Political Science

The central idea of these two articles focused mainly on the discussion on human development and how it extends and correlates to the concept of human security as perceived by United Nations, regional organizations and states. There were three main arguments that were presented in order to further support and examine this notion. First is the in-depth discussion of human development leading to human security, second is the discussion on the structural causes of conflict and how it contributes to instability and finally it also tackled the condition of human security and how it is perceived in the status quo.

For the first argument, participation was highlighted as an essential theme in the discussion of human security. It was emphasized that people empowerment is important since development is focused primarily on helping people take control of their lives. In this notion, it was stressed that the concept of security must change from just national security to the well-being and security of much greater population. This notion was supported by the evidences provided by Human Development Report in 1994 which embraces human development and human security as essential components of universalism. Furthermore, it was recognized in the report that the path to peace was sustainable development for without peace, there may be no development but without development, peace may be threatened.

This Human Development Report 1994 was basically compiled as a reference of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the 1995 Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development. In the Social Summit, it was acknowledged that indeed social justice and social development are requirements to attain a peaceful community.

The second argument revolved around the structural causes of conflict and how it can contribute to instability. There were three structural causes of conflict that were presented in the article poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity. It was claimed that these three factors enables individual economic insecurity and it mitigates conflict among a certain society. The argument then is that the solution for these individual insecurities not to take place is human development.

A research was done by Carnegie Foundation regarding the occurrence of post-Cold War conflict among states and how the international organizations can help in curbing these deadly feuds. In the final report, it was found out that the increasing incident of post-war conflict is mainly because of the sudden economic deterioration and scarcity of resources among nations that they now compete for strengthening their economies.  Basing on these drawn conclusions, it was then noted the utmost importance of economic preservation and recovery as a tool in conflict prevention and management.

The General Assembly of United Nations then took up the matter of development to prevent war and conflict among nations. As a response, the Assembly acknowledged and stressed the significance of anti-poverty strategies, the assurance of equity in development and the pursuit of food security as elements of peace building in its Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace in 1998.

The last argument which was presented in the article is the perception of human security in status quo. It was presented in the article that human security at these times focused merely on people as well as the states responsibility of securing their well-being and safety and acknowledging the individual and communities to take control of their lives. It set Japan as a primary example in promoting sustainable human development through sponsoring Trust Fund for Human Security. This program aims to make grants to fund UN agencies and any other affiliated