The Global Fight Against Terrorism

Despite spending billions of dollars to fight endless wars, global terrorism rose 43% in 2013. As a result, terrorism has been brought to the fore of not only the American mentality, but the international mentality as well. Consequently, we must do a few things in order to maintain our sanity, dignity, power, and security.

We must retaliate forcefully and successfully. We must garner support for our cause and give other countries a reason to want to stand behind America. We must reassure the world of our confidence as a great power, and our ability to retain that status. Lastly, and most practically, we must explore the possibilities of terrorism that exist and attempt to grasp the actual threat that these possibilities realistically pose for us.

Undeniably, there is a faction of people out there who want to bring America down. On September 11th, terrorists hit decisively a few places of weakness in the psyche of the American citizen. They got us psychologically, we were paranoid. They prompted our awe, we were fearful. They governed our hearts, we were devastated. They killed American people. But the terrorists merely grazed the actual Achilles heel of American society and vitality: our economic infrastructure. Although an integral symbol of the success and predominance of the American capitalist economic system was brought down in September, our economy and financial markets did not suffer unacceptable damage. The quality of life in our country has not changed significantly for the majority of the population.

This is reassuring, but it also reveals that if somebody wants to attack America, he’s still got plenty to work with.

The term “Critical...

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...does aim at the quality of life that our country is able to provide for us. Critical infrastructure terrorism could destroy the very infrastructure that allows us the power, wealth, and security that we all enjoy.

Works Cited

Denning, Dorothy E. “Cyberterrorism.” Testimony before the Special Oversight Panel of the US House of Representatives. 23 May, 2000. (http://www.terrorism.com/documents/denning-testimony.shtml).

Web Page Source: Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office. (http://www.ciao.gov). Accessed on March 6, 2002.

Web Page Source: United States General Accounting Office. “Critical Infrastructure Protection: Comprehensive Strategy. 1 October 1999. (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gove/cgi-bin/multidb.cgi) Accessed on March 6, 2002.