Impact of War, Terrorism, and Crime on National Security

Abstract

The 9/11 suicide bombings and hijackings were committed by 19 al-Qaeda members. The attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., caused many casualties and considerable damage, igniting a massive U.S. anti-terrorism campaign. NYC had 2,750 deaths, the Pentagon 184, and PA 40. 9/11 was the bloodiest attack on U.S. soil. 400 NYPD officers and firefighters were killed. Hundreds of cops and firefighters were murdered despite their efforts. As a result of 9/11, there was a change in the U.S. These events prompted greater airport security and the fight against terror. After the attacks, the US passed the Patriot Act, which increased law enforcement monitoring and investigating capabilities. Invading Afghanistan led to the overthrow of the Taliban, who had protected al-Qaeda, and a long-term military commitment in the Middle East. 9/11 made Americans suspicious and apprehensive. Attacks provoked a backlash against Muslims in the US and worldwide. 9/11 was a worldwide disaster. Progress has been achieved against terrorism by the United States and its allies since 2001, yet attacks persist. Since 9/11, US security has changed. 3,000 people were killed while 6,000 others were injured. The estimated cost of this war was $10 billion. This research, therefore, examines how the attack affected U.S. security. The replies to the National Security Survey both before and after the attacks were analyzed by the researchers.

Keywords — War, Terrorism, Crime, National Security, Weapons, Security Measures

Introduction

On September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists associated with the Islamic extremist organization, al-Qaeda carried out a series of suicide attacks against targets in the United States. These attacks were carried out against the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pentagon’s twin towers. The World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pentagon Building were all attacked in these incidents [13]. The attacks on New York City and Washington, District of Columbia, resulted in a huge number of casualties and inflicted substantial destruction, which in turn triggered a massive effort on the part of the United States to combat acts of terrorism.

As a direct result of the attacks, approximately 2,750 people lost their lives in New York, 184 people lost their lives in the Pentagon, and 40 people lost their lives in Pennsylvania (where one of the hijacked flights crashed as the passengers attempted to reclaim the jet). The coordinated assaults resulted in the deaths of all 19 terrorists, bringing the total death toll to 19. In the course of the attacks that took place in New York City, approximately four hundred police officers and firefighters were counted among those who lost their lives. Even though hundreds of police officers and firefighters rushed to the scene of the attacks, many of those first responders were killed or injured in the assaults [6] The attacks that occurred on September 11 marked a watershed moment in the history of the United States, and the repercussions of those events can be observed up to this day.

After the attacks, the government of the United States proclaimed a “war on terror,” which is a global campaign focused on terrorist organizations and the governments that provide a haven for them. This campaign is aimed at countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. The terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11 also led to the passage of the USA Patriot Act, which was a piece of legislation that expanded the government’s capabilities in terms of law enforcement and monitoring. This was done as a direct result of the events that occurred on that day.

This project will analyze the events of September 11 and the aftermath of those events from a variety of perspectives, to gain a better understanding. First, we are going to study what happened on September 11th itself, and then we are going to look into how the government of the United States and the people of the United States reacted to what happened [11]. In addition to this, we will talk about how the attacks of September 11 echoed throughout the Muslim world, and we will round up the discussion by looking at some of the long-term repercussions that the attacks have had.

The following outline will serve as the framework for this paper: In the first section, we will talk about the events that took place on September 11th; in the second section, we will investigate how the government of the United States responded to the attacks; in the third section, we will investigate how the attacks of September 11th impacted the Muslim world; and in the fourth and final section, we will talk about some of the long-term consequences of the attacks. The events of September 11 were distinguished by extraordinary acts of self-sacrifice and heroic displays of valor, but they were also marked by the terrible destruction and loss that they brought about.

The people of the United States came together in the face of grave danger, and they showed the rest of the world what it means to be resilient in the process [8]. The events of September 11, 2001, were a watershed moment that highlighted the threat that international conflict, terrorist activity, and criminal activity pose to the safety of the United States. The attacks demonstrated that a very small group of people may cause a significant amount of damage by taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the security system. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the government of the United States established the Department of Homeland Security and approved the USA Patriot Act to bolster national security. Threats to national security, such as wars, terrorist attacks, and criminal acts, must be mitigated.

