Eco terrorism has been said by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be "the most significant domestic terror threat facing the United States today" ("Environmental"). This assumption could not be any more true. Everyday, the lives of many innocent citizens and animals are put in danger just for a group of people to try to make a statement about what they believe is right, and what they believe is wrong. These actions are "usually committed by individuals who believe that the exploitation of natural resources and despoliation of the environment are becoming so severe that action outside of conventional legal and environmental channels is required" ("Ecoterrorism." Pollution). Although this may be effective in getting the wanted attention brought to the subject, a better system needs to be found that doesn't put any innocents in harm's way.
Developing primarily in the 1980's, the United States has seen over one hundred acts of destruction causing close to $42.8 million in damages as a result of eco terrorists' protesting (Nilson). Using these harmful and disruptive acts to bring publicity to an issue is not highly unusual, but when it is administered on this level, something needs to be done to stop it. For the majority of these groups, their goal is to prevent the progress of any businesses that they deem harmful. Increasing rapidly in the last 20 years, this threat has become a serious problem in terms of types of acts committed, their potential for deadly violence, and the number of individuals involved in committing these acts or aiding in their commission through providing financial support. With the danger and severity level of these crimes increasing, something needs to be done to protect the United States and it's devot...
... middle of paper ...
...eb. 27 Feb. 2014.
"Ecoterrorism: Extremism in the Animal Rights and Environmentalist Movements." ADL Archive. Anti- Defamation League, 2005. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.
"Ecoterrorism." Pollution Issues. JRank, 2014. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
"Ecoterrorism: The Dangerous Fringe of the Environmental Movement." The Heritage Foundation. N.p., 12 Apr. 1990. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Elliott, Lorraine. "Ecoterrorism." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Dec. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
"Environmental Terrorist Groups." Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium. TRAC, 2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.
"FBI: Eco-Terrorism Remains No. 1 Domestic Terror Threat." Fox News. FOX News Network, 31 Mar. 2008. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Jarboe, James F. "Testimony." FBI. FBI, 12 Feb. 2002. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
Nilson, Chad, and Tod Burke. "Eco-terrorism Movement." ACJS TODAY, Jan. 2002. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
While terrorism—that is, violence or the threat of violence aimed intentionally at civilians—has been employed since time immemorial as a means of securing political goals, the 1960s ushered in an entirely new form of political violence. Motivated by thinkers like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, this new breed of terrorism struggled in vain to halt the vehicle of Capitalism: as it was steered by the opulent and sustained through exploitation of a bloodied working class. Significant amongst likeminded New Left groups was the Weather Underground Organization (WUO), which conducted a series of bombings in protest against perceived American injustice. This expression of hostility by student activists, albeit far from a true revolutionary movement, stands out as one of the only so-called "terrorist movements" to consistently attack and antagonize on American soil.
During the 21st Century acts of domestic and international terrorism have significantly increased. Thus the international community of nations has the challenge to adopt a common approach to the treatment of terrorism as an international crime. The challenge at present is for the international community of nations to adopt a common approach to the treatment of terrorism as an international crime (Lawless, 2008). In fact, terrorism is an international crime it requires the international community to act in the prevention of terrorism and the sanction of individuals perpetrating acts of terrorism(Lawless, 2008). The September 2011 attack on the United States has presented an opportunity for the internationalist forces to come to the forefront of the global political agenda. ...
Herman, E. & Sullivan, G. O.1989. The Terrorism Industry: The Experts and Institutions That Shape Our View of Terror. New York: Pantheon.
The threat of the terrorism is a global concern and need to be addressed globally in order for it to have effective solutions. The Bureau of Counterterrorism in the State Department (CT) is responsible for continually monitoring the movements of the active terrorist groups flourishing in different parts of the world for the sake of identifying the potential targets for designation. The review of the potential targets by CT considers the counts of the actual terrorist attacking a group has been fund to indulge into, along with the careful understanding about the way the group has planned and prepared for the act and estimating the probability of the acts of terrorism in the future in terms of their capability and intention for pursuing such acts (http://www.state.gov). There have been security threat issues not only in terms of the foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) but the threat is also growing due to domestic terrorism. According to the report of Homeland Security, (2007) it has been indicated that domestic terrorists based and operating within the terrains of United States including the eco-terrorist groups, white supremacist groups, and the animal rights extremists pose a serious terrorist threat to the country (http://www.hlswatch.com). Such groups are observed in all regions of the globe. The official definition of a FTO suggests that these are the foreign organizations designated by the Secretary of State according to the section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (http://www.state.gov). According to a memo by its Terrorist Research and Analytical Center, the FBI has partially defined Domestic Terrorism as “the unlawful use, or threatened use, of violence by a group or individual based and operating entire...
