Appropriate Threat Definition

Why do we need to consider the international threat inRemoving the 9/11 attack, Iraq and Afghanistan from
addition to a local or national threat when attempting tothe equation, this number dwarfs the number of
define them? There are two motives behind thisattacks against Americans today. The difference is
consideration. One is due to modern businesses oftenour focus on Islamic terrorism as opposed to terrorism
being intertwined with businesses overseas. At ain general. From the 1970s through the 1990s, other
minimum, many of today's businesses have intereststhan Islamic terrorism counted for most of the terrorist
overseas. Most large companies import items fromattacks worldwide. From the Red Brigade in Italy
overseas for resale here in the US. This means thatkidnapping of the high profile American Brigadier
the business will be more exposed to intelligenceGeneral Dozier in 1981 to the assassination of the
gathering as well. Every country has unique laws thatfounder of the US Army's Survival, Evasion,
govern competitive intelligence collection. What is legalResistance and Escape course, Colonel James "Nick"
and ethical here is not necessarily so elsewhere.Rowe by the New People's Army in the Philippines in
Additionally, the security of their personnel when1989 to the assassination of Archbishop Romero and
traveling is higher. This may mean that the businesstwo US nuns by the El Salvadoran Faribundi Marti
needs to have training in cultural awareness and localNational Liberation Front (FMLN) in 1980 to the
customs and laws prior to travel as well as establishingkidnapping of three American military contractors by
and providing points of contacts within the foreignthe Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
nation for the representative to contact in the event ofin 2003. Should I continue? The Baader Meinhof Gang
an emergency. Businesses "cyber" connections to theirin Germany, Basque Separatists in Spain, The
contacts overseas may be at more risk for the manyProvisional Irish Republican Army, the Tamil Tigers of
of the same reasons listed above. Completely definingSri Lanka and the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) of
the threat prior to conducting the threat assessmentPeru. This should be a wake up call illustrating the
focuses businesses limited resources where theydanger that exists in the real world from international
need to be.terrorism.
Additionally, the events surrounding September 11, 2001There is a message in all this. International terrorism is
showed private industry that they may be at risk toalive and well and transcends Islamic Fascism. The
international terrorism also. Prior to 9/11, mostdifference between the examples listed above and 9
businesses convinced themselves that the only risk11 isn't terrorism. Terrorism is what links them together.
that existed was criminal and tended to overlookThe difference is we were attacked on our own soil
terrorism. Even the US Government did not takeand close to 3,000 Americans died as a result. As long
terrorism as seriously as it should have. Many militaryas terrorism happened somewhere else, even if it
installations were characterized as "open post"happened to other Americans, it was easy to be
installations (installations that had free and open accessapathetic. This is no longer the case as the events of
to the civilian community). This all changed after 9/11,9/11 have fundamentally altered perceptions, both of
with all military installations becoming "closed posts"the security industry as well as expectations of its
(posts that restrict access to those that have a needfuture performance. There is little excuse post-9/11 for
to be on post). This is mostly due to redefining theoverlooking terrorism as a possible threat to the
threat to include international terrorism. Not all aspectssecurity of a company. The essence of accurately
of government have been quick to respond, however.defining the threat helps a business marshal its
The General Accounting Office (GAO) conductsresources more effectively. Sadly, as 9/11 may have
periodic assessments of the federal government andsent the wrong message to the security industry. In
lists the deficiencies as "high risk". While this listRethinking Corporate Security in the Post 9/11 Era
constantly changes as some deficiencies are removed(2003), Dennis Dalton argues in his introduction that the
and others are added, a recent General Accountingevents of 9/11 pushed the security industry backwards.
Office (GAO) report on the US Governments HighHe thinks that it should have simply been added to the
Risk Areas (2007), ensuring the protection oflist of existing threats, but seemed to create a larger
technologies critical to US national interests was addedfocus on the physical security aspect. If this is true,
among others. It is amazing to note, when thesethen the security industry has a challenge to meet in
reports are viewed together, how deficient ourconvincing executives of the importance of threat
government continues to be even though eclipsed bydefinition in the overall threat assessment.
9/11.References
Finally, it is worthy of note, that international terrorism isGarcia, M. (2001). The Design and Evaluation of
not a new phenomenon. Skyjacking and other attacksProtection Systems. MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.
against Americans was far more prevalent in theGovernment Accounting Office. (2007). High Risk
1980's than today. In 1980 alone there were 278Series, an update. Retrieved 12 November 2007 from
terrorist attacks against Americans worldwide with 416Dalton, D. (2003). Rethinking Corporate Security in the
attacks total between 1968 and 1980 (CIA, 1980).Post 9/11 Era. MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.