WEEK 9 DISCUSSION 2

Compare and contrast terrorism from other violent criminal acts, and what makes the critical difference.

Terrorism is a form of control that entails the usage of coercion, manipulation and subjugation to cause fear (terror) and is usually perpetrated by zealots, religious groups with a political or ideological goal in mind to achieve no matter the cost. The weakest sector in society is civilians and is the usual target because they are not trained to formulate defensive strategies of mental or physical combat. Based on the above thought this is an unlawful act of war and promise of violence. By exposing weakness this allows access to the Achilles heel and begins the formulated plan of destruction from within.

Terrorism is at its best an insidious viper that plots and manipulates without anyone’s knowledge (back stabbing) whereas violent criminal acts are premeditated and done frontally and has no long thought out plan. Both entails acts of violence, death and destruction but terrorism has wide and far effects that leaves ripples of shock, mayhem and mass destruction and require a need to run to the port and protect borders and lines of this country.

Tactics that local law enforcement agencies are doing to prevent terrorism are:

1. Rally fast and retaliate quickly
2. Preplanned response to acts of unknown threats
3. No goal to far and wide to protect
4. Pull in the Feds immediately after threat is ascertained

My opinion is thusly stated – It is a state of traumatic violence that affects all levels which require unified defense unanimously at once to halt, destroy, circumvent and destroy threat.