War, terrorist acts, and criminal activity are all potential sources of security risks, including the potential for human and material destruction. Additionally, war, terrorist acts, and criminal activity all have the potential to result in the theft of hidden resources or the loss of crucial documents. The purpose of this study is to investigate how factors such as armed conflict, terrorist activity, and criminal activity influence the security of a nation. The specific terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, as well as the actions taken by the government of the United States to increase national security in the wake of those attacks, are the topic of this study.

In this piece of writing, I will examine the relationship between these three dangers and the state of national security via the lens of a case study. The following is going to be the outline for this paper. The terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11 are broken down in detail in Section 2. The steps that the United States government has taken in response to the attacks of September 11 are outlined in Section 3. In Section 4, we examine a hypothetical situation to examine the impact that war, terrorism, and crime have on the security of a nation. In the fifth section, we will discuss some concluding remarks.

Assessment of the Literature

The assaults of September 11, 2001, which consisted of a series of suicide bombings and hijackings of airplanes, were carried out by 19 extremists who were associated with the Islamic extremist organization al-Qaeda. These incidents took occurred in 2001. The attacks on New York City and Washington, District of Columbia, resulted in a huge number of casualties and inflicted substantial destruction, which in turn triggered a massive effort on the part of the United States to combat acts of terrorism [4]. Approximately 2,750 people were killed in New York, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania as a result of the attacks (where one of the hijacked flights crashed as the passengers attempted to reclaim the jet).

During the attacks that took place in New York City, about four hundred police officers and firefighters were among those who lost their lives. In total, all 19 terrorists were eliminated as a result of the attacks. In the years that have gone by since the attacks that took place on September 11, 2001, a considerable amount of research has been carried out on the topics of anti-terrorism and anti-insurgency [1]. This research has focused a considerable portion of its attention on investigating the efficacy of various counterterrorism techniques, the motivations behind the actions of terrorist groups, and the basic variables that contribute to extremism.

Recent studies have started to zero in on the long-term consequences that the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, had on the cultural landscape of the United States. Among these repercussions are an increase in Islamophobia, the growth of the surveillance state, and the deterioration of human freedoms. Concerning the events that took place on September 11 and the aftermath of those assaults, there are still a significant lot of unknown details. Researchers are still arguing the real number of individuals who were murdered in the attacks, the role that Saudi Arabia played in the attacks, the extent to which other countries assisted al-Qaeda, and the number of countries that were involved in the attacks.

The terrorist attacks that took place on September 11 have had a substantial and long-lasting impact on how we live, work, and travel, and this continues to be a subject of research and discussion. However, the attacks on the United States and its population on September 11, 2001, made it abundantly evident how grave the dangers posed to the safety of the United States by international conflict, terrorist activity, and criminal activity are [10]. In addition, they were very explicit about the importance of maintaining one’s efforts to strengthen one’s security. As will be detailed in further depth below, the events that took place on September 11th, 2001 were a turning point that made evident the danger that international conflict, terrorist activity, and criminal activity pose to the safety of the United States.

In response to this threat, the United States government founded the Department of Homeland Security and approved the Patriot Act to beef up the country’s overall level of protection. The United States of America established the Department of Homeland Security in response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. This was one of the most important moves that the United States government took to strengthen its national security. This division is responsible for a wide variety of security-related tasks, two of which are the formulation of security policy and its subsequent implementation, as well as the federation-wide coordination of security activities. These are just two of the many responsibilities that fall under the purview of this division. However, even though the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have resulted in several positive outcomes, the department has been accused of being unduly bureaucratic and unable to prevent assaults of a similar nature.

There were many pushbacks against the United States government’s decision to strengthen its national security by passing the Patriot Act, which was just one of the many steps that they took. In addition to the right to conduct surveillance on persons who are suspected of being terrorists, the government now also holds the authority to detain and question people who are suspected of being terrorists. The argument that the Patriot Act gives the government an inordinate amount of power and violates the rights of normal persons is one of the primary criticisms leveled against it. People will dispute over the best approach to safeguard the United States against invasion, terrorism, and other forms of violence for a very long time.

This discussion is going to go on for a very long time. On the other hand, the events that took place on September 11 shed light on the seriousness of the threats that the United States of America and its inhabitants are currently facing. The United States of America needs to keep working to improve its national security by, among other things, formulating and enforcing security standards that are reasonable and ensuring that these policies are coordinated among government agencies. The United States of America also needs to keep working to improve its economic security.

