National Security Policies
The tragic events of 9/11 were not just an attack on the United States, they were also a time that marked a pivotal change in the national security polices that changed the way the world views security. Prior to 9/11 the united states' national security polices revlolved and focused on the the state to state conflicts, Cold War conflicts, regional instabilities. When the terrorist attack happened it pointed out just how easy it was to create an attack on the United States. It pointed out every invoulurability that the United States had in their national security
There were many changes that were made to the policies but one of the biggest and most immediate was the patriot act. In wake of the attacks the government needed changes and they needed them quickly to prevent more attacks, this is when the patriot act came into play. passed in October 2001 the patriot act was a defensive play to help stop the terrorism
The patriot act-
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Increased servailence
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the act allowed for more servailence without a traditional warrant, including wiretapping and being able to monitor internet communications
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Detention powers
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Allowed the government to detain non-citizens suspected of terrorist activity
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Information sharing
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allowed for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to easier share information making the terrorists more obvious
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financial surveillance
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gave government the ability to disrupt terrorist financing ​
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The department of homeland security
In march of 2002 the United States established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It was a major reorganization of the security in thew United States. The DHS purpose was to combine the 22 major security agencies into one big organization dedicated to the security of the country.
The DHS was a very big power move that shifted the way that national security was handled. The main purpose was to protect the U.S. citizens from terrorist attacks, but it also helped keep infrastructure away from threats.
The DHS was a big power move, combining many agencies that had previously operated independently to better the safety of America.
Shaping National Security Strategy
After 9/11 president George W. Bush declared an official "war on terror" a global cambaign that was designed to dismantle tarrorist organizations like al-Qaeda and prevent future attacks. this war was not confined to military operations but extended to diplomatic intelligence and domestic policy measures. key elements that this strategy put into play were, The invasion of Afghanistan. In October of 2001 the United States and its allies launched "Operation Enduring Freedom" this operation targeted Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. The overall goal of this operation was to destroy terrorist training camps and disrupt the leadership of Al-Qaeda. another element was the preemptive military action. In 2003 the Untied states led an invasion of Iraq arguing that the regime of Saddam Hussein had many ties to terrorist organizations and that he posed a threat due to its alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Though later controversial the invasion became part of the broader war on terror strategy. the final element of this strategy was the drone warfare and targeted killings. in the years that followed 9/11 the United States expanded its use of drone strikes , particularly in regions such as Pakistan, Yamen, and Somalia, to target terrortist leaders and disrupt the networks that sorounded such places. these strikes were halted as a precision tool in counterterrorism but also faced criticism for their civilian casualties and lack of transparency.
Domestic security
while much of the national security policy after 9/11 focused of foreign operations the U.S. also increased its domestic security measures. Surveillance, both physical and digital(UAVs) become central to the fight against terrorism
The creation of the national security agency's (NSA) surveillance programs. the NSA expanded its role in monitoring domestic as well as international comminications. Programs such as PRISM allowed the government to gather increased amounts of data from communications companie, including emails, phone calls, and internet activity. These programs were authorized under the. Patriot Act, though they later became the subject of public discourse after Edward snowmen's revelations about governments survalence.
the transportation security administration (TSA) the creation of the TSA in 2001 marked a significant shift in domestic air travel security. The TSA implemented stricter regulations fro airline passengers, including the screening of carry on items, body scanners and the introduction of no fly lists.
state and local policing. The federal governmnet also warned with the state and local law enfore​meant agencies to create a much more unified approach to preventing terrorism. This led to initiatives like the Fusion Centers these enters aimed to share their intelligence with various levels of government and the private sector.
The Legacy of Post 9/11 Security polices
As of today many of the national security policies implemented aftoer 9/11 remain in their place. the creation of DHS, the use of drone strikes and the expansion of surveillance have all become exceedingly important parts of the U.S. Security and infestructure. However, the policies have evolved and changed in response to shifting global threats, the public opinion and legal challenges. under the Obama and Trump administrations, certain polices were adjusted or rolled back, but the overall frame work of hightend security and vigilance remains.
the long term inpact of the pos 9/11 world on national security polices can be seeing the continued focus on terrorism, cybersecutiy and the protection of our borders. the changing nature of terrorism particular in the rise of groups like ISIS has lead to more innovations revolving around a more complex and globalized approach to national secutity
Conclusion
the Policies revolving around 9/11 represent a complex balance of security and rights. The 9/11 attacks have changed the U.S. national security policies. while many of the measures that were introduced in the aftermath of the attacks were designed to prevent further terrorism they also sparked significant debates about the role of the government in out daily lives they governments job is to protect the citizens versus safeguarding individual rights was constantly up for debate. as global security threats continue to evolve the lessons learned from 9/11 will continue to shape how the U.S. approaches national security in the future.