Protecting the homeland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Protecting the homeland - Essay Example There is no specific way to determine that being prepared will eliminate signs of trouble, disaster, or negative effects. The process simply adjusts the mindset of the individuals involved to meet the adversity head on and with as much resistance that can be managed. In the nations past a preparedness program was successfully demonstrated by President Woodrow Wilson. President Wilson was against the United States being involved in World War I. However, he was denied any advances for an agreement of peace amongst the U.S. and Germany. When terms were not agreed upon the President decided to focus attentions on preparing the Army, marines, and navy for being forced into the war. At the time some individuals felt as though Wilson was planning to push the U.S. into war because of his strategy. In 1917, the President was drawn into the war on Germany despite his â€Å"He Kept Us Out of War†, campaign. The major event here was the amount of readiness the President possessed on behal f of the U.S. With the determination of his armies, Wilson retrieved an Armistice from Germany in efforts to further a peace agreement. With these efforts the President was able to deliver his Fourteen Points speech that would be a big factor to ending the war completely (Woodrow Wilson, p. 1). Based on earlier arguments, it is conceived at this point that although President Wilson took necessary steps to avoid the United States interaction in World War I, he also prepared us for war. Not only did he get his troops in line, the President was well enabled to produce a solution to the issues that spawned a full war in the first place. Wilson was not able to stay out of battle. It actually took him well over a year to get Congress to sign off on his Fourteen Points. This tactic is a good example of what preparedness is about. Fighting and disagreement may not always be completely avoidable, but a solution and plan should readily be prepared to produce a means for an end. It should also be acknowledged that even with preparedness concept efforts there have been several terrorist attacks focused on United States soil. More importantly, there have been attacks directed at symbols of the nations success and power such as the World Trade Center. These types of attack demonstrate a will of terrorists to damage the United States image as a major authority. Being able to defy that authority at whatever level is a specific aim by any attack. The message that terrorists deliver will not be one that seeks to minimize damage to the U.S. or its citizens. In February of 1993 a bombing attack was demonstrated on the World Trade Center. There was a truck positioned beneath the North Tower intended to collapse the North and South Towers of the Trade Center. The bomb did not successfully kill thousands but it did manage to kill nearly ten individuals and injure over one thousand. Then again on September 11 of 2001 there was another significant attack on the World Trade Center. In this case planes hijacked by terrorists were aimed at taking out the Towers. Of the four planes taken two hit the mark and leveled the Twin Towers. This time the terrorists attempts managed to bring about the demise of over three thousand individuals. Attacks like these have attempted to crumble the United States position for decades. In light of all the attempts at the expense of