How Can the United States of America Better Defend Itself Against Terrorism?

How can the United States of America better defend itself against terrorism?

In the past Twenty years the threat of terrorism has been a known threat, but it was not until September 11, 2001 has passed that the American people were forced to accept and deal with the threat of terrorism. Stricter border security, as well as airport, and port security have led Americans into an uneasy sense of homeland Security, but more must be done. American borders must be secured so that Americans can feel a real peace.

When people think of our land borders with Canada and Mexico they think illegal immigrants. This is not always so. If immigrants can get in so easily so can terrorist. On our southern border there is currently no fence, and nothing else to stop terrorist getting in other than couple of thousand border patrol agents spread to thinly to do anything, and a never really functioning sensor system put in during the 19070’s (Sensing a Problem). In order to secure the border with Mexico which is the most likely place to cross a minimum of a 700 mile fence and another 6000 more border agents will need to be added (Thompson). Another solution to the problem would be to have motion sensors, satellite surveillance, and cameras mounted on towers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (Sensing a Problem). Federal investigators were able to bring radioactive substances into the United States at two different crossing points were there was supposedly technology able to detect radioactive substances (Kutz). If the immigrants can walk right through the border so can terrorist and this is not acceptable starting now steps need to be taken to correct this.

It seems like airport security is higher now than ever before, but it may not be high enough. Across the country in many airports faulty metal detectors are letting hundreds through security unchecked. There are also many baggage screeners that are ill trained or not interested in their job and thousands of bags are not screened properly or not screened at all. Many of the screeners are outdated anyway, they can a 2D figure and the screeners are unable to tell a bomb from normal items (Huges). More training and newer equipment are needed to outsmart today’s terrorist. The latest in screening devices is the backscatter which takes an x-ray picture of you to see you have any concealed weapons. There are other systems that can scan you for bomb making materials (Halperin). The problem with