Since 9/11, the terms homeland security and terrorism have become firmly entrenched in our lexicon. The days of walking through a simple metal detector at the airport are over, and our security landscape is forever changed. Terrorism and Homeland Security: Perspectives, Thoughts, and Opinions brings together the work of academic researchers and law enforcement and intelligence personnel to present a sober appraisal of the issues surrounding the current state of our security infrastructure.
Topics highlighted in this thought-provoking volume include:
- The history of terrorism; the growth of the Taliban, Hamas, and Hezbollah; and the rise of transnational anti-Western Islamism
- Progress made in protecting nations and individuals from terrorism
- An analysis of a captured al-Qaeda training manual
- The concept of martyrdom and suicide bombing
- Political and strategic warfare and propaganda
- Cooperative antiterrorism efforts between the United States and the European Union
- Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism
- Insider threats and how citizens can help their communities be vigilant about detecting terrorism
- Intelligence gathering by means of interpersonal contact
- Terrorist threats south of the border
- Tools for locating bomb makers and clandestine labs
An examination of the causes and effects of terrorism and the complicated issues surrounding homeland security, this thought-provoking anthology provides a broad perspective for understanding the threat we face and how we can best meet the challenges of 21st century homeland security.