Homeland Security (The Mcgraw-Hill Homeland Security Series)

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 556 pages
• Published by: McGraw-Hill
• Edition: 1st Edition April 20, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 007144064X
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0071440646
• Book Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.6 x 1.7 inches
• Weighs: 2.4 pounds

Product Description


Homeland Security: A Complete Guide to Understanding, Preventing and Surviving Terrorism is the authoritative textbook on one of the most important topics facing our nation. From complex policy issues to common terrorist tactics, Homeland Security provides a practical foundation for professionals, students, and concerned citizens alike. Designed for readers who need to understand both the “big picture” and their own roles in the war against terror, the book provides a clear, comprehensive and fascinating overview of an increasingly complex and misunderstood topic. This indispensable reference, filled with fascinating real-life examples and tips, covers the basics of homeland security such as: national strategies and principles; federal, state and local roles; terrorist history and tactics; cyber-terrorism; business preparedness; critical infrastructure protection; weapons of mass destruction; and key policy issues. Perfect for academic and training classrooms, each chapter includes an overview, learning objectives, source document, discussion topic, summary, and quiz. Media Reviews: "Homeland Security is much more than a textbook. It is an indispensable reference resource for those seeking to understand how terrorists operate and the structures and mechanisms that have been developed to respond to the magnitude of the terrorist threats confronting us" Washington Times, "Securing America" By Joshua Sinai, August 2, 2005 >Published

Back Cover Copy


The indispensable reference on homeland security and the contemporary terrorist threat

From complex policy issues to common terrorist tactics, Homeland Security provides a practical foundation for those who need to understand both the “big picture’ and their own roles in the war against terror. It offers a clear, comprehensive, and fascinating overview of this increasingly complicated topic, divided into three main sections:

• Part I-- The Emergence of Modern Homeland Security
  
  America’s historical approach to defending its homeland, and the evolution of the terrorist threat that led to September 11, 2001
• Part II--Understanding Terrorism
  
  Answers to the questions: Who are the terrorists? What do they want? How do they operate?
• Part III--The Present Homeland Security Regime
  
  Organization, strategies, programs and principles of the homeland security effort, with specifics for all levels of government, business, and individual citizens

Each chapter of Homeland Security includes an overview, learning objectives, source documents, discussion topic, summary, and quiz, making it an ideal resource for academic and training classrooms.

Homeland Security provides valuable information and instruction for:

• University students
• First responders
• Government officials
• Corporate executives
• Members of the military
• Volunteers and concerned citizens

As the events of 9/11 demonstrated, every American has a vital role to play in the war against terrorism. From first responders to concerned citizens, all require a deeper understanding of the emerging homeland security system, the modern terrorist threat, vital policy debates facing the nation, and practical methods to make communities and families safer.

Homeland Security provides that understanding. Written by leading authors with both practical and theoretical expertise, this authoritative textbook explores the nature of the terrorist threat to the United States and looks at the policies and systems responsible for protecting America. Using source documents and real-life examples, it looks at topics including:

• National homeland security strategies and directives
• The modern history of terrorism
• The most dangerous terrorist groups, foreign and domestic, and their tactics
• Critical infrastructure protection
• Emergency response, incident management, and continuity of operations
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Cyber-terrorism
• Business preparedness
• Roles, responsibilities, and methods of major federal, state, and local government agencies, along with key private sector organizations
• Tools and resources for individual and family preparedness
• Critical policy issues shaping the future of homeland security

While much of the globe has grappled for decades with the impact of terrorism on its own soil, the U.S. has only recently been forced to join that battle. Now that terrorism is a central part of our daily lives, however, a deeper knowledge of its many facets--and, more important, how American business and private lives can be shielded against terrorism--is essential.

Homeland Security is the definitive guide to understanding, preventing, and surviving terrorism. From hands-on security tips to insights on the vital balance between liberty and security, it is designed to help every American from the front lines to the voting booths play his or her role in the war against terrorism.

