing laws and a democratic society. The less opportunity provided to the international threat the better equipped global society will be to prevent and deter global crime.

Lastly Davis discusses the need for collective international decision making by the international community. Collective decision making refers creating joint responses that will allow the international community to establish security protocols, development of multilateral financial institutions, supporting the weak economies of underdeveloped countries, and establishing an international response to global crime threats. Without collective decision making their will not be a response that all countries are willing to comply with. In other words if all countries do not agree on the prevention measures then not all countries will comply. For example if Italy is not in agreement with America on how to handle terrorism the Italian government may not help America in the event of another terrorist attack or a great terrorist threat posed to the country when countries are in agreement or have engaged in collective decision making will be far more likely to engage in an internal response to global crime.

In conclusion Davis finds in order for a country to understand the global threat they must recognize the characteristics of the associated threats and opportunities new information technology and transportation provides the international criminal threat. In order for this to be the result all countries must be in agreement on what security measures should be applied. Davis writes a comprehensive and informed article on globalization and the security threat it poses to the international society. Her main arguments are clear and she identifies potential causes as well as provides recommendations for potential solutions.

Davis explains the international cooperation is lacking creating gaps in security that allow international threats to be successful. She finds the military would be the most effective global law enforcement to identify, investigate, and capture international criminals and ensure they pay. Globalization requires a new approach to international security strategies and ensuring criminal are caught and punished for the crimes they commit.

References

Davis, A. (2003). Globalization’s Security Implications. RAND. Retrieved April 6 2013 from

http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/issue_papers/2005/IP245.pdf