INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND GLOBAL TERRORISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Terrorism is not a new phenomenon it has long been a method of violent action by organizations and individuals attempting to achieve political goals. Indeed, terrorism is not an end but rather a modus operandi. According to Bruce Hoffman, all terrorists share one common denominator:
they “live” in the future and are convinced that they will defeat their enemies and achieve their political goals. The questions on how we can have a secured and terror free world have been a recurring one with little answers.
The threat of terrorism has steadily increased over the last 30 years. With advances in technology, Terrorist acts have come much more destructive and the perpetrators of those acts have become more elusive. Maintaining a secured world has been a difficult task especially in this era of globalization.
Looking at the security side of the globalization analysis, security became so complex and multi-dimensional, traditional national border-setting type of security perception is not capable of recognizing new threats that transcend the national borders.
In this context, international terrorism became one of the main concerns with its highly complicated characteristics. Thus, globalized world has to face an immediate threat: international terrorism. This problem has been recognized not only by one nation, but also in the era of globalization when the nations became much more connected and interdependent, it became a threat to international security.
The dynamic nature of terrorism further exacerbates the threat terrorist pose to security officials. Even if they achieve success in foiling terrorist plots, security agencies cannot rest on their accomplishments as terrorist organizations constantly change their tactics, organizational structure, and even their tactical objectives.
As such, terrorist groups and those who work to counter them are constantly competing strategically in an attempt to stay one step ahead of each other, whether via new technologies or operational tactics. In this manner, the phenomenon of terrorism has evolved over the years, with each stage emerging more dangerous and lethal than the preceding stage. Some few states have witnessed terrorist threats since many years.
Nevertheless, though these states have already known the pains of terrorism, it became more a concern of many other states with September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks in the United States. This a turning point for all the nations to see the threat of terrorism.
The September 11 attacks represented a new reality in international terrorism. The world community, in the wake of these attacks, found itself seemingly in unprecedented peril. The face of international terrorism had changed.
But the phenomenon of global jihad terrorism has roots and ramifications that reach back several years. Before 9/11, it was convenient for many states and world leaders to turn a blind eye to the unfolding threat, as long as they were not its direct victims or its central focus. Indeed, the radical Islamic movement originally focused not on attacking western targets, but on conquering the hearts and minds of Muslim communities all over the world through educational, religious, and welfare activities, known as “dawah” activities.
These activities were based on the dogmatic radical perspectives of the movement, which praised the use of violence in “defence of Islam.” Still, in most cases, the principle remained theoretical, and the call to violence never manifested itself as a concrete act of violent terrorist activity. This made it possible – and even convenient – for world leaders to underestimate the threat.
The death of nearly 3,000 civilians, the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings, and the destruction of parts of the Pentagon building on September 11th, forced the international community and especially the American people and US administration – to acknowledge the imminent threat of terrorism. Since then, members of the global jihadist network have not hesitated to utilize a method of modern terrorism that has proved more effective than any other, namely, suicide attacks.
Almost a new awareness has started, because everybody saw its damages while a lot of people have died or injured, and unfortunately while terrorist declared their success. Terrorism became the main topic on the top agenda for many nations and institutions.
Today, global terror is a giant problem for all humanity. We are used to think security in terms of military threats and arising beyond the borders of one’s own country. Traditionally national security is understood as “the acquisition, deployment and use of military force to achieve national goals. Since the September 11 attack, nations saw that it is of great importance for countries to cooperate and share information as regarding to security and tackle the spontaneous threat posed by terrorists.
Terrorism is not a new phenomenon in human experience; it is characterized by the use of violence against civilians and military personnel with the expressed desire of causing terror or panic in the population. Terrorism is not unique to the 21st century. Terrorism existed in 18th century revolutionary France during the reign of terror, as well as among the Zealots of Palestine in opposition to Roman rule some 2000 years ago.
Today, terrorist activity can be found in so many countries of the world. Terrorism is the universally recognized crime, a crime which at a moment notice can reach every facet of our lives and at times it can dominate our existence.
In the past the first image that came to mind when one spoke about terrorism was that of the persistent Arab – Israeli conflict, today it is entirely different. Every day we read, see or hear about the death and destruction caused by terrorist,
if it is not about Al-Qaida bombing in Pakistan it’s the Taliban bombing and kidnapping in Afghanistan or the mass and ruthless killings by Isis in Iraq and Syria and also the destructive nature of boko-haram in Nigeria. We can go on and on listing terrorist group and their violent nature.
