Not In Our Own Backyard: Posse Comitatus and the Challenge of Government Reorganization
Abstract
Historically, Americans tend to view the United States as a sanctuary, free from the influence of terrorists and international criminals. International organized crime is thought of as something that happens in Russia, Italy, or the Balkans, and it is something to read about it while sipping coffee and perusing the Sunday paper. Acts of terrorism committed on U.S. soil were unthinkable. After all, assassinations, bombings, and hijackings are activities that occur only in certain parts of the world: the Middle East, Europe, and South and Central America. Beyond that, most citizens might very well have told you that terrorism was on the decrease and that certainly we heard more about these sorts of things in the l980s than we do today. The world, however, is not as it appeared and in fact it has changed. Today many refer to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. homeland as the turning point, believing that something changed on that day. This paper argues that in fact September 11th was merely an acute symptom of changes that have been underway for well over a decade changes that are finally anchored in extremism and fueled by the dramatic capabilities and advances realized through modern globalization. These changes have enabled business and commerce, education and diplomacy, governments, private organizations, and charities. As globalization and all that it represents is amoral, these same changes have granted equivalent capability to the malicious especially criminals and terrorists now empowered to act and influence globally in concert with, or in spite of legitimate and licit organizations and governments. These organizations have no burden or obligation to regard traditional state definitions of the rule of law and sovereignty.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA475879
Entities
People
- James P. Harvey
Organizations
- Air University