Zubay, Geoffrey L. Agents of Bioterrorism: Pathogens and Their Weaponization. New York: Columbia UP, 2005. Print.
At our current rate, humankind is speeding towards a frightening and destructive inevitability. Endangered species and biodiversity are sacrificed to line the pockets of billionaires; urban sprawls are favoured over natural land; new coal mines are opening; and indigenous cultures are being drowned in cement. Our environmental ecosystem is fragile to begin with, and we are steadily and masochistically doing more and more irreversible damage.
Environmentalists proclaim that the military-industrial complex is the nation’s largest industry responsible for the most pollution and mass destruction in the world. Janis Birkland, a well-known ecofeminist and author of the essay entitled "Ecofeminism: Linking Theory and Practice", argues that this discussion would force us to accept that the enemy is not "out there" but also within us (36).
In conclusion domestic terrorism is recognized by all law enforcement agencies as a “problem.” They all agree that this issue needs to be deeply looked at and that efforts to counter domestic terrorism must develop quickly. Although, in the article “police say the number of people arrested for plotting domestic terrorist acts is greater than the number of people arrested for actually carrying out the terrorist acts,”[1] there is still lots of work to be done on the issue. There should be an equal amount of focus on national and domestic terrorism in our country.
Jeremy Firestone & James Corbett, Combating Terrorism in the Environmental Trenches: Responding to Terrorism: Maritime Transportation: A Third Way for Port and Environmental Security.
...al security, which I believe are the most pressing concern of our time. When considering the fragile Caspian region, there is a tendency to focus on the complicated geopolitical struggle that underlies the New Great Game. A to focus on energy security. Energy security, which has been the cause for several of the most recent wars of our time, including the war in Iraq. Yet global ecopolitics and environmental security, have caused wars of their own, and may still cause another. I have endeavoured to demonstrate the importance of environmental security in our lives. An environmental security crisis can leave a lake devoid of life, or transform a landscape into a wasteland. It can take a vibrant community and turn it into a sickhouse. It is my argument that environmental security should be brought alongside energy security, to the forefront of our political agenda.
Vagg, Xander. "American Security: the Impact of Climate Change." The american security project 1 (2012): 1-5. Print.
Dershowitz, Allen. Why Terrorism works: Understanding the Threat, Responding to the Challenge. R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., Inc.: USA, 2002. Print.
In addition to human casualties, our counter-attacks might ravage fragile ecosystems. An ecosystem sounds awfully abstract compared to the concrete image of those toppling towers and the compelling figure of Osama bin Laden. But environmental problems are real and they are serious. Ecosystem health is crucial to the viability of future generations.
Terrorist organizations have been committing atrocities against innocent civilians throughout the world for hundreds of years. Terrorism has evolved in many different forms and from various motivations such as religious protest movements, political revolts, and social uprisings. Regardless of the motives for terror, the problem is the financing of terrorism and terrorist organizations themselves. Recent global terrorist attacks using high technology and extensive networks have shown that money is essential to provide the means behind all terrorist activities. Individual terrorists plan terrorist operations and require resources to live, prepare, and implement their plans. The use of money laundering and financial support schemes are the root of the cause. If money laundering were curtailed or even eliminated, and financial supporters of terrorism were identified terrorism would decrease dramatically. To achieve these goals would take monumental efforts. The United States, United Nations and all sovereign nations would need to take cooperative action that has never been accomplished. Terrorism, its' history, concepts, reasoning, methods, and financial roots are object of this research.
... one threat, secondly with alien species. On the other hand I believe that pollution is the number one following up with habitat destruction and alien species. Pesticide pollution imposes a threat to birds such as bald eagles, and falcons in North America. Why should we care? Because the list of endangered species is broad and is crucial for the need of support, if nothing is done now the unique species will never be seen again. Over 500 species from the United States alone has become extinct. It is not just the responsibility of the government to keep our species safe, but it’s everyone’s job.