Alex

The War on Terrorism

Dear Future President,

It seems as though our world is becoming more and more dangerous. When I turn on the T.V. all I ever hear is what school got shot at or what bomb went off. You might think terrorism is not a big threat but in reality it could happen to anyone, at any time, without notice. According to John Cassidy in the article “the facts about terrorism” he states,”If you have a sense that the problem is growing, you’re right. Last year, the number of people killed by terrorist attacks rose by about eighty per cent, reaching an all-time high of close to thirty-three thousand. Since 2000, the annual death toll from terrorism has increased ninefold”. Because of the rise in terrorism, we should be more alert than ever.

The first thing to understand is that terrorist are attacking civilians more than military. It has to do with the fact that the point of terrorism is to instill fear in the public and make them feel unsafe. Terrorism is also used to prove a point. The U.S. has been been attacked more than once due to this mindset. Again, according to the article The Facts about Terrorism it states, “terrorist attacks are becoming more focused on civilians and less focused on military, political, and religious targets. Thanks largely to the deadly activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham and of Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group based in northeastern Nigeria, the number of civilians killed in terrorist attacks jumped a hundred and seventy-two per cent in 2014, to more than fifteen thousand.” This shows that civilians should be more worried now than ever. It’s because of the mindset of “we want your people to suffer for getting involved” that civilians need to be more cautious. Looking at the people affected in the third world countries. They are in a constant state of worry because of the threat of looming attacks. If we don’t stop terrorist organizations then the U.S. will have to worry about it too.

Secondly, fear is driving terrorism. After every terrorist attack in the news, a wave of panic spreads out across the globe. One of the most prevalent instances in recent times was the Paris attacks and this just breeds more violence. According to the article “The Real Problem with Terrorism” written by Jennifer Bosse. She talks about how fear is being used as a powerful weapon by terrorists and how it is affecting communities in other countries. She writes, “As you read this, little boys are being rounded up within their cities. They are watching their parents get murdered. Some are even being forced to participate. They are witnessing their sisters getting raped or sold into sex slavery. Standing in the middle of such carnage, all senses overloaded with the sights, sounds and smells of violence, they are confused. They are afraid. The men in charge know this. They feed on it and use it to their advantage.” This shows that terrorism is meant to scare people and it is meant to put people in a state where the are helpless. This matters because their lives are worth living and it is unfair for them to have to go through such crimes. Life is worth living without fear and we have to do something about it.

Lastly, terrorist attacks can happen at anytime and people need to be prepared for one.

A attack like 9/11 could happen again and the U.S. population needs to know how to respond and be able to take care of themselves. The red cross states “Terrorist attacks like the ones we experienced on September 11, 2001 have left many concerned about the possibility of future incidents of terrorism in the United States and their potential impact. They have raised uncertainty about what might happen next, increasing stress levels. There are things you can do to prepare for terrorist attacks and reduce the stress that you may feel now and later should another emergency arise. Taking preparatory action can reassure you and your children that you can exert a measure of control even in the face of such events.” This shows that being prepared can go a long way. In the event of a terrorist attack people don’t really know what to do but if they were to be informed on what steps to take, then they can be able to help themselves, and be able to help others. This matters because being prepared can make the difference between life and death.

Terrorism is a scary thing, and understanding the effects is first step to stopping it. Living life with the fear of terrorist attacks is no way to live and the fact that our world has this problem is unfathomable. People might think that it doesn’t affect them, but the fact that terrorism primarily targets civilians and that the goal is to spread panic and terror means that they are wrong! An attack can happen to anyone and understanding terrorism can help many people and avoid unnecessary losses.Something must be done! Police and other types of security must be taught how to spot threats in public,and having more security in public places. A attack can happen anywhere and I truly believe we can reduce the chance of an attack significantly if it is done.

Cassidy, John. "The Facts About Terrorism." The New Yorker. N.p., 24 Nov. 2015. Web. 04 Nov. 2016. <http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/the-facts-about-terrorism>.

"Terrorism Preparedness | American Red Cross." American Red Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2016. <http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/terrorism>.

Bosse, Jennifer. "The Real Problem With Terrorism." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-bosse/the-real-problem-with-ter_b_8740784.html>.