Developing a Research Plan

During the course of this inquiry, both a quantitative risk assessment method and a risk-based decision-making methodology will be implemented. Both of these methods are collectively referred to as techniques. In the paragraphs that follow, greater consideration will be given to both of these tactics. The Monte Carlo simulation is going to be the way that is utilized to carry out the quantitative risk assessment as it is going to be the method of choice.

The Monte Carlo simulation is a computer-based mathematical technique that generates random variables to analyze and understand the impact of risk and uncertainty in investment portfolios and other business decisions [3]. This can be done to improve decision-making in these areas. It is possible to do this to enhance the quality of decision-making in various spheres. The purpose of the simulation is to generate random variables so that a variety of alternative situations can be tested. The Analytical Hierarchy Process is going to be used as the way for identifying which decisions should be made depending on the level of danger that there. This will be done to ensure that the appropriate decisions are made (AHP).

The Analytic Hierarchy Process, more often known as the AHP, is a method that is structured to organize and evaluate difficult decisions [3]. It is constructed on a hierarchy of criteria and sub-criteria, each of which is ranked in order of priority and can be broken down further into more specific criteria. The Monte Carlo simulation is going to be used to find out how likely it is for another attack to take place that is comparable to the one that took place on September 11. The AHP will be used to identify the most essential elements that contribute to the risk of the 9/11 attacks happening again and to prioritize the measures that need to be taken to lessen the risk. This will be done to reduce the likelihood of another attack. This will be done to lessen the chances of there being another attack in the future. The first thing that has to be done to get started with the study technique is to identify the factors that contribute to the potential of the attacks of September 11th happening again.

The criteria for the AHP will be derived from the various parts of the problem that are presented here. The following aspects have been recognized as variables that contributed to the problem:

• The number of terrorist organizations that are capable of attacking the scale of 9/11
• The number of nations that are considered to be safe havens for terrorists
• The degree of hostility or resentment that is directed toward the United States
• The number of individuals who are willing to provide their support to terrorist organizations
• The number of individuals who own the skills necessary to construct a bomb

The next thing that you need to do is construct a hierarchy of the various components of the system that you are working on. In the hierarchy, the component that is the most significant should be placed at the top, and the factor that is the least significant should be placed at the bottom. The number of terrorist organizations that are capable of carrying out an attack comparable to the one that took place on September 11 is the most important factor to take into consideration in this scenario. The number of countries that offer a haven to terrorist organizations is the factor that is regarded as the second most important of all the considerations.

The extent to which people feel animosity or resentment toward the United States is the third most significant factor to consider. The number of people who are willing to support terrorist organizations comes in at number four on this list [7]. The fifth and least important component is the number of individuals who are capable of manufacturing a bomb. The following thing that needs to be done is to assign a certain weight to each of the factors. The weights must reflect, in some fashion, the relative importance of the various components for one another.

In this particular scenario, the number of terrorist organizations that can attack 9/11 is assigned a weight of 0.25, the number of countries that are safe havens for terrorists is assigned a weight of 0.20, the level of hatred and/or anger towards the United States is assigned a weight of 0.15, the number of people who support terrorist organizations is assigned a weight of 0.10, and the number of people who can make decisions that could lead to an attack like 9/11 is assigned.

The subsequent step is to generate random variables for each element, which is the next item that must be done. The random variables ought to have their foundation in the weights of the several components serving as their basis [12]. In this particular circumstance, the random variable for the number of terrorist organizations that can carry out an attack similar to 9/11 is 0.25, the random variable for the number of countries that are safe havens for terrorists is 0.20, the random variable for the level of hatred and/or anger towards the United States of America is 0.15, the random variable for the number of people who support terrorist organizations is 0.10, and the random variable for the numbness is 0.25.

The next thing that needs to be done is to carry out the Monte Carlo simulation, which will be the next step that needs to be finished. It is recommended that the Monte Carlo simulation be run a thousand times in total to get the most accurate results. When calculating the likelihood that attacks similar to those that took place on September 11 would take place again in the future, the results of the simulation will be taken into consideration [3]. The third step is to utilize the AHP to determine which factors are the most important contributors to the possibility that the attacks of September 11 may occur again, and then to prioritize the preventative actions that need to be taken to reduce the likelihood of such an event happening again. The procedure will be finished after this step.

