Assignment 1
PART ONE
Consequence management is the ability of the government to respond to and recover from a devastating terrorist attack or natural disaster. Response and recovery includes saving lives and diminishing property damage. The National Response Framework (“NRF”) sets forth America’s response doctrine, responsibilities and structures. The NRF provides a detailed guide as to how to respond to disasters, either natural, industrial, biological or civil unrest and terrorist attacks. Describing the manner in which communities are to respond to disasters, it sets forth the way in which a coordinated response can and should occur between first responders, decision makers as well as all supporting agencies. The doctrine of tiered response states that incidents must be handled at the lowest jurisdictional level and supported by additional capabilities when needed.
The three phases of effective response include prepare, respond and recover. The key tasks related to the preparation phase include planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating and improving. Polices along with plans and procedures are planned so that they address any hazard in any jurisdiction . An organizational structure is created that includes leaders and teams. Training is provided to enhance response and readiness. The completion of varied exercise can ensure that the plans are properly developed and enhance proficiency. Response is the second phase. During this phase, the situation is identified and assessed while priorities are laid out and resources are initiated. The final and third phase involves recovery. During this face, demobilization occurs along with restoration of resources and communities. Each of the three phase supports the prior phase which allows for a successful response to a situation.
The shooting in San Bernadino on December 2, 2015 is an ideal example of the use of Consequence Management in the United States. Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik were heavily armed when they attacked the party goers at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernadino, California. Fourteen people were killed and many others wounded before a swat team was able to arrive on the scene. Witnesses were able to identify Farook as an employee of the county health department. Officers from several jurisdictions were involved in the search for the suspects following the incident. When officers were approaching the home of the suspects in Redlands, California, they seen the vehicle and a chase ensured that ended in a shootout and the death of the two suspects . The phase that I believe was most critical in this event is response. It was necessary for local law enforcement to respond immediately to the attack by the two individuals. Local law enforcement was supported by law enforcement agencies in the surrounding areas as well as federal agencies. Their response included an immediate assessment of the building where the event occurred as well as an assessment of all individuals involved. Response also included identifying and locating the suspects which took some time. Had the response not been as effective as it was, more injuries would have likely occurred.
PART TWO
The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines domestic terrorism as an act in the United States that involves a criminal act that is “dangerous to human life” that appears to be “intended to intimidate or coerce” civilians or influence the government by intimidation or coercion or “affect the conduct of the government “. This essay will access the 9/11 attacks, the attack in Little Rock, Arkansas, the San Bernadino attack, and the Boston Marathon attack.
The methods and motives associated with the 9/11 attacks involved all aspects of the definition of terror as defined by the FBI. The hijacking of airplanes and subsequent crash of each plan not only endangered the life of the individual’s on board, the individuals in the targets structures but also the lives of many other Americans. The attack, even from knowledge of simply hearing of the attack from the beginning, was evidently an act of terror. The attackers intended intimidate citizens as well as government as evidenced by the targets. The difference in intent and motive in this attack are not really separable. The attackers intended to inflict harm and intimidate and the motive behind the attacks were to harm and intimidate.
Little Rock, Arkansas
The methods and motives associated with an attack by Abdulhakim Muhammed, a Muslim convert in Little Rock, Arkansas on June 1, 2009 may not have initially been identified as a terrorist attack even though the target of the attack was two soldiers outside a military recruiting center.
The attack was evidently an attack on the American government as the soldiers were the target. Intimidation may have also been present as the attacker had appeared to randomly select the soldiers. The attacker ultimately claimed that he had ties to al-Qaeda and that through the shooting he was personally engaged in a jihad attack. It appears as though both motive and intent were similar in this situation as they were in the 9/11 attacks. The attacker was motivated by Islamic extremism and his intent was to impose jihad.
San Bernadino
The methods and motives associated with the San Bernadino attack were not as clearly terroristic like the 9/11 attack. The attack could have been determined to be an attack by a disgruntled employee. Yet, further investigation of the attackers revealed connections to terrorism. The female attacker pledged allegiance to the terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. And, an ISIL blog claimed that the two attackers were supporters of ISIL. Although the intend and motive were never clearly stated by the attackers, each were clearly separate. The motive behind the attack, from my own opinion, observation and research on the topic, is to inflict harm to Americans. The intent of the attack was more terrorist oriented as it was to intimidate the American public. Thus, motive and intent are differentiated. Intent would be the better determinant of the attack as an act of terror.
Boston Marathon
The methods and motivation behind the Boston Marathon attack included the bombing of an area where individuals were to cross the finish line. Three individuals were killed while over two hundred were injured. The bombers were of Russian decent and had lived in the United States for over ten years. The use of intimidation was not clearly present and the use of coercion was absent from this attack. Unlike the attacks discussed above, the attackers did not claim loyalty to a terrorist organization or admit to connections with a terrorist organization. This attack however would fall within the definition of a terror attack as provided by the FBI because of the intent to influence the government of the United States. The intent to inflict bodily harm was apparent as a bomb was used. The motivation of the bombing was provided by the surviving bomber who claimed that the bombing was in response to America’s involvement and war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The motive in this attack would be the determinant as to whether this was terrorism.
References
Anon., 2016. Lesson 3: Response Actions. [Online] Available at: https://emilms.fema.gov/IS800B/lesson3/L3_Print.htm
FBI, 2016. Terrorism. [Online] Available at: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/terrorism
Goldman, A., Berman, M. & Achenback, J., 2015. FBI says San Bernadino attacks considered act of terrorism; shooter pledged allegiance to Islamic State leader. [Online] Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/12/04/san
Goodman, W., 2008. Making Consequence Management Work: Applying the Lesson of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. JOurnal of the NPS Center of Homeland Defense and Security.
Hauser, C., 2015. The Investigation So Far. [Online] Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/live/san-bernardino-shooting/
