AMERICA AND TERRORISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY (Essay Sample)

America and Terrorism in the 21st Century Name Institution Course Instructor Date America and Terrorism in the 21st Century The war on Terrorism has become a point of discourse in America's political and national security arenas. The United States of America placed itself at the fulcrum of the war after the 9/11 terror bombings that claimed many lives and was responsible for a massive economic downturn. The war on Terrorism remains of great importance to America since the offenses led by the country's defence have created more enemies or worsened the threats progressively. In this discussion, I address issues pertinent to global Terrorism, the best preventative strategies, and the role of the United States in being the world's "policemen." From the analysis, the United States may be using its fundamental principles to make important the issue of world peace which illuminates the principles themselves into a plethora of reconsiderations. While most anti-counterterrorism efforts continue to criticize the role played by America, the country remains a fulcrum in the war against global terrorism. Any act of Terrorism stems from a system of collaborative factors that influence the implementation of terror offenses. Global Terrorism, by definition, refers to the violent and criminal acts orchestrated by foreign terrorist organizations or nations. Terrorist acts are committed with the aim of intimidation, compelling a government or international organization to act in a specific manner, or destabilizing a country's political, social, and constitutional backbone. That said, Terrorism may be a negative result of the interaction between countries, cultures, and religions that hold varied opinions, something that in the current technological era cannot be avoided as it evolves daily. It is important to note that decisions will be made in the future that will cause conflict between the different communities. While conflict resolution mechanisms may limit the occurrence of extremist opinions at that time, it is not always guaranteed that terror acts may be stopped, but their impact can be reduced. In 2022, the Global Terrorism Index recorded a 9 % reduction in deaths, a significant 38% decrease from the rates recorded when terror peaked in 2015 (Institute of Economics and Peace, 2023). Therefore, global Terrorism can be stopped by national governments focusing on the journey towards its elimination, which requires upbeat policies and prevention mechanisms. Several strategies have been implemented to aid the course towards combating Terrorism that is not limited to the use of military force. For a long time, most counties have responded to terror attacks through retaliation which has not always yielded the desired outcome but created more reasons for discourse. For most victim countries, America's military operations have been seen as a front for imperialism, where weaker countries are forced to depend on America for safety and other gains (Mullin, 2023). Other alternatives have been used in countries and international organizations, which have been more effective than destructive. The alternatives in curbing terrorism include the implementation of systematic and bio-metric border control measures, mitigating the rise of foreign fighters, stepping up information exchange among countries, enacting strict measures on weapons manufacture and access, preventing radicalization, and the disruption of the financial chains that tend to support Terrorism. Among the identified strategies for combating Terrorism, preventing radicalization is the best option because it deals with the disparities in beliefs that form the central point at which Terrorism starts. Notably, most terrorist attacks are orchestrated by home-grown terrorists that develop a radical view of their resident country. Being on the radar of such radicalization and stopping its spread is more effective as it also ensures that less damage is done. Nevertheless, the United States of America has a significant responsibility as the world's "policeman," mainly due to its vital intelligence and defence systems permeating other national intelligence systems. ...