Counterterrorism: Port Security Vulnerabilities

Counter-terrorism: Port Security Vulnerabilities
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Counter-terrorism: Port Security Vulnerabilities
Abstract
The port is one of the critical epicenters of security concerns. It acts as a point of entry and exit, thereby becoming a center of possible security infringes. With possible terrors attacks, the port can quickly act as a conduit used by terrorists to smuggle personnel and mass destruction weapons. Most of the ports across the world are closely guarded for various reasons, noting that ports connect states or countries to others, which provides a plethora of supports to revamp security at ports. The countries core interest in the face of the globe is put at a stake if port security is compromised. The protection of lives and commerce underpins aggressive efforts in directing resources and energy towards post security as one of the focal points in the country security planning and operations. The fundamental thought-provoking issues revolve around how to develop a foolproof, efficient, responsive and sensitive port security system that is free from security threats and vulnerabilities.
Introduction
Ports are centric points of focus in the nation’s security. The relevance and importance of ports to country security and ensuing commercial interest cannot be overstated. Ports constitute some of the critical areas underpinning the country’s move, growth and development towards the property. With growing globalization and trade liberalization, port security's relevance is magnified in the face of global commercial interest and external security threats. The gist of the argument troubling nation’s security ideology on port security revolves around ways of creating a more robust border security system that responds to the global standard, existing realities, protection nation’s interest and equally efficient. The article argues that contemporary nations need to assume shared responsibility in developing security responsive and efficient system at ports that protect parties inclusively. Countries no longer exist in isolation or as an island, but they live in a complex, highly interconnected system with interdependence, motilities, permeability and reliance. Such sophistication puts more burdens on security systems to develop impervious security barriers and sieving points. It is in light of this argument that nation’s security installed at ports as entry and exit points should be highly organized and efficient in the face of the rising wave of globalization and persistent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Literature Review
Concerns are often raised whenever security incidence, such as terrorism events, occurs. Questions are posed regarding the role, performance and efficiency of port system securities. What are the pints of vulnerabilities? What are the potential threats? Why did it fail to respond to security threats appropriately?
What could be the relevance of ports? The larger populace or citizenry may often demonstrate little curiosity or attention on security issues at the primary exit and entry points to international arenas. Public and political discussion seemingly fails to highly and emphasizes the role of ports in security matters. Yet, the intersection between crime and port security provides clear reasons for prioritizing security at the ports. Esk. (2011) postulated that public and criminology interests surrounding ports are remarkably scarce despite forming an intersection of crime occurrence, vulnerabilities, threats and crime control. If ports as entry and exit points hold little interest to the public's eyes, questions will ensure. Who has an interest in the ports? Who formulates and implemented major security decision in the absence of ‘strong ‘public interest and curiosity? Of course, it is the government with its agencies that holds eminent responsibility of developing a blueprint of synthesizing and implement security measures, interventions and systems that match the ‘perceived population interest, global agenda, global forces and nationhood endeavors. The port security must be perceived and conceptualized from global perspectives. Esk (2011) agreed with this argument by supporting the conceptualization of port security in the realm of transnational spaces and transport and criminological theorization of the globalized security society.
Port security is the center of focus when dealing with acts of terrorism. The ever-increasing globalization and liberalism have created more permeable international entry and exit points. Many incidences that have occurred globally affirm the vulnerabilities to terrorism at the ports. It is indisputable that terrorist can enter countries via ports and institute attacks at the ports or other parts of the country. Ports can be also be used as a conduit to carry weapons of mass destruction, including bombs, which can be concealed as goods intended to commit acts of terrorism. The security vulnerabilities to terror acts have far-reaching implications in terms of commercial interest and global trade well-being. Taylor & Kaufman, P. (2010) argued that the role of ports in security containments is non-contestable, but few people would realize that if a cargo container could having a hidden weapon of mass destruction, it can be disastrous and devastating to global trade and economy if it is detonated on busy global ports.
Several incidences are a testimony to port security vulnerabilities. The terror incidents in Mumbai and U.S demonstrated how terrorists could use port weakness to their advantage. In Sept 11 terror attack against the U.S, its seaports were closed, and Coast Guard vessels were dispatched to all other major U.S ports considering the planes could also be used to transports weapons of mass destruction (McLaughlin, 2011). Cargo shipping is port terror vulnerabilities because containers provide ideal spaces for transporting illegal drugs and immigrants, and terrorists (Esk, 2011: Taylor & Kaufman, 2010). Maritime terrorism can result from a political, ideological or religious background where terrorists can hit the industrialized world's infrastructure (Feldt, Roell & Thiele, 2013). The feared containerized terrorist insecurities and related events fall under ‘maritime terrorism’, where it involves terrorist groups targeting or using ships on the sea and in ports to launch an attack against passengers and personnel (Esk, 2011). Primarily informed by post-9/11 fear, global agencies and ports scrutinize several insecurities, including severe economic consequences of cargo attacks targeted by terrorism. For instance, disruption of oil supplies via port points could significantly impact global oil prices, stability and security, and its ramifying effects could hit the local environment, economy, security, and peace.
Managing security at the ports is always a daunting task for many states. The presence of many entry points, such as ports, makes it difficult to mount an effective security system in all these points due to inadequate resources amidst expansive spaces. This fragility underpin...