IMPETUS OF THE DHS-CASE STUDY 1
Impetus of the DHS 2
Prior to the 9/11 attacks, there were other terrorist events that took place on U.S. soil. Two of these were the Oklahoma City bombing and the World Trade Center bombings. Even though these attacks were devasting they did not have the same impact as the 9/11 attacks. The 9/11 attacks helped to lead to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The 9/11 attacks was the impetus for forming DHS because of an impulse. An impulse to enhance efforts to protect the United States. The essence of homeland security can be summed up in three words: prevent, protect, and respond. The ideal objective is to prevent terrorist attacks. It was also desirable that potential targets of terrorism are not left completely vulnerable to attack, that protection is increased to the fullest extent possible. When 9/11 happened it finally put the boot in America’s behind that something had to be put into place to protect Americans and the U.S.
Prior to 9/11, the Oklahoma City bombing and the World Trade Center bombings caused devastation for many but did not have the same impact as 9/11. I think this is because they were smaller events and the individuals guilty of these attacks were caught after a complete investigation. Once these events happened the government and police got right into investigating the incidents and finding the culprits thus reassuring Americans that they are protected and can trust the government which I do not think was the case of 9/11.
With the protection that is in place today the Oklahoma City bombing and the World Trade
Center bombings could have been avoided somewhat. As we all know there is no way to avoid
Impetus of the DHS 3
every terrorist attack that may occur. I think with the DHS in place now, we might have had
References: Creation of the Department of Homeland Security-(2013)-Retrieved from: http://www.dhs.gov/creation-department-homeland-security The Oklahoma City Bombing-(2013)-Retrieved from: https://blackboard.strayer.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_92979_1%26url%3D Global terror in America-(2013)-Retrieved from: https://blackboard.strayer.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_92979_1%26url%3D