Domestic and International Terrorism in America
This paper analyzes the threat of domestic terrorism in the United States, distinguishing it from international terrorism through FBI classifications. It documents major domestic terrorist attacks from 2009 onward—including the Fort Hood shooting, Boston Marathon bombing, and attacks by white supremacist and anti-abortion extremists—and identifies ten designated domestic terrorist organizations operating on U.S. soil. The paper evaluates the consequences of terrorism including loss of life, property destruction, economic regression, and production delays, while arguing that despite increased post-9/11 security focus on international threats, domestic terrorism remains a significant and ongoing danger requiring citizen vigilance and regularly updated security measures.
- Introduction and Definitions: Terrorism definitions, FBI classifications, post-9/11 context
- Shift in Focus: From Domestic to International Threats: Policy shift toward international terrorism, Iraq intervention, ISIS debate
- Domestic Terrorist Attacks Since 2009: Chronological catalog of ten major domestic attacks with details
- Domestic Terrorist Organizations in America: Ten identified domestic terrorist groups and their operations
- Impacts and Consequences of Terrorism: Effects on deaths, property, economy, and production
- Conclusion: Call for citizen vigilance and security system updates
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What makes this paper effective
- Provides concrete chronological documentation of ten specific domestic attacks with dates, locations, and casualties, creating strong empirical support for the central argument that domestic terrorism remains a viable threat.
- Uses FBI official definitions to establish credible taxonomies distinguishing domestic from international terrorism, grounding the analysis in authoritative sources.
- Lists ten identified domestic terrorist organizations with their operational methods and ideologies, demonstrating systemic scope rather than isolated incidents.
- Analyzes multiple impact categories (death, property destruction, economic regression, production lag) with concrete examples, showing terrorism's multifaceted consequences.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper employs inductive reasoning through case enumeration: it builds its argument by accumulating specific examples (dated attacks, named organizations) that collectively support the thesis that domestic terrorism is underattended despite being a persistent threat. This case-study density is appropriate for a policy analysis paper and provides readers with verifiable reference points rather than abstract claims.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a problem-definition-impact-conclusion structure. It opens by defining terrorism and the two FBI categories, then explains the post-9/11 policy shift toward international focus. The core section documents domestic incidents chronologically (2009–2013), followed by a typology of active groups. A dedicated section addresses terrorism's consequences across multiple dimensions (human, economic, operational), and concludes with a call for citizen engagement and security updates. This organization moves from definitional clarity to evidence to implications, creating a coherent analytical arc.
Introduction and Definitions
The term terrorism, when uttered, sends shivers and chills through many people in this century. It is probably the fastest growing menace of our time. There is not a solid academic or international legal definition of this term, but according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, terrorism is the systematic use of violence for the purpose of intimidating the population or its government, thereby pushing toward religious, ideological, or political change. After the September 11 terror attacks, several indispensable measures were taken to boost security in the United States. These changes improved the surveillance and security apparatus, leading to reduced insecurity and terror attacks. For this reason, a sense of comfort and security emerged, and attention shifted from domestic terrorism to international terrorism. In this paper, I will discuss the threats posed by domestic terrorism, their impacts on American citizens, and the government at large.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation classifies terrorism into two categories: domestic or international. This classification depends on the origin, objectives, and base of the terrorists responsible for the attacks. According to the FBI, domestic terrorism is the use of, or attempted use of, violence by an individual or group of people operating solely within Puerto Rico and the U.S. without foreign command, committed against individuals or property with an intention of intimidating the population, the government, or any other segment with political or social influence. International terrorism, on the other hand, includes any dangerous act that is life-threatening and violates the United States or any state's criminal law. These acts are intended to cause intimidation or coercion to the population or policymakers through assassinations or mass killings. International terrorist acts happen outside and inside the U.S., both in terms of whom they intend to coerce and the location of their base. These definitions create a vivid picture of what terrorism in both categories entails.
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