Terrorism and Technological Change

With a broad definition of technology, no violence or terrorism in the World exists without technology (save for martial arts). Lack of monitoring of existing technology, puts the USA and the World at risk. Rapid developments of new technology creates even greater risk.

Some mandatory policies must be created: 1) Monitor existing technology, classify them, and create expert teams that can minimize or eliminate existing technology terrorism, 2) monitor new technology, classify them, and create expert teams that can minimize or eliminate new technology terrorism, 3) create classified counterterrorism technology, 4) strengthen laws that restrict nonclassified technologies from coming to market due to a nature that would favor terrorism over counterterrorism, 5)...

I strongly disagree with the "mandatory policies" you listed.

They're sound ideas, and they totally make sense but an issue arises when you realize that the terrorist aren't "techno masterminds".... they're not using XPJ-1 plasma beam rifles... they're using unexploded ordinance, and stuff they scrounge up out of junkyards.

You can pour the entire defense budget into your expert teams idea... but unless they can be everywhere, at all times, something is gonna go down.

How does an "expert team" combat against something as simple as a large bag of nails sitting ontop of an unexploded artillary shell set to blow? They rig up detonators out of everyday items we regard as mere play things...



It's so simple, that it almost can't be combated against. Much like the viatnamese during 'nam... they aren't using super advanced technology to get their kills... back then it was stuff like...

-a pinless grenade in an empty c-ration can, set to a trip wire. The can is painted to blend into its surroundings... you walk by the trip wire... the wire pulls the grenade out of the can... spoon pops off... bye bye...

-a pinless grenade with a rubber band around it. Toss it into the gas tank of a vehicle (at that time it was possible)... the gasoline eats through the rubber band in a few days... spoon pops off... bye bye...

(If the mods feel as if they should remove the two above items for whatever reason, feel free to. I don't want to be responsible for giving anyone ideas... you never know nowadays.)

It wasn't hightech stuff back then, and it still isn't now... it's just resourcefulness, mixed with abit of ingenuity.

Now instead of the ol' grenade in the c-rat can trick, it's the artillary shell in the baby carriage trick... or the even more effective "3 banger" in the opel parked across the street trick. Not technical at all...

Anyhow with that said... I understand where you're coming from. Perhaps your policies would be better implemented in the future, but for right now... I don't see "expert teams" being too effective in the type of warfare were currently engaged in... or even the "war on terror" as a whole.

[edit on 1/13/06 by microcosm]

the post I wrote above had to do more with the war in Iraq than it did with terrorism on a whole... so I'll briefly address general terrorism...

Lets take a look at what the most recent acts of terror have been...

(I'm just pulling these numbers out of the air, to make a point...)

70 percent of them have been bombings of buildings...
25 percent of them have been bombings of highly populated/trafficked areas...
The other 5 percent we'll call "other"... those are all the beheadings, driveby assassinations, hostage situations, and kidnappings for ransom that have been going on in the past few years.

now consider how they do it...

Wanna blow up a building... a moving truck packed with explosives seems to be the favorite tool for the job. Now how do you combat against something like that? Once again... it's a simple, yet highly effective weapon. Truck + Alot of bombs... not really hightech...

A bomb in a highly trafficked area... here comes that opel across the street again... this time throw in some nails, and other scrap metals for maximum "area effect", and you've got yourself a winner...

Kidnappings? Remember the chechens a few years ago taking over a school... Nothing to hightech there... just some guys (and gals) with kalashnikovs, and some bombs wired up on site... not exactly cutting edge if you ask me...

[edit on 1/13/06 by microcosm]