Reader Reviews
"Homeland Security: A Complete Guide to Understanding, Preventing and Surviving Terrorism", contains two chapters addressing the Islamic aspects of the current era of terrorism and jihad activity: Chapter 4, "The Mind of the Terrorist: Why They Hate Us", and Chapter 5, "Al-Qaida and Other Islamic Extremist Groups: Understanding Fanaticism in the Name of Religion". Each chapter is complimented with endnotes (29 for Chapter 4, and 19 for Chapter 5) and the absence of a bibliography suggests that the endnotes comprise the primary sources for each chapter. There are no Islamic sources. Chapter 4, "The Mind of the Terrorist: Why They Hate Us" addresses Palestinian Terrorism, Iranian Terrorism, Suicide in the Name of Islam, Conditions For Terrorism and other considerations such as strife, poverty, ignorance, political oppression as motivations and sources of terrorist activity. The mandates in Islamic law animating jihad and directly influencing the terrorist mindset are not addressed. In Chapter 5, "Al-Qaida and Other Islamic Extremist Groups: Understanding Fanaticism in the Name of Religion", the authors identify the five pillars of Islam and simply state that Zakat is the Giving of Alms. A primary legal reference within the Sunni tradition, Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri's "Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law", tells the Homeland Security Professional that there are eight obligatory disbursements for Zaket. Three of them support warfighting and impact Homeland Security: Those Whose Hearts are to Reconciled; Those Fighting for Allah; and, Travelers Needing Money. "Those Whose Hearts Are To Be Reconciled" (Traveller, page 270-271) states that "alms" may be given to ensure propagation of the faith in initial stages. Those to be reconciled include: Chief personages of a people (with weak or fledgling institutions needing economic support to improve or whose peers may be expected to enter Islam); Heads of a people who collect zakat for Islam from Muslims living near them who refuse to pay it; and, Heads of a people who fight an enemy for Islam at considerable expense and trouble to themselves. The obligatory disbursements for those whose hearts are to be reconciled constitute funding mechanisms facilitating the establishment of Islamic footholds in non-Muslim areas and the consolidating of those footholds to increase Islamic influence. "Those Fighting for Allah" (Traveller , page 272) includes those engaged in Islamic military operations for whom no salary has been allotted and are to be "Given enough to suffice them for the operation even if affluent of: weapons; mounts; clothing; expenses: and, for the duration of the journey, round trip, and the time they spend there." Current interpretation and practice has been to provide expenses in supporting such person's family during this period. The obligatory disbursements for those fighting for Allah constitute a funding mechanism for combat, combat support and combat service support operations. This disbursement category is ideally suited for supporting autonomous, decentralized, asymmetrical military operations. "Travelers Needing Money" (Traveller, page 272) include those who are "passing through a town in Muslim lands where zakat is collected or whose journey was not taken for the purpose of disobeying Allah, if such a person is in need, he is given enough to cover his personal expenses and transportation, even if he possesses money back home." The obligatory disbursements for travelers needing money defrays personal expenses and transportation costs associated with individual movement to and from conflict zones. Continuing with Chapter 5, the authors touch very lightly on jihad failing to discuss the operational considerations both animating the enemy and whose understanding is essential to the Homeland Security Professional. In addition to "Reliance of the Traveller," Al-Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya's, "Riyad-us-Salihee", (Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: 1998), p. 976-1016 and Ibn Rushd's "The Distinguished Jurists Primer", (Vol I and II, Garnet Publishing, Reading, UK: 1994), 454-487, clearly identifies combat, combat support and combat service support roles for the Muslim community when one initiates Jihad. There is clear legal guidance on the following points: upon whom support to Jihad is obligatory; conditions affecting the obligation; identification of the persons to be fought; the scale of harm that may be inflicted on the enemy; conditions for the declaration of war; the identification of the number from whom retreat is not permissible; permissions for truce and the two reasons for waging war (to force the conversion to Islam and to secure the payment of the "jizya"). These essential considerations for assessing the present environment are neither addressed nor referenced in "Homeland Security" but may be readily accessed by reading Islam's legal texts. All first editions are, in essence, first drafts. If the second edition of "Homeland Security" incorporates Islamic sources and objectively explores the influence of Islamic law on the tactical, operational and strategic elements of today's terrorist environment, the Homeland Security Professional will have a truly invaluable desk reference.