Terrorism: The Major Threat to Global Security in Modern Times - Coursework Example

Terrorism: The Major Threat to Global Security in Modern Times Terrorism has always remained a problem not only for national governments on a globallevel in a political context but also for the entire humanity as a whole from social perspectives. The rapidly changing nature of the security environment and the ever evolving facets of terrorist activities are forcing nations across the world to rethink their crime fighting policies and to invest heavily on internal security as well as external defence initiatives. Thus, nations have to deploy large volumes of resources and revenue for internal security and defence purposes, which could have otherwise been used for developmental and constructive activities. Therefore, it becomes apparent that the menace of terrorism inflicts heavy damages not only in terms of human lives but also affects the economies of nations apart from the loss of property as the direct result of terrorist attacks. In so far as it relates to security problems the main concerns for nations are internal and external security due to the probability of wars. On the other hand, in the context of internal security, nations face challenges due to increasing crime rates or any internal strife due to political or religious reasons. However, the most significant threat is terrorism which can inflict heavy casualties in terms of loss of valuable human lives and loss of property apart from the devastating consequences on the economic and social stability of nations. The most important concern for the citizens of a country is the “safety and security” of self and family so that they can live peacefully.1 In a study on terrorism, Kim Mattsson refers to six major threats, as identified by the United Nations, which the countries across the globe face in the modern day. However, the author contends that out of the various security threats that the countries across the world confronts, “terrorism is the most profound”2 From the recent episodes of terrorist attacks, it can be construed that developed countries as the primary targets of various terrorist groups and they use violence indiscriminately to intimidate the political leadership in such countries. However, more often than not, the innocent non-combatants become the targets, who have to bear the brunt of the incidents of terrorist attacks. The aforesaid study further finds that the triad of “unilateralism, multilateralism and transnationalism,” which characterises the modern era, empowers the terrorists to move freely across nations and to easily launch successful attacks on their targets.3 The manner in which terrorists have wreaked havoc in the US on 9/11, the London bombings and the recent attacks in Mumbai, India, stand testimony to this fact. Thus, it transpires that with modern technology and the easy accessibility to any location of choice has made terrorism the most dangerous threat in the present day. In a rather recent development, having identified an “apparent criminal-terrorist” nexus, the US authorities have issued appropriate guidelines to initiate counter measures for the purpose of containing the threat of terrorism and transnational criminal activities.4 From many recent incidents of terrorist attacks and several facts revealed during the subsequent investigations, one can easily construe that there is a close rapport among various terrorist outfits and criminal syndicates, who have combined forces to strike terror and yield maximum benefits. It has also come to the fore from recent terror attacks that many nations sponsor terrorism through funding the terrorists. Thus, terrorist groups across the globe have abundant funding at their disposal so as to enable them to gain access to highly sophisticated technology, weaponry and transportation. In addition, they also engage directly in various transnational crimes such as trafficking of drugs as well as humans, smuggling, extortion etc to mobilize funds besides aiding and abetting many criminal activities by associating with the criminal underworld. Thus, the terrorist have vast resources of disposable money with them, which is the main attraction for youths to join their outfits. Under the circumstances, the Bush administration has resorted to the initiative of the “disruption of terrorist organizations” as their primary goal with a focus on preventing them from access to their “enabling means” especially sourcing of funds through ‘transnational organized crime.”5 This indicates that developed nations like the US has not only recognized terrorism as the major threat to security of in the world but also have initiated drastic steps to counter this menace. The United Nation’s (UN) Report of the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change (2004) identifies terrorism as a threat that attacks the “values that lie at the heart” of the Charter of the UN.6 This report acknowledges terrorism as a major threat that needs to be dealt with “greater urgency” and recognizes Al Qaeda as an armed network with a “global reach and sophisticated capacity” that has been responsible for attacks during 2000-2004 in over 10 countries, across four continents, which are affiliated to the UN.7 In this context, it is relevant that the targets of these strikes were powerful nations such as the US and UK, which have highly sophisticated internal security system as well as the world’s top military forces and intelligence machinery. The most tragic and horrific reality about terrorism is that in almost all cases the victims invariably happen to be innocent civilians rather than combatant soldiers. They include children, women and elders without any discrimination or consideration of their innocence. Such acts violate the values such as human rights, protection of civilians and “peaceful resolution of conflict” problems, as enshrined in the UN covenants.8 Therefore, the UN also believes that since the terrorists seek to inflict maximum damage on their targets by causing “mass casualties” terrorism needs to be perceived as a menace of “unprecedented dangers” in the modern society.9 Another major reason for the assumption of terrorism being the most significant threat is the fact that terrorists, with the huge amount of resources at their disposal, are in a position to acquire and use chemical, biological and nuclear weapons that can cause devastation beyond salvage to the entire human civilization. Thus, it can be construed that of all the threats that the modern world is facing in the world terrorism is the most significant. Research evidence further suggests that in the recent past, there have been “potentially disturbing trends” that indicate the growth and solidification of the