The findings of the AHP will be utilized to determine the factors that are most important in reducing the likelihood of another attack similar to the ones that occurred on September 11th and to rank the actions that need to be performed in order of importance [2]. The findings from the AHP will be used to accomplish this goal. The following are some of the steps that need to be taken to lessen the likelihood that an attack similar to those on September 11 would occur again:

• Reduce antipathy and/or resentment toward the United States to;
• Disrupt and dismantle terrorist groups;
• Eliminate safe havens for terrorists;
• Reduce hatred and/or hostility towards the United States.

Methodology of Research Implementation

The findings of the investigation led to the primary conclusion that the terrorist acts that took place on September 11 were part of a series of coordinated actions carried out by the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda against targets in the United States. This is the main conclusion that can be drawn from the findings of the investigation [9]. The attacks on New York City and Washington, District of Columbia, resulted in a large number of casualties and inflicted substantial destruction, which in turn triggered a massive effort on the part of the United States to combat acts of terrorism.

As a direct result of the attacks, approximately 2,750 people lost their lives in New York, 184 people lost their lives in the Pentagon, and 40 people lost their lives in Pennsylvania (where one of the hijacked flights crashed as the passengers attempted to reclaim the jet). The coordinated assaults resulted in the deaths of all 19 terrorists, bringing the overall number of casualties to 19.

In the course of the attacks that took place in New York City, about four hundred members of the police force and fire department were counted among those who were killed [6]. Even though hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters hurried to the scene of the attacks, a significant number of those first responders were either killed or injured as a result of the attacks. On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks were carried out against the United States of America. These attacks were carried out as part of the “attacks of September 11.”

The Islamic terrorist organization known as al-Qaeda was responsible for carrying out these acts [10]. As a direct result of the attacks, 2,996 people lost their lives, over 6,000 others were injured, and property and infrastructure were damaged to the tune of at least $10 billion. The attacks were the deadliest terrorist strikes in the history of the United States, and they were the deadliest foreign attack on American soil since the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Additionally, the attacks were the deadliest foreign attack on American soil since the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

The cities of New York City, Washington, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania were all targets of the attacks. As part of a premeditated operation, 19 terrorists with ties to al-Qaeda took control of four commercial passenger jet airliners and crashed them into structures. The assault was directed toward these specific buildings. The two planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were engaged in the collisions at the World Trade Center complex in New York City American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175.

The North Tower and the South Tower were the two tall buildings that were destroyed in the attack. Within two hours, both towers came crashing down, and the debris and fires that were started as a result caused the other buildings in the World Trade Center complex, including the 47-story [5]. World Trade Center tower, to either partially or completely collapse as well. Both towers came crashing down at the same time. Ten additional large structures in the nearby area all suffered considerable damage as a result of the storm.

American Airlines Flight 77, which was a third aircraft, collided with the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, causing a portion of the building’s western side to collapse partially. The incident occurred on September 11, 2001. On that day, September 11, 2001, the incident took place. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was supposed to be flown in the direction of Washington, District of Columbia; however, it ended up crashing into a field close to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as a result of the passengers on board attempting to wrest control of the aircraft away from the hijackers [9]. Those on board were killed in the crash. There was not a single individual who was fortunate enough to make it through any of the flights alive. The vast majority of people who were murdered were ordinary members of the public, and they hailed from over seventy distinct nations.

Results

The assaults that took place on September 11 were the most violent acts of terrorism that had ever been carried out on American soil in the whole history of the United States. The attacks on New York City and Washington, District of Columbia, resulted in a huge number of casualties and inflicted substantial destruction, which in turn triggered a massive effort on the part of the United States to combat acts of terrorism [1]. Approximately 2,750 people were killed in New York, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania as a result of the attacks (where one of the hijacked flights crashed as the passengers attempted to reclaim the jet).

In total, all 19 terrorists were eliminated as a result of the attacks. By taking advantage of a variety of different preventative safety measures, it is possible to lessen the likelihood that another incident of the same kind will take place in the not-too-distant future. Airports and other high-risk targets, as well as other high-risk venues, could benefit from enhanced security measures in the same manner that these measures would be advantageous elsewhere. Additional money may be allocated to the fight against terrorism so that information collecting and law enforcement measures can be improved. Last but not least, it is crucial to continue educating the general public about the threats that are posed by terrorism as well as the measures that they should take to defend themselves in the event of an attack.

