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NOTICE:
The International Emergency Management Society's Transportation Saftey and Security Workshop Janurary 28-29th 2003
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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and
Risk Management
Crisis and Emergency Management
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NOTICE: The ICDRM's monthly emergency managment forum, held at the GWU |
| December 2002
Volume 3 - Number 3 |
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Links:
Current events
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Does a Terrorist Threat Exist & What Do
We Do Now?
by Molly Weber
With the enormous amount of evidence that has surfaced during the last
year regarding the September 11 terror attacks, in addition to recent events
and public warnings, one would be foolish to think a terrorist threat does
not exist. That answer leads to the next big question, “what do we
do now?”Currently, the United States government is spending hundreds of millions of dollars creating the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In of itself, the Department is a wonderful idea – a central clearinghouse for all information related to domestic security. However, I feel the real issues are not being addressed and the new DHS will not solve these problems. Communication systems need a great deal of improvement, whether it is interagency, interagency, between different levels of government, or with the general public and media. Congressional probes into CIA and FBI activity prior to September 11 show that present communication systems do not function effectively. My fear is that the new agency will not solve this problem, only exacerbate it. How can 22 agencies and 100,000 plus people communicate in a timely and efficient manner when no government agency seems capable of doing so in their present manifestation? In addition, with all the activity and money involved in the realm of prevention, recovery and response are not receiving the attention needed. More needs to be done to prepare state and local governments to respond to the new terrorist threat the nation faces. Money promised to state and local governments to prepare for terrorist attacks is not filtering down the pyramid. One important question to consider is who will assume responsibility if the United States is caught flat-footed once again by terrorist groups. According to the United States government, the terrorist threat is high as it has ever been. Every day we hear a new warning for Americans living and traveling abroad, as well as in the homeland. Just today, the government issued a warning to Americans to delay any unnecessary travel to Nepal. I believe that the past year is only the beginning of the heartache, tragedy, fear and uncertainty for Americans. The violence and hatred toward Americans and our country will grow as time passes. Nations around the globe love to beg the United States to aid them in times of need and distress while other nations love to hate our country when we answer the pleas for assistance. It is a “no win” situation for everyone and that is a fact we cannot alter no matter how hard we try. As a nation and a people, we must realize we cannot go back, only move forward to acceptance of a world that is no longer as innocent as it was on September 10, 2001 |