Conventional and Unconventional Threats to Homeland Security

Identify a critical infrastructure of personal interest to you and research known vulnerabilities to such an infrastructure from a WMD attack.

11 hours ago

REQUIREMENTS

WMD Disaster management

Here is an example :

Identify a critical infrastructure of personal interest to you and research known vulnerabilities to such an infrastructure from a WMD attack

Past attacks on passenger-rail systems around the world, including London, Madrid, and Mumbai, highlight the vulnerability of this form of transportation. There have been no major successful terrorist attacks on U.S. public rail systems, however, there have been numerous attempts that were interfered by law enforcement (RAND, 2007). The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in 2002 that approximately 1/3 of terrorist attacks worldwide target transportation systems (TSA, 2008). Transit systems are popular sites for terrorist attacks due to their vicinity to large crowds, and easy access. Last year, on Portland’s MAX light rail, a man stabbed and killed two men who tried to intervene when the stabber was harassing two young Muslim women on the train. While improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are the most common means of attack on transit systems, terrorism is exhibited on smaller scales as well. Additionally, transit systems could be subject to chemical or biological attacks due to the small confined space, as seen in Japan.

Portland MAX Light Rail Terrorism Vulnerabilities:

Chemical or biological agent release
Explosive device
Stabbing/shooting

TSA Cites Vulnerability of Transit to Terrorist Attack. (2008, March). Retrieved from https://www.apta.com/passengertransport/Documents/archive_4722.htm

https://www.apta.com/resources/standards/Documents…

W., M., J., J., A., B., E., M., . . . Jack, K. (2007, December 02). Securing America’s Passenger-Rail Systems. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG705.html

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2017/05/police_responding_to_ne_portla.html

Answer Preview…………….

The effective and strategic alignment of the state’s security assets requires considering both conventional and unconventional attacks to the state’s security. One of the critical infrastructures in the country which may be vulnerable to weapons of mass destruction attack is the city metro systems which many Americans use to commute to and from work every day…………………..

APA 263 words