ABSTRACT
CONTENTS Introduction................................................................................................ 3 The Tipping Point for the United States .................................................... 5 The New Threat ......................................................................................... 6 Past Accounts of Terrorism on American Soil ............................................. 8 Terrorism as a Global Movement.............................................................. 10 Religious Fanaticism.................................................................................. 11 The Clash of Cultures............................................................................... 15 The New Normal and the New Imperialism............................................. 16 Conclusion................................................................................................ 18 References ................................................................................................. 21
Introduction The new normal refers to the establishment in the national psyche of an awareness of vulnerability to terrorism and a willingness to accept the individual burdens necessary to meet the challenge of homeland security. This extends to personal inconveniences, additional waiting times, greater scrutiny of all kinds of activities, and increased skepticism about apparent innocence. Examples of ways in which daily life has changed in America pervade our society. For instance, we now accept that there will
be long lines and the possibility of personal searches at airports and cross-border checkpoints [1]. Citizens and visitors are inconvenienced in many activities based on identity checks and restrictions on entry. Previously, open buildings such as historical sites and sightseeing attractions are now subject to restricted access or even closed to visitors. We now have to pass through metal detectors and offer our bags and pockets to be searched at guarded entrances to many public facilities. New concrete barriers have been placed surrounding buildings to prevent possible destruction from vehicle bombers [1]. Entire streets have been closed to traffic for the same reasons. There is a heightened awareness of the potential danger associated with unattended packages that include luggage but is extended to restrictions on sending a carton through the U.S. mail. Gone are the days when we could just drop them off at unattended mailboxes. The concern with security extends to how international freight is shipped and inspected. There is a new vulnerability in advanced economies from shipments that originate in far-off lands where there is little ability for the recipient nation to control the remote steps in the global supply chain [1,2].
