Swimming Prudently

Topic: Hijack!


Critical decision making requires that all possible outcomes of a situation are assessed and the action taken meets all objectives with the least possible risk. U.S. Counterterrorism policy states:

"The United States Government will make no concessions to terrorists holding official or private U.S. citizens hostage. It will not pay ransom, release prisoners, change its policies, or agree to other acts that might encourage additional terrorism. At the same time, the United States will use every appropriate resource to gain the safe return of American citizens who are held hostage by terrorists. Hostage-taking is defined under international law (International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages, adopted December 17, 1979) as the seizing or detaining and threatening to kill, injure, or continue to detain a person in order to compel a third party to do or abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the seized or detained person."

Terrorism as defined in Wiktionary is the "deliberate commission of an act of violence to create an emotional response from the victim in the furtherance of a political or social agenda." Some would argue that this country wouldn't exist without terrorist acts preceding our War of Independence. This country's history is full of examples of the US government supporting terrorists in foreign nations in the form of money, weapons, idealogical empathy, and intelligence to bring about military coups, rebel insurgencies, and/or civil war to further the goals of the United States. As the cliche goes "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." It is unfortunate that it takes violence to bring about change.

A nation is like any other form of life. It exists among other such entities and seeks out ways to "feed" itself in order to keep its processes going ie to continue to exist. Sometimes having to exist means encroaching upon the rights of other such organisms. Other times, it helps to make friends with entities with common needs, interests or tradeable resources. Our nation just happens to be the biggest fish in the pond. However, even big fish have to swim prudently.

In the United States and I'm sure in many countries, if terrorism is being employed against the state, it is to be viewed as a crime against the state. It is a mind game with the biggest stakes between the plotter and the state, with the state having the most to lose in terms of prestige, security, morale, and even identity. So how does our nation's government deal with such a threat and still maintain a good game face?

In the topic link above, the example is given of a plane being hijacked and the passengers and crew being held hostage. Several methods can be employed to bring about resolution and ensure that the majority of the hostages survive. A Delta Force team sent to infiltrate the plane to kill the hijackers, dispersing a sleeping gas into the airplanes' ventilation system, holding the hijackers' families hostage, etc. If you watch "24" you could probably think of more outrageous ways of to bring about resolution. I think it's best to say the counterterrorists of this nation will always do their best to ensure the safety of their fellow citizens while maintaining the stance of not negotiating with terrorists.

Terrorists aren't afraid to die for their cause. Soldiers and police officers risk their lives for their duty to the public and the nation. We, too, should not be afraid of dying . It is demoralizing to be expendable for being John or Jane Q. Public, but it is our role as citizens. Like it or not, we choose to be a part of this nation and it's policies. The best we can do to bring about change is to choose our leaders and hope that they know what they are doing in our interests: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.