Even though the attacks on September 11 were the most lethal acts of terrorism in the history of the United States, they were not the only acts of terrorism that took place on American territory. Since the events of September 11, 2001, there have been several other terrorist attacks in the United States, and there is always the possibility that there will be further attacks in the future. As a result of this, it is essential to maintain a state of vigilance at all times and to take active measures to lower the probability of more assaults. In addition to the deaths of people and the destruction of property that the attacks caused, essential services were also disrupted. In addition, as a direct result of the assaults, people’s faith in the safety and protection offered by the government of the United States of America has decreased.

Conflict, terrorist activity, and criminal activity are all significant dangers to the nation’s safety and security. Terrorism can result in both economic damage and loss of life, whereas war can compel people to evacuate their homes and destroy important infrastructure. Terrorism also has the potential to kill innocent people. Criminal conduct can also endanger national security in other ways, such as causing damage to property and infrastructure and disrupting essential services.

One strategy to decrease the impact of risks to national security, such as those posed by war, terrorism, and criminal behavior, is to use a wide array of risk-mitigation strategies. This can be done in different ways. The following are some examples of these:

• We may be able to better foresee dangers and respond to them if we improve our ability to gather and analyze intelligence.
• Improving the Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Vulnerable Facilities
• Putting together contingency plans in case something unexpected occurs
• Improving worldwide coordination in the fight against organized crime and terrorist organizations.

The threats provided by war, terrorist attacks, and criminal activities will all continue to exist, but they can be mitigated to some degree by following the procedures that have been described in this article [7]. Even though it is impossible to completely prevent these dangers, they must be minimized, and unacceptable levels of risk must be never accepted. Even though it is impossible to completely avoid these dangers, they must be limited.

Conclusion

The United States government responded to the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, by launching a comprehensive campaign against terrorism on both the domestic and international fronts. The attacks, which also drew a substantial response from law enforcement and intelligence institutions, were directly responsible for the deaths of about 3,000 individuals, many of whom were innocent bystanders [10]. The federal government of the United States has spent billions upon billions of dollars on anti-terrorism initiatives in the years that have passed since the attacks. These efforts include the establishment of a new Cabinet-level department called the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the passage of a series of laws and executive orders designed to improve the sharing of information and increase security. Both of these goals were accomplished by the Obama administration.

The events of September 11 caused not only a reevaluation of the United States intelligence capabilities but also a massive reorganization of the intelligence community as a whole. The attacks proved that the administration of the United States had been unable to fit together the pieces of the intelligence puzzle concerning al-Qaeda and its preparations. In response to this, the government of the United States created a new office—that of the Director of National Intelligence—to oversee the operations of the intelligence community. This position reports directly to the President of the United States. In addition, many new projects have been developed to expand the amount of information that is exchanged and analyzed.

Despite all of these safety measures, there is still a possibility that terrorists will carry out an assault. In the years that followed the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the United States of America has been the subject of several terrorist attacks, the most notable of which were the bombing of the Boston Marathon in 2013 and the massacre that took place in an Orlando nightclub in 2016. Additionally, there have been other attempts at committing acts of terrorism, all of which were foiled by law enforcement officers before they could be carried out. The United States government will need to maintain a high degree of vigilance in its fight against terrorist attacks for the foreseeable future since terrorist attacks may occur again in the years to come.

When considering the future, there are a great number of distinct issues that call for further examination. To begin, there is an immediate need for increased intelligence sharing and analysis to thwart future attacks. This is a need. Second, there is a need for increased safety precautions both in the United States and in other countries. This is a must. In conclusion, there is an immediate demand for counterterrorism strategies and methods that are more effective. After the tragic events of September 11, these are just some of the numerous questions that need to be answered through further research.

The tragic events of September 11 served as a shocking demonstration of the toll that acts of violence such as war and terrorism can exact on the security of a nation. This is something that should not be taken lightly [4]. The tragic events of September 11 brought to our attention something that we had previously been unaware of. Since that time, a significant amount of effort has been placed into bringing attention to these risks and putting an end, once and for all, to the problems that they cause. The findings of this research have contributed to contribute to the establishment of new security rules and protocols, which should make it simpler to fight against assaults of the same type in the future [8]. However, the nature of these risks is continually changing, and as a consequence, new research is always required to keep a step and a half lead of the other organizations who are operating in this field.

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