Today terrorism has changed as it is now becoming more organized and sophisticated and only few parts of the world have remained untouched by the current wave of terrorism in the 21st century.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Terrorism has been a major threat to international security and world peace. The international community under the auspices of various international organizations like the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), African union (AU) etc have all developed various strategies for the maintenance of security and peace in the world.
One of the strategies is the concept of international security. International security consists of the measures taken by nations and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) to ensure mutual survival and safety.
These measures include military actions and diplomatic agreement such as the treaties and conventions. Looking at the world today, can the concept of international security be said to be effective? The measures taken by nations to ensure mutual safety and survival have it in any way helped to curb terrorism and its acts in any part of the world.
Talking of terrorism, we ask how it is different from other kind of political violence. Why exactly is it wrong? Why is war often thought capable of being justified? On what ground should we judge when the use of violence is morally acceptable?
Why do people resort to terrorism for the achievement of their goals in the 21st century? International security and global terrorism in the 21st century offers a critical assessment of international security with terrorism (global terrorism) as the focus of much of this work.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The general purpose of this study is:
i. To explore the various methods the international community through various international organizations are applying in the fight against terrorism in the globe.
ii. To analyze how these methods being applied by the international community have to a large extent curbed or reduced the threat to world peace posed by terrorism.
iii. To explain why individuals see terrorism as the channel through which their goals could be achieved.
iv. To understand the effect of terrorism on the globe and how it has changed the world in the 21st century.
v. To establish some similarities between terrorist acts and war fought by nations.
vi. To proffer solutions that would prevent terrorism, eradicate terrorism and solutions that would help in maintaining international security.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The concern of this study is basically about global terrorism, its causes, its effect and how it has changed policies and politics of the world in the 21st century. The research focuses on the international community, how they have contributed and how they are contributing their resources to fight and put an end to global terrorism.
The steps to be taken by the international community under the aegis of the united nations (UN) to combat terrorism and its rise in the 21st century.
1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
There are some limitation this data may have and the problems that could arise if this limitations are ignored. The verification of existing data is difficult, secondary data can be general and vague and sometimes it may cause difficulties in decision making.
It is possible that the data could be outdated and the sample used to generate secondary data may be small. The source of data may not be reputable. While keeping in mind the limitation of this research, I will use data for my research from reputable academic websites and published literature.
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1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Making the world a peaceful, secured and stable environment is a mission that requires all the effort and contribution of all states in the world. This study is therefore part of this effort to make the global arena a secured, peaceful and terror free world. This study will also contribute to the body of knowledge in ensuring security and peace in the world.
Highlighting the roles countries and international organization are to play in maintaining a secured and terror free world. The findings of this research will also assist various states, international organization, security outfits, intelligence agencies etc, in making sure that the world is secured and free from the destructive nature of terrorism.
In addition this work would impact much knowledge to students of political science, more especially those who are aiming at occupying the post of the president, governor, director of intelligence agencies etc. This work would guide them in various ways they can maintain security and gather intelligence to ensure a peaceful and terror free world.
1.7 METHODOLOGY
The methodology of this research follows the qualitative approach of research and the evaluation is based on textbooks, journals, newspapers, magazines, online publications and articles from eminent scholars. It involves critical analysis cum normative judgement guided by the personal experience of the researcher in relation to terrorism. This is in order to find out how international security can curb the rising rate of global terrorism in the 21st century.
1.9 HYPOTHESIS
1) International security as the sole responsibilities of states, through information sharing and diplomatic agreements.
2) The fight against terrorism should be taken as a collective action by states using the United Nations as a body to understand such actions.
3) Using all available technology to track down terrorist and sharing of information and such technologies between states in order to assist countries with low technological knowledge.
1.10 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Security: security can be defined as the freedom from danger, fear and risk and measures or precautions taken to guide against crime, sabotage and murder.
International security: International security consists of the measures taken by nations and international organizations, such as the United Nations, to ensure mutual survival and safety in the world. These measures include military action and diplomatic agreements such as treaties and conventions.
Terror: something that causes very strong feelings of fear. It can also be seen as a violence that is committed by a person, group or government in order to frighten people and achieve political goal.
Terrorist: An individual who uses violence, terror, and intimidation to achieve a result.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND GLOBAL TERRORISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY
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