NEW TERRORIST THREATS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

NEW TERRORIST THREATS - Research Paper Example Al Qaeda has undergone a radical metamorphosis from the â€Å"organized, idealistic group† to a rag tag unit that advanced aspects of radicalism. The radical shift and nature of Al Qaeda does not mean that its lethal power has been reduced. What is contrary is the observation that the unit has embraced new and modern ways to advance its terrorist ideals. The strength and the standards of the group have been embraced by many people from all over the world who have aligned and embraced the radical tenets of the group. Nations all over the world have acknowledged that Al Qaeda cannot be ignored, and its radical aspects should not be dismissed. They have set modalities that will ensure that they are perfectly equipped with the ability to deal with any form of terrorist act. In instances where nations lack the capacity to deal with terrorism and terrorist groups, international bodies have offered assistance at each and every stage. This is with the realization that terrorism affect s all nations in the world. New Terrorist Threats Prior to the events of September 11, 2001, the United States, and much of the world for that matter, was blissfully ignorant with regards to the terrorist threat. Although it is true that terrorism had been evidenced within the United States many times throughout its history, the sheer scope and scale of destruction, as well as loss of human life, that was exhibited on September 11, demanded that the United States integrate with a more nuanced and proactive approach to defining and combating terrorism around the globe. One definitive reality that can currently be stated with regards to the current evidence of terrorism is the fact that over 10 years of incessant conflict between the United States and its allies and al Qaeda have severely weakened it and monumentally decreased its operating effectiveness, it should not be understood that Al Qaeda does not pose a threat anymore (Spaaij, 2010). Rather, the capabilities of this particula r entity have severely been weakened as leadership has been decimated by a proactive and aggressive assassination program. Yet, even though Al Qaeda no longer poses anywhere close to the same level of threat that it did but a decade ago, the reader should understand the definition of terrorism and terrorist entities do not begin or end with Al Qaeda; or even radical Islamic terror groups in and of themselves. Whereas the recent past has been defined by large terror organizations seeking to carry out complex and logistically challenging tactics, the recent paradigm necessarily denotes a far larger number of individual or â€Å"lone wolf† terrorists, oftentimes under the leadership of a mentor, have begun to redefine terrorist threat within the modern era. As a function of understanding and appreciating this new dynamic, the following analysis will seek to illustrate some relevant in recent cases in which the â€Å"lone wolf† terrorist has engaged and/or destroyed/killed targets based upon seemingly their own volition (Barnes, 2012). Additionally, the analysis will also discuss the means by which traditional interpretations of terrorism and the groups that sponsor it, such as Al Qaeda, continue to be relevant and should not be discounted entirely. Although the analysis will focus much of the attention upon radical Islamic extremists, it must be understood that many different and disparate groups comprise the terrorist threat that is based within the current system. One