THE CONCERNS OF GLOBAL TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study: The terrorist attacks that took place in New York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington, District of Columbia on September 11, 2001 were acts of war against the international security of the United States of America and its allies, as well as against the concept of a civilized society itself. No cause justifies terrorism. This wickedness, which is set on endangering and destroying our fundamental liberties as well as our way of life, requires a response and a struggle from the entire globe. Fear and liberty are engaged in combat (Huntington, 2021). There is more than one bad guy to fear. There is not just one political system in place. There is no way that it could be considered a religion. Terrorism, which may be defined as "premeditated, politically motivated violence conducted against noncombatant targets by subnational organizations or clandestine operatives," is the adversary in this conflict. Those who resort to terrorist tactics, regardless of whether their motivations are religious or secular in nature, seek to undermine the rule of law and bring about change via the use of violence and fear (Lalieu, 2016). These terrorists also share the mistaken assumption that killing people, kidnapping people, extorting people, robbing people, and wreaking devastation on people in order to scare them are all acceptable kinds of political activity. The fight against international terrorism is unlike any previous conflict that has occurred in our nation's history. We are not going to win based exclusively or even mostly on the strength of our military. We have no choice but to employ all of the tools at our disposal, including our diplomatic, economic, law enforcement, financial, information, intelligence, and military capabilities, in order to combat terrorist networks and everyone who backs their attempts to sow fear around the globe. The steady accumulation of victories, some of which are visible and some of which are not, is the only way to make progress. In addition, we will never let our guard down when it comes to potential future terrorist attacks (Neumayer & Plümper, 2021). When the citizens of the United States and other civilized nations across the world are able to live their lives without fear of terrorist attacks, we will have accomplished our aim. There is no simple or speedy resolution in sight for this issue. At the same time, international security will not let itself to be kept captive by terrorists. This is something that will not be tolerated. Our top goals are the elimination of terrorism and the protection of the United States homeland from any future assaults (Huntington, 2021). However, we shall not place our exclusive emphasis on them. The National Security Strategy and International Security both benefit from this strategy's implementation. The National Security Strategy highlights the fact that we live in an age with tremendous opportunities to foster a world that is consistent with the interests and values embraced by people who care about international security and freedom all over the world. These opportunities exist because we live in an age in which we live. In addition, we shall make the most of these chances (Lalieu, 2016). This strategy for combating terrorism provides further elaboration on Section III of the National Security Strategy by expanding on the necessity of eradicating terrorist organizations, prevailing in the "war of ideas," and bolstering the security of the United States both domestically and internationally. While the National Strategy for Homeland Security focuses on preventing terrorist attacks within international security, the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism focuses on identifying and neutralizing threats before they reach our borders. This is in contrast to the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, which focuses on preventing terrorist attacks within international security. Despite the fact that we understand the nature of the challenging work that lies in front of us, we have devised a plan predicated on the idea that sometimes the most difficult tasks may be completed by the most straightforward methods. Our approach to combating terrorist organizations is one that involves taking immediate and unceasing action, and the net result of this policy will be to initially destabilize, then gradually weaken, and finally wipe out the terrorist organizations (Lalieu, 2016). The more regularly and ruthlessly we hit the terrorists on all fronts, utilizing all of the tools of statecraft, the more effective our efforts will be. In the fight against terrorist groups with a worldwide reach, the front line will be led by international security, which possesses a singular capacity to form alliances and exert influence. (Neumayer, & Plümper, 2021) According to Neumayer and Plümper, if we maintain a consistent strike strategy and make it impossible for terrorists to find a safe haven, we will be able to significantly undermine the capabilities of terrorist groups. We will be able to assist regional solutions that further isolating the spread of terrorism. These regional solutions will be achieved by adjusting old alliances and building new partnerships. Concurrently, the reach of terrorism is becoming increasingly confined, disorganized, and consigned to the sphere of criminal activity. As a result, we will rely on and aid other governments in their efforts to remove terrorism at its core (Huntington, 2021). In order to be successful in this conflict against a shared adversary, international security will make a concerted effort to win over the support of the worldwide community. However, if it becomes essential, we will not be hesitant to act unilaterally in order to exercise our right to self-defense. This may include taking preventative measures against terrorists in order to stop them from causing harm to our people and our nation. In spite of the fact that the fight against terrorism is inherently asymmetric, we now hold the edge in this conflict. During this campaign, we will play to our strengths while focusing on exploiting the vulnerabilities of the opposition. We will harness the power of our core beliefs to contribute to a world that is both freer and more prosperous (Huntington, 2021). We will use the credibility of our government and the justness of our cause in order to forge alliances that are robust and adaptable. Our robust economy will be of assistance to states that are on the verge of collapse and will aid less developed nations in their fight against terrorism. Our technology will assist in identifying and localizing terrorist groups, and our worldwide reach will enable us to eradicate them regardless of where they choose to conceal themselves. In addition, we will, as we have in the past, count on the resilience of the American people to enable us to keep our composure in the face of hardship (Lalieu, 2016). We shall never lose sight of the ultimate goal of our struggle, which is to preserve the core democratic ideals and traditions that define our way of life. We are building new international connections and reframing old ones in ways that are more suitable to the transnational problems of the 21st century as a result of our leadership in the war against terrorism (Lalieu, 2016).

Statement of the Problem

In recent years, terrorist networks have evolved, moving away from a dependency on state sponsorship; many of the most dangerous groups and individuals now operate as non-state actors. Taking advantage of porous borders and interconnected international systems finance, communications, and transit terrorist groups can reach every corner of the globe. While some remain focused on local or national political dynamics, others seek to affect global change.

At the forefront of this trend is al-Qaeda. From its base in the borderlands between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the al-Qaeda network has spread widely, establishing branches or affiliates elsewhere, including in North Africa, Yemen, and Southeast Asia. Driven by an extreme Salafi ideology characterized by opposition to Western influence and the goal of creating a global Islamic caliphate al-Qaeda operatives have killed thousands from Madrid to Bali to Baghdad. What is more, the group's alluring ideology extends its reach, prompting some individuals outside its direct command to take violent action. The threat from al-Qaeda has proven global, multifaceted, and difficult to track and contain. It continues to pose the most prominent terrorist threat.

Objectives of the study

The objective of this study is to suggest possible ways in which International security eliminates terrorism as a threat to our way of life.

Research questions

1. What measures can be put in place in order to eliminate terrorism completely from the International community.

1.5 Significance of the Study

Americans know that terrorism did not begin on September 11, 2001. Regrettably, its history is long and all too familiar. The first major terrorist attack on New York City’s financial district, for instance, did not occur on September 11, or even with the 1993 truck bombing of the World Trade Center. It occurred September 16, 1920, when anarchists exploded a horse cart filled with dynamite near the intersections of Wall and Broad Streets, taking 40 lives and wounding about 300 others. Starting with the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901 and continuing with the bombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998 and the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, American history in the 20th century was punctuated by terrorism. Americans also understand that we are not alone in the struggle against terror. Terrorists have left their mark in some way upon every country in the world. Citizens from some 90 countries died in the attacks of September 11. For decades, the International security and our friends abroad have waged the long struggle against the terrorist menace. We have learned much from these efforts. Even as we experience success in the war on terrorism, new enemies may emerge. Thus, the International security will confront the threat of terrorism for the foreseeable future. Consequently, we must continue to take aggressive action to uncover individuals and groups engaged in terrorist activity, by analyzing the common characteristics of terrorists in order to understand where our enemies are weak and where they are strong.

1.6 Scope/Limitations of the study

This study is on International security and fight against terrorism and it has the following limitations.

1. Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

2. Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.7 Definition of terms

Terrorism:The unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives".