World Trade bombing Essay Example for Free

World Trade bombing Essay The battle against terrorism has been centered on the Middle East where top terrorist group Al Qaeda – perpetrators of the World Trade bombing – has been formed and operated under Osama Bin Laden’s leadership. Evidences such as videotapes of Al Qaeda members being trained in the camps as well as reading scriptures from the Quran have been seen by the public concluding a message that this a group acting in the name of religion, on behalf of Islam and of their God, Allah. Terrorist groups have risen out of different events in history where Muslims consistently suffered under the hands of their western conquerors. One of these events is the declaration of the Israeli state displacing a lot of Muslim Palestinians, thus, resulting into a full blown civil war which still occurs today. The alliance of the powerful United States with the Israeli Jews and the invasion of the said country to Afghanistan (Osama’s home country), and Iraq for oil purposes; urged a call for all Muslims to fight against the United States and its allies. Allah, the God of Islam, is seen as a god that does not tolerate injustice and seen as a leader who is the protector of the oppressed and punish non-believers. Seeing the damages that the war in Israel and in Afghanistan brought to the Muslim, Osama has taken the lead in calling for the Muslim people to uphold Allah’s laws and fight off the injustice deeds of the powerful conquerors. His message boxed the compass: kick out the foreign armies occupying Muslim lands, defend the pure poor from the corrupt rich, upend the high and mighty, inspire youth by one’s own selflessness†¦His effrontery against the odds acted as a powerful magnet. (Randal, 2005, p. 46) By carrying out the trait of Allah as the warrior of the oppressed people, the message of Osama and the success of the bombings in Lebanon strengthen the aim to form terrorist factions in order to spread Islam and abolish all kinds of religions. Martyrdom The goal of fighting off non-Islamic factions has instilled an image of a ruthless oppressor due to the Muslims’ experience under the hands of western groups that has a completely different belief from them. As terrorist groups have been established, members are always being reminded about their purpose through indoctrination. Leaders of the group would often read the scriptures from the Quran, retells the heroic acts of the Islamic wars; and most importantly if they are to prepare for a suicide mission, the leaders reminds them Allah’s will of self-sacrifice and the rewards that awaits them in paradise after death (Bongar, Brown, Beutler, Bongar, Zimbardo, 2007, p. 110). Martyrdom is not a duty to be followed, it is embraced by the members wholeheartedly and waiting for it with anticipation. The act of a suicide attack is a manifestation of the martyrdom. For the Muslim terrorists, achieving martyrdom by means of suicide is a way of cleansing the sins and a form of reward. Mortal life is a life encompassed with sin. From the Christian perspective, people are destined to either go to heaven or to hell depending on the sins that have been committed and repented during his or her mortal life. On the other hand, the Islam teaches that through martyrdom, a sinner can redeem himself or herself from the sins that have been done. Participating in a suicide mission is a method to reach self-purification and to be clean from all the sins which will make an individual worthy of the eternal paradise (Pedahzur, 2005, p. 37). Aside from the promise of self-redemption, martyrdom is also use to pose as a reward not just the after-life paradise with Allah but also for family members of the terrorist. One such reward can include a change in the family’s social status (Pedahzur, p.37) where a terrorist coming from the lowest class will be granted a heroic honor for his or her death thus, earning social acceptance and a higher lifestyle from the accumulated financial or material compensation. The family of a martyr terrorist is given a â€Å"certificate of martyrdom† which they can show to avail of privileges in buying food, clothing, and gaining access to social events (Reuter Ragg-Kirkby, 2004, p. 45). Martyrdom is encompassed by the Islamic belief system of ‘jihad’ where the very word has been defined as ‘struggle’ (Habeck, 2006, p. 4). This definition within the context of martyrdom can be said that by means of suicide, to momentarily struggle the pain of inflicting pain or death to the physical body is the path towards eternal happiness. It is a motivation to conclude someone’s life which serves a purpose for the greater good of the Muslim people and for bringing Islam to the top of political power. The Other Purpose of Suicide Terrorism Aside from the strong ideology provided by religion, terrorist groups opted to perform suicide attacks because of practical reasons. Suicide Terrorism has basically became a trend in the new millennium when it comes to attacking opponents. Bruce Hoffman (who specialized in terrorism research stated that suicide attacks are low cost, effective, and cause public attraction (cited in Purpura, 2007, p. 56). Since most of the terrorist factions came from the poverty-stricken countries, if an organization is not supported by an independent financer, suicide attack is a priority to use. Most of the bombs that are attached to the suicide bomber are custom made out of inexpensive materials and to perform a suicide attack, it takes little training since the bomber mixed anonymously with the ordinary citizens (Nikonov, 2007, p.30). Another important aspect of the reference in using suicide attacks, it is because due to the fact that it cost little money and training but it guarantee media coverage (Purpura, p. 56). To be publicized is an essential part so that the group can relay its message to the enemies and at the same time to gain recognition. Recognition in a sense that, when a group member committed a suicide attack it legitimizes the group. The death of a member contributes to the sense of legitimacy and dramatic community investment in a cause. The message is that there is no going back. Some groups engage in glorification of the act, deliberately hyping a â€Å"culture of martyrdom† lionizing the attacker. This celebrity can be powerfully attractive to potential recruits, and with the suicide often comes greater general attention as well to the motivation for the act. (Linden, 2003, p. 83) Lastly perhaps the most important practical usage of suicide attack is that upon the death of the bomber, it is already a clean break. Just like Hoffman stated that there is no need for an escape plan (Purpura, p. 56) and the information with regards to the terrorist organization is left as a mystery. Impact of Suicide Attack to Society Since most of the suicide attackers are left unknown, some researchers have estimated profile of suicide bomber. This includes recruits which have an age range from 16-23 years old comprised of mostly single male while female attackers only made up of a small number; and normally members come from different social classes, with the educated leading the faction (Bongar, et al. , p. 106). It is a pattern that those who have attained education are the ones who organized the group into trainings and launching terrorist activities. From the preceding discussion, the well-publicized feedback that the suicide terrorism receives entails to induce fear not just to its specific targets but to the whole sector of the community. Unlike the conventional wars of the past, the soldiers are the ones who are assured of being killed but for suicide terrorism, it encapsulates the whole society in danger. The unknown identity of the attackers and the massive casualties it caused make people revel into a never ending insecurity. The trust within the structure of the society disappears as anyone can be the victim and anyone can be the suspect. According to Christopher Reuter and Helena Ragg-Kirkby (2004): Suicide attacks affect us profoundly and powerfully. They remind us that there are people who consider their struggle – whatever the cause – to be more important than their own lives. They annihilate the entire logic of power, since no credible threat can be made against someone who has no desire to survive. (p. 2) This form of terrorism of leaves the society in paralyzed fear with no direction of counter measures to fight against it. It is likened to a battle where one is fully armed however; darkness blinded the vision to properly defeat it. Suicide terrorism does not choose its victims any longer. The main concern refers to how huge it inflicts damage and to convey its power by materializing fear in the form of bloodshed. Perhaps this is the biggest challenge that the modern generation may have encounter, the unknown face of terror is one hard to beat. References Battin, M. P. (2005). Ending Life. New York: Oxford University Press. Bongar, B. M. , Bongar, B. , Brown, L. M. , Beutler, L. E. , Zimbardo, P. G. (2007). Psychology of Terrorism. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ethnicity and Latin America Essay example -- History Latin America Ess

Ethnicity and Latin America Latin America and the American colonies were â€Å"tamed† based on completely different ideologies. From a Latin American perspective, the most important of the European explorers were of course, the Spanish and the Portuguese. These explorers arrived in Christopher Columbus’ â€Å"new world† with the express goal of bringing glory and prestige to their homeland. In stark contrast, settlers came to the colonies seeking freedom from the religious persecution in Europe. The different approaches used in each area affected how well and to what extent the African, indigenous, and European cultures combined and shaped the characteristics of the regions today. When the Europeans arrived in America in the 15th century, they encountered the American Indians for the first time. Though only some Native Americans made deliberate contact with the settlers in attempts to work peacefully, the entire population felt the new presence. In addition to the violence shown to the â€Å"savages†Ã¢â‚¬â€often in order to take their lands—diseases for which they had no immunity were introduced, therefore resulting in devastating losses of life. As attempts at civilizing the â€Å"redskins† began, some of the Natives accepted the absorption into the new society while many rejected the change and strove to maintain their culture. Years later began the long-standing and undeniably cruel establishment of slave labor in America. Whether they arrived free only to later be captured by slave catchers, or they entered by way of the West Indies as captured African â€Å"black gold†, black slaves endured over a century of oppression and di scrimination. Halfway between the end of the American Civil War and the growth of the civil rights movement, the beginn... ...Spanish and Portuguese in Latin America were far more accepting of other Europeans than of other races. To this day there remain disparities in ethnic distributions; Argentina’s population has an overwhelming 85% of European descent with very few people of mixed race, while neighboring Chile consists of 93% mestizos. The different ways in which Latin America and the United States experienced their colonization impact their societies today. Though the backgrounds of each place are different, the results were similar; the Europeans came, saw, conquered, and abused the indigenous and Africans, who built up the foundations of modern society. Despite the passage of time and wide knowledge of the horrors of our past, inequalities and prejudices against blacks and natives that began centuries ago exist even today. 1 http://www.ecrweb.org/f/March_Mission_BellW.pdf

Automobile Brake-by-Wire Essay

This paper was prepared for Braking Systems, taught by Professor Kelley Automobiles have changed considerably since Henry Ford first produced economical vehicles rapidly. He was the one to start the Ford Motor Company. Ford vehicles, as many other vehicle companies have allowed people to think in a different way as to how we travel from point A to point B in a resourceful manner. Today’s vehicle owners feel having new features and advanced technology in our vehicles are considered a luxury. When a driver is behind the wheel, they feel in control of where they are going and when they want to stop. But when it comes to having new equipment in our vehicles, we want to know how it all works. We know when we want to stop either for stop signs or preventing an accident with a person or an object. The driver is always thinking of when they may need to brake and how to react when the braking happens. America’s popular cars are continuously evolving. Many engineers who are currently working on producing and designing vehicle models are bringing new features that will appear sooner than later. Since the person at the wheel will not have the authority to brake when they feel necessary, placement of these new digital technologies is a dramatic change for drivers. Drivers will need to understand functions of the new digital technologies that are being installed in their vehicles. They also must be aware of the changes that will affect them. Engineers who are working in the auto industry have liked the new brake-by-wire technology idea and some vehicles such as Ford, GMAC, and BMW have introduced this digital feature in their most recent models. A vehicle defined by wire is referred to when one or more of the primary vehicle systems operate with electronic controls instead of a traditional mechanical linkage. Companies are experimenting with this feature and studying the benefits from changing our current brake system to digital brakes for our future vehicles. As this is being done I really hope these engineers and companies are researching this new technology so that accidents can be prevented and eliminated. I personally am excited about the digital technology that vehicles are equipped with. The pressure of driving will be taken off the driver tremendously. This new system will allow the driver to be more engaged in the entertainment process with the passengers. Looking at the scenery or messing with the radio are luxuries that the driver really doesn’t have. With this new technology the driver will not have to worry about when to brake or how to stop the vehicle. I assume that the tiny digital chip that is installed to operate this system will do its job accurate and correctly. I assume that the driver will only have the responsibility to maneuver and adjust the speed of the vehicle. On the other hand, this theory is very concerning to me, we as drivers feel comfortable when we have control over when and how we stop. Too many questions rise in my mind, when technology is responsible for doing the work. Again, when I press on the brakes I do not like the idea of a chip having all the control of stopping my vehicle. Although we are not fully aware of this new system yet, I feel that in the long run this new system will only create problems. I imagine that there will be more accidents occurring due to the idea of a chip stopping the vehicle will wear out or possibly just simply fail. I also feel that with this new technology, society will have a different outlook on driving. My question is, will more accidents occur due to the possible wear and failure of the chip responsible for stopping. Not only will this system create problems for our future but I’m sure it will only get more expensive. I as well as many other drivers can barely afford to buy a simple vehicle, let alone an expensive high tech vehicle. Any technological advancement that appears in our lives will change our way of living and thinking. This will have a big impact on consumers. The by wire systems will benefit drivers to have the brake by wire installed in our vehicles in the next 10 years. It may not be far off from now when vehicles will have the brake by wire, but in the meantime we will depend on the development and accuracy for the brake by wire to work effectively. Of course we must save money for these high tech vehicles because I’m sure future vehicles involving these elaborate systems will only continue to be more costly. References Fantanelle, Anthony. â€Å"Brake-By-Wire Promises to be the Brake System of the Future. † ArticleBase. http://www. articlesbase. com/automotive-articles/brakebywire-promises-to-be-the-brake-system-of-the-future-113122. html. , March 06, 2007. August 29, 2013.

Argument For Capital Punishment - 889 Words

This essay will be discussing whether the death penalty is wrong. I will be arguing in favor of capital punishment and will be presenting several arguments to back up my position. First, an understanding of what the death penalty is and why it is used currently needs to be established. The death penalty has been around almost as long as humans have. It is a form of punishment that is a deterrent for other criminals. Also, capital punishment is a way to prevent the criminal being put to death from committing any further crimes. In most cases, the death penalty is only used whenever a crime is so evil that the individual must be dealt with by an equally strong method. Crimes that usually have the possibility of the death penalty are various†¦show more content†¦I believe this to be entirely false and will prove my reasoning later in this essay. Capital punishment as a deterrent can be argued that it has no effect on the amount of murders committed. This argument, however, is p ointless due to the simple fact that it is not called â€Å"Capital deterrent† it is called â€Å"Capital punishment† and therefore should not simply be treated as an idle threat. The fact that it has the possible side effect of making individual think twice about committing murder is merely a bonus attribute. The death penalty was not enacted to scare people away from doing murder; it was enacted to prevent the people who have from doing more. Take this example argument: a maniac decides to go on a killing spree and the police manage to subdue him and he is then convicted with multiple life sentences. He is still a maniac, just in prison. By putting the maniac in a prison, the system is giving him access to other individuals to harm. By doing this, it puts the other inmates in danger. If the maniac was put to death, the issue of putting the other criminals in danger is eliminated entirely and therefore is the better solution. One might argue my previous example and state that you could simply create a prison that would only contain maniacs that were equally as likely to cause harm in order to protect the other criminals who might not deserve to be put in danger with the maniacs.Show MoreRelatedThe Capital Punishment Arguments888 Words   |  4 PagesDEATH PENALTY ARGUMENTS Introduction to the Issue Capital punishment is one of the most controversial issues in contemporary American criminal justice administration because it consists of the purposeful taking of the life of another. On one hand, killing for any reason besides the absolute necessity of self-defense violates the moral principles upon which modern society is built. 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