Terrorism is a sweeping concern of the citizens residing in the United States. An instilled feeling of fear and dismay has plagued our populace. Since the tragic events of 9/11 our country has taken drastic measures against terror. The Relatively recent development of the Department of Homeland Security has been created specifically for future encounters and terrorist threats on our nation. The primary focus of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is to protect our communications and transportation systems, as well as a constant monitoring of suspect visitors and citizens of the United States. Monitoring of our Ports and Borders, as well as the protection against nuclear warfare is of the utmost importance. Although at times protection may seem ineffective; the protection is crucial to the safety and welfare of our Nation.
The United States has taken an official stand against terrorist and their methods and ways of destruction. The war on terror begins with the heightened security among our ports. “Following 911 the federal government has implemented a multi-layered defense strategy to keep our ports safe and secure” (Ports and Borders 1), according to the DHS webpage, there are five aspects of this particular defense strategy that make it effective. The Screening and Inspection aspect, which makes it so all cargo entering the United States must be screened and searched before actually arriving into the U.S., helping reduce and ultimately eliminate any possibility of terrorist activity at the ports of our nation. The CSI (Container Security Initiative) makes it so
The United States has taken a tough stand against terror. The war on terror begins with the heightened security among our ports. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) webpage, the United States acquired 630 million dollars in grants to protect our largest ports bordering our nation (Ports and Borders 1). America spent 16.2 million for the port in Baltimore, 32.7 million on the port in Miami, and another 100 million on ports in New Orleans, New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia (Ports and Borders 1). Sources say that “the government has implemented a multi-layered defense strategy to keep our ports…safe and secure” (Ports and Borders 1). The multi layered program was designed in order to monitor and protect imported items from neighboring countries. According to the DHS webpage, there are five aspects of the multi-layered strategy that make it effective, the screening and inspection of all cargo, which reduces any possibility of the importing of terrorist capable products into the United States (Ports and Borders 1). Container Security Initiative (CSI) allows the United States to examine any cargo destined to America even before it is loaded onto the vessel. The third initiative is the 24-hour aspect. The 24-hour aspect makes countries and companies give a 24-hour to notice of any cargo bound for the United States. The fourth initiative is the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT); this initiative improves container security amongst private and public vessels. It also improves container security at the storage sites of these imported items. The final aspect of this program is the use of cutting edge technology, gamma rays and x-rays are used for more intensive and meticulous searching of cargo (Ports and Borders 1). The aspects of this initiative are import for the welfare of our ports and essentially the welfare of our nation.

As the war on terror continues, the fight is lead to our borders. The Secure Border Initiative (SBI) is a multi-year plan to Secure America’s borders; it eliminates illegal immigration and protects the bordering states of America from terror. The basic features of the SBI include the hiring of more agents to patrol our borders. With more agents patrolling our border laws will be reinforced and standards will be kept, there is also an expanded ability detain and remove immigrants. There has been a comprehensive and systematic upgrade of technology used in controlling the border (Ports and Borders 1). The upgrades include the expanded use of aerial assets and UAV, the use of next generation detection technology has been incorporated also. According to DHS, there has also been an increased investment in physical training amongst the border patrol. The rigorous training suggests that security will be more sharply applied when dealing with immigrants. The Border Initiative was created in part by the fear of terrorist immigration. Although this program does not eliminate immigration; it greatly reduces the likelihood of further immigrants intruding into the United States.
Since the disastrous events of 9/11 security has been raised throughout various places in the city. For example, railway security has been an ongoing concern for our densely populated urban areas. Sources believe that terrorist have been plotting to attack on the United States various metro systems (CNN television). According to Kathleen Koch, a reporter for CNN news team, undercover agents have been directed to ride trains, busses, and subways in order to point out and apprehend suspicious suspects (Koch. The specific areas of concern for these potential attacks are “…Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Nevada, and a handful of other cities and two rural areas—one in the East and one in the Southwest” (Koch 1). In the Article by Koch, president bush tells Americans “to go about our lives as usual” (Koch 2). The idea of terrorism is not to attack the entire nation directly; but rather to attack some of the nation directly which in return attacks the remainder of the nation indirectly. Terrorism effects Americans due to the fear instilled when an attack occurs. Although an attack is rare in America; the damage that occurs is devastating and unforgettable.
The securities in airports have been the largest and most significant means of protection since the atrocious events of 9/11. The fear of future attacks on our airports has been soothed by the large contributions and efforts to make our airports safer. Kathleen Koch (mentioned previously) believes “the change [in our security] means more perimeter patrols and security checks will be performed on people and vehicles entering and leaving the facilities” (Koch 2). These perimeter checks not only give terrorist a heightened perception of security, the checks also make it difficult for random suspicious items to be placed throughout the facilities. Any suspicious person or item, such as bags and suitcases, will be reported to trained officials and subdued. According to CNN television, airports have added staff and have increased the Random Airport Screening Procedure. Included in this procedure is the addition of a swab test. The swab test is a test that detects any material or substance that has the potential of creating a bomb or any other hazardous material. The finely tuned security of the airport helps maintain a constant balance of safety and protection for traveling citizens of America.
The Department of Homeland Security has even gone to the internet to make America safe. According to Jerry Seper, prolific reporter and writer for The Washington Times, “four internet Web sites operated by two extremist Jewish groups have been included by the State Department on its list of foreign terrorist organizations” (Serper 1). Information published on this site has offered news, information, and commentary on terrorist acts. For any residents of the United States, donating money to any of the “terrorist sites” is illegal. In retaliation the government froze the websites accessibility and assets going toward its campaign. The war on terror is not limited to the real world; it expands, to cyber space as well.
With the Department of Homeland Security cracking down on all types of terrorism, the question remains, what about nuclear war fare? The Department of Homeland Security has not taken lightly to nuclear threats. President Bush’s “Nuclear “Posture Review (NPR), [which includes proactive nuclear war planning,]has taken steps…by increasing the roles for nuclear weapons…[the] development of more ‘usable’ nuclear weapons [has been established]” as said in nuclear weapons tap of Global Security. “Of all the terrorist threats facing the United States and the world, perhaps the gravest is the possibility of terrorists obtaining a nuclear weapon and detonating it in a city” (Global Security 1). In all actuality the only way to prevent nuclear terrorism is to keep terrorist from getting the materials needed to make nuclear weapons. When the topic of nuclear weapons arises, the county that should come to mind should be Iran. According to Fareed Zakaria, a writer for the magazine News Week, Iran had “one of the largest fleets of ballistic missiles in the middle east” (Zakaria 1). Zakaria explains how serious it is for such hostile countries to have such dangerous weapons (Zakaria 1). The idea of nuclear warfare though unlikely; is not far fetched. The idea of countries fighting to an extent of using nuclear warfare is highly unlikely.
It is evident; terror has become a huge concern in the United States. 9/11 is a perfect example of how terror can affect the lives of many. The government has taken radical measures with assuring that our nation will be safe and protected against future attacks. It is important for the United States to keep on striving for Security because once terror is in our country it will be very difficult to rid it out. Although the nation’s new program of national security is not perfect, it is essential for our nation’s safety. It is important for individuals to go about there life in a regular fashion, living life without fear. Fearlessness and faith is the perfect way to fight terrorism.

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