Terrorist Attacks On Emergency Response
Introduction
The United States September 11 2001 a terrorist attack was one of the most severe terrorist attacks in modern times. It was organized in the form of hijacked passenger planes which hit the twin towers of the world trade center as well as the Pentagon. Very many people lost their lives as well as property worth millions was lost such that all government agencies were involved in many ways during the attack and after the attack in a bid to reduce loss of lives. Government agencies such as the NORAD, NSA and the Department of Homeland Security Services were actively involved in the response team and most of the agencies have undergone extreme changes as well as modifications to make them more efficient. This was also intensified by the move to reduce effects of future terrorist attacks.
Discussion
The effect on the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
NORAD has three main functions namely; provision of surveillance and control of the North American airspace with emphasis being laid on the air of Canada and the United states. Similarly, the agency is supposed to provide the National Command Authorities with relevant information on any intended attack as well as information on how to respond to any attacks on the North American air. The agency is also given the mandate of providing the appropriate ways of responding to any form of attack be it air sea or land-launched9-11 commission (2004).In the 1990s, NORAD was well prepared to handle air sovereignty and air defense missions after carrying out subsequent training and realistic exercises in both areas. The exercise included tracking down in-flight emergencies as well as those who wandered off the course. However, this was not to last for long as the air defence force at NORAD was modified to pay more attention to air sovereignty and less focus was attributed to massive nuclear attack. The change in focus of the NORAD led to the team being unprepared when the September 9/11 attacks were seen.
This is because rather than the NORAD concentrating in surveillance and control of territorial space, they were paying more attention on air sovereignty missions 9-11 commission (2004).Lack of proper communication and preparedness led to failure of information on the hijacked planes being concealed from the NORAD such that they were not aware of such happenings until it was too late Jackson, (2005).After the 9/11 attacks, the mission of NORAD were streamlined to include monitoring of all aircraft flying within the aerospace of the United States. Several air patrols have been deployed as security and accompaniments for all aircraft so as to obtain first hand information incase of any terrorist attack. Similarly, after the attacks, the United States requested NATO to deploy some of its aircraft to help the NORAD handle the aftermath of the attacks. In July 28 2006, the daily activities of NORAD were consolidated to increase efficiency by moving their base to Colorado Springs. However, the same surveillance work was incorporated as well as control form intercontinental nuclear attacks Jackson, (2005).
The Department of Homeland Security Services
Prior to the September 111 2001 attacks, this department did not exist but after the terrorist attacks, the United States government through congress consolidated a number of independent federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Secret Service. Theses federal agencies developed into a single entity called the Homeland Security Services whose sole aim was to detect and eliminate merging terrorist threats as a single entity as the individual agencies were less efficient in carrying out this task 9-11 commission (2004).Centralization of surveillance data was seen as a way of reducing privacy of eh data as well as increasing government secrecy such that all activities involving terror attacks would be coordinated form a central post. It was also a move towards strengthening control and protection of the special interest of the United States government such that the general privacy of all Americans was enhanced US Department of Homeland Security Services (2002).Another move which was established together with the introduction of Homeland Security Services is provision of protection for individuals who submit information regarding any terrorist attacks.
The source of information in addition to the nature of information is considered with the highest level of confidentiality such that the individual is not subjected to any form of harassment9-11 commission (2004).As part of enhancing security to all, the Department of Homeland Security produced a pres release in 2003 where it described its plans to establish a single area network which will connect all its offices. The aim of the network is to reduce communication barriers between various offices as well as to ensure uniformity in working. The Homeland Security Advisory System was given the mandate of ensuring that the comprehensive and effective communication network structure is designed in addition to its incorporation. This will serve as a link between the agency and the people as well as provision of security for the government and the public US Department of Homeland Security Services (2002).
The National Security Agency (NSA)
The National Security Agency is a component of the United States government entrusted with collection and analysis of foreign communication s well as foreign signal intelligence especially those involving cryptanalysis. The agency has a mandate of protecting the United States communication systems and any information regarding the government such that rival agencies may not access the same Bamford, (2008).Prior to the September 11 attacks, the NSA had been quietly tracking, decrypting and interpreting foreign communications between various key organizers of the attack for quite a long time. However, due to the highly secretive-nature of their activities no such information was shared out with other agencies which would have moved in to prevent the attack. The NSA had actually tapped Osama bin Laden’s satellite phone fro years such that they had clean records of the conversations between the hijackers and bin Ladens operation center in Yemen Bamford, (2008).The agency had recorded information about the presence of terrorists in the United States soil as well as their movement across the country towards the designated site of attacks.
Therefore, they were in a better position of providing the vital information to the relevant agencies to counteract the attack Bamford, 2008).After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the then United States President George W. Bush ordered the National Security Agency to carry out surveillance to phone calls without obtaining a warrant form any government authority. This included telephone calls from other countries as well as those calls which were highly suspected to originate from persons who are closely linked to terrorist groups. This move was aimed at making Americans feel safe aging in their own country. The attempt to make National Security agency more reliable hindered by lack of personnel as well as unavailable skills to handle newer more efficient technological advances in surveillance Bamford, (2008).Consequently, National Security Agency was also given the mandate of creating a database containing telephone records of all Americans using data provided by telephone service providers. The information is later on analyzed provide the calling patterns of terrorists Bamford, (2008).
Conclusion
The efforts by the United States government to revamp the activities of the agencies as a way of controlling future attacks has gone along way in increasing the efficiency of the various departments. Most of the modifications are aimed towards improving the ability to tack and prevent intense effects of the attacks. Modern technology has been quite efficient and useful such that the methods that have been put in place to counteract crime are highly effective.
References
Bamford, J. (2008), The shadow factory: the ultra-secret NSA from 9/11 to the eavesdropping on America. Double day publishers
Jackson, D.M. (2005), Where was NORAD on 9/11? Retrieved on May 25, 2010 from: www.apfn.org/apfn.wtc.htm
US Department of Homeland Security Services (2002), strengthening Homeland Security since 9/11. retrieved on May 25, 2010 from: www.dhs.gov.xnews/relesases/press- elease-004
9-11 commission (2004), the final report. Retrieved on May 25, 2010 from: www.commomndreams.org/headline06/0911-01
Is this your assignment or some part of it?
We can do it for you! Click to Order!