nexus among terrorist outfits and transnational crime syndicates.10 In the aftermath of globalisation and due to the unfathomed advancement in technology, criminal and terrorist organizations have become capable of flexing their muscles beyond national boundaries and interact with one another for forging collaboration that can be profitable to all such stakeholders. Modern trends in internet banking and facilities such as social networking have dramatically transformed the scope of cybercrimes in terms of credit card frauds, internet scams and identity theft. Many hostile nations take advantage of the situation and are actively considering “sponsorship or support of criminal or terrorist activity” as being of “strategic value” to them.11 It is obvious that such state sponsored terrorism and crimes can be more devastating in their scope and implications to global security than the threat being posed by individual groups of terrorists or criminals. It is also interesting to note that some of the Islamic radicals, who are fighting a so called Holy War of Jihad, consider that selling heroin to the Americans is a “form of jihad” and such people will be prepared to willing and actively engage in other criminal activities to unleash optimum damage to the countries that they consider as hostile, including Australia.12 Thus, in the modern day, terrorism acquires new facets of scope and meaning, which makes it the most dangerous threat to global security. While there is no questioning of the fact that terrorism poses an insurmountable threat to global security in general, the scenario specifically concerning Australia cannot be perceived as encouraging. Recognising this threat, the Australian government has published a White Paper in 2004, with the objective of providing the citizens with an awareness of the threat of terrorism in a global context and how it particularly affects the Australia. Like in the case of US, UK and India, which have been often been the targets of terrorist attacks, Australia is also apprehensive of the fact that their main threat is from the “Muslim extremist cause” though the country does not perceive the Islam religion as the reason behind it.13 Their perception of threat mainly stems from the emerging trend in which the Muslim radicals are attempting to replace governments in Islamic countries with “regimes that reflect their extremist interpretation of Islam.”14 Thus, they are now trying to adapt to a new world order where they must learn to confront the “harsh new realities in a changed strategic environment.”15 This attitude really needs to be appreciated because Australia never has had a history of terrorist attack like the US, UK or India, especially after the 1980s. However, the country has been able to recognize the magnitude of the threat and has decided to prepare itself to confront the danger. On the other hand, Australia’s recent concern about terrorism stems from the fact that over a “100 Australians” have fallen victims to terrorist attacks in foreign lands “since 2001” and the country actively pursues criminal proceedings against the perpetrators.16 Australia also feels that the advancements in technology that facilitates the ability for networking among individuals and groups is one of the main platforms on which the “current threat subsists” across the world, thus endangering global security.17 The country also perceives that despite the killing of several militant leaders, the terrorists will persist in their endeavour to unleash a state of anarchy across the world by adapting and aligning “local and international agendas in unpredictable ways” and, therefore, acknowledges the fact that the threat to the “lives and interests” of their citizens will continue to persist.18 Thus, the country has embarked on concerted initiative to identify people who are “committed to supporting or engaging in violent jihad” and prosecute them.19 The vigour with which the country contemplates action to counter the menace of terrorism illustrates the commitment of the political leadership to their citizens on the one hand, while on the other it implores other nations to recognize terrorism as the gravest threat to global security. In the modern day, the world in general is facing a lot of concerns that pose challenges to the concept of global security. War between countries as well as internal turbulence within some countries can have negative consequences on other nations also. However, such problems affect other nations only to a marginal extent and cannot be of such a magnitude as to threat global security. On the other hand, the menace terrorism has been able to inflict devastating damages to the entire global community in terms of heavy loss of valuable human lives and destruction of property. The most disturbing fact is the on almost all occasions, innocent population including children, women and elders have fallen victims to terrorist attacks. Besides, in the modern world, terrorists have access to all sorts of resources including large amounts of disposable money, which enables them to access latest technology and sophisticated weaponry including chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. In addition, the recent trend of increasing nexus between the terrorists and crime syndicates can be extremely dangerous to the social system and it can also endanger the political and economic stability of countries. Thus, it can be construed that with all the resources and committed individuals at their disposal, the terrorists are in a position to inflict heavy damage on their targets including loss of life and property. All these factors and the extent to which terrorists can wreak havoc on the human civilization make terrorism the most grave threat to global security. Reference List A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility. 2004. United Nations: Report of the Secretary General’s High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. Retrieved April 7, 2013 from Mattsson, K. 2007. Contemporary Threats: Terrorism and the Challenges for Armed Forces – A Finnish Point of View. Harvard University. Retrieved April 7, 2013 from Rollins, J. & Wyler, L. S. 2012. Terrorism and Transnational Crime: Foreign Policy Issues for Congress. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Rollins, J. et al. 2010. International Terrorism and Transnational Crime: Security Threats, US Policy and Considerations for Congress. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Securing Australia: Protecting Our Community. 2010. Australian Government. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Transnational Terrorism: The Threat to Australia. 2004. Australian Government. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Read More