Where were you on September 11, 2001, when a major event occurred that changed the lives of Americans forever? Al-Qaida carried out the most devastating terrorist attack in U.S. history by hijacking four commercial airliners to use as guided missiles. Some called this domestic attack the second Pearl Harbor.
Many innocent lives were lost in the air and on the ground. Never before had America experienced such a major terrorist event within its borders.
The 9/11 Commission was formed to examine all aspects of the events, with the specific goal of identifying the failings of the federal government that enabled al-Qaida to carry out the attacks. Its final report highlighted numerous systemic failings at all levels of government. Many of these failings have since been corrected, mainly through the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the distribution of responsibilities and missions of its state offices. The Homeland Security Act (HSA) gave the U.S. government vastly increased powers to detect and defeat terrorist groups, both domestic and foreign, giving further powers to DHS and its state offices.
On November 30, 2017, then-Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke announced the transition of the Office for Community Partnerships (OCP) to the Office of Terrorism Prevention Partnerships (OTPP). The mission of OTPP is to enhance education and community awareness regarding the threat, provide resources as appropriate to terrorism prevention stakeholders, coordinate relevant DHS terrorism prevention activities, actively counter terrorist radicalization and recruitment, and promote early warning so that our frontline defenders can intervene to stop attacks and help prevent individuals from going down the path to violence.
Former U.S. Homeland Security Chief Elaine Duke warned that terrorists desire to carry out massive attacks similar to 9/11. However, in the meantime, they will carry out small attacks, like van or knife rampages, as a tool to retain money and followers (Ma, 2017). Recruiting is a crucial function to attract followers and raise money in the interim; knife attacks and vehicle ramming are quick and simple ways to increase terrorist profiles.
Ma, A. (2017, October 19). U.S. Homeland Security chief says terrorists want a new 9/11: Here’s how the U.S. is stopping them. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/elaine-duke-us-acting-homeland-security-chief-terrorists-want-new-911-2017-10
Case AssignmentWhat were some lessons learned from this attack? Be specific, give examples, and cite your sources. Briefly comment on interagency planning, interagency cooperation, and community partnerships.Briefly summarize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)’s significant roles and responsibilities regarding counterterrorism and preventing the next major terrorist attack against the Homeland.Explain ODNI’s position on signals intelligence collection. Double spaced apa format with atleast 2 references.
