Title: Ten Years After the Terrorist Attacks of 9/11: The Need for a Transnational Approach to Address Risks to US Global Security Interests
Abstract: IntroductionIncreasing risks associated with man-made and naturally occurring incidents, coupled with the inter-relationship of seemingly disparate activities, suggest that the world is more dangerous and vulnerable than at anytime recent history. The United States, as the most technologically advanced and globally connected nation on earth, is especially at risk to systematic or single-incident disruptions. Lessons learned from incidents occurring prior to and since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 have demonstrated that the current US approach to addressing risk is not always effective and may be ill suited to assess emerging challenges. The US no longer has the geographic or economic luxury of approaching security issues from a domestic or international perspective. Regardless of where a threat emanates from, today's security professionals need to recognize, respond to, and appreciate the totality of the near- and long-term implications of risks facing the nation. During this period of remembrance of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, now is the time to consider transitioning away from a geographic-centric focus of safeguarding the nation's interests to a transnational approach to security that reflects a better understanding of the complexities of global risks.United States Approach to Security Prior to September 11, 2001Many changes to the US approach to addressing global security issues have occurred since World War I and have usually been response to an incident that has demonstrated a shortcoming the government's ability to effectively detect and respond to a threat. Based part on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 1941 and the deficiencies observed effectively addressing international security matters during World War II 1947, the National Security Act was passed to better align the missions and goals of the military, foreign policy, and intelligence communities. The surprises associated with the start of the Korean War 1950, the Iraq invasion of Kuwait 1990, and the bombing of the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal building 1995, led to agency reorganizations and redistribution of resources between the international and domestic security activities. Similarly, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been reorganized numerous times after perceived failures responding to natural disasters.After each of these incidents, and others like them, successive administrations and policymakers pursued organizational changes to the nation's security apparatus, including a reprioritizing of focus and resources previously dedicated to overseas and domestic security activities. Often the philosophical and organizational changes approved by policymakers assumed that the next significant event would likely take the form of the most recent incident. In fact, some might suggest that many of America's security leaders continue to suffer from the same myopic approach to assessing current and emerging threats. The World Economic Forum's annual global risk report for 2011 found that in an increasingly turbulent global environment there is the temptation to always focus on the most recent risk event, it is important to take a long-term perspective to risk assessment and response. Many global risks could emerge over decades rather than months or years.1 Such a propensity to philosophically approach and organize to fight the last war may have contributed to the US government's under appreciation of risks facing the nation prior to 9/11. Al-Qaeda first targeted US interests when attempting to attack service members Yemen 1992. In the intervening period, between 1992 and September 10, 2001, the terrorist group successfully carried out numerous other attacks against US global interests. Distracted by more recent events and lacking appreciation of global threats, the nation's security attention was focused elsewhere.Post-9/11 Security: A Sometimes Effective But Not Reflective Approach to ThreatsAfter the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US reorganized its security apparatus, creating a host of new organizations and authorities to better address threats directed at the homeland. …
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
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