Department of Homeland Security
The Establishment of the Department of Homeland Security as Established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002
An Analysis and Report
Zachary Stackhouse
Political Science 101: Introduction
October 24, 2011
Introduction
On September 11th, 2001, The United States of America and the rest of the world stared and watched as the first and then second tower of the World Trade Center in New York came under attack by terrorists. At 8:46 am, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. At 9:03 am, the South Tower was struck by another airliner. These were the first two of four terrorist attacks to occur on the fateful September day. At 9:37 am, the third plane would fly into the Pentagon. At 10:03 am, the final terrorist attack was thwarted as passenger of United Airlines Flight 93 took back control of their plane and crashed the plane into a field in Pennsylvania. This was the last of the terrorist attacks but nowhere near the end of the horror. To stem the tide of future terrorist attacks on American at home and abroad, President George Bush took immediate steps to ensuring that our country would be secure once again. These steps would mark the start of the global war on terror and would be the foundation for what would later become known as the Department of Homeland Security. As political scientists, we are asked to evaluate a decision made by politicians. This analysis may establish that state-centered theory provides a strong explanation of the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Act of 2002. In this analysis, it will be shown how this policy stemmed from the issues of the Global War on Terror and will follow its passage from President Bush’s original ideas to the final legislation that was signed into law on November 25, 2002. After the reader is given a background introduction into the topic the of Department of Homeland Security, the reader will then be given a basic lesson on state-centered theory
An Analysis and Report
Zachary Stackhouse
Political Science 101: Introduction
October 24, 2011
Introduction
On September 11th, 2001, The United States of America and the rest of the world stared and watched as the first and then second tower of the World Trade Center in New York came under attack by terrorists. At 8:46 am, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. At 9:03 am, the South Tower was struck by another airliner. These were the first two of four terrorist attacks to occur on the fateful September day. At 9:37 am, the third plane would fly into the Pentagon. At 10:03 am, the final terrorist attack was thwarted as passenger of United Airlines Flight 93 took back control of their plane and crashed the plane into a field in Pennsylvania. This was the last of the terrorist attacks but nowhere near the end of the horror. To stem the tide of future terrorist attacks on American at home and abroad, President George Bush took immediate steps to ensuring that our country would be secure once again. These steps would mark the start of the global war on terror and would be the foundation for what would later become known as the Department of Homeland Security. As political scientists, we are asked to evaluate a decision made by politicians. This analysis may establish that state-centered theory provides a strong explanation of the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Act of 2002. In this analysis, it will be shown how this policy stemmed from the issues of the Global War on Terror and will follow its passage from President Bush’s original ideas to the final legislation that was signed into law on November 25, 2002. After the reader is given a background introduction into the topic the of Department of Homeland Security, the reader will then be given a basic lesson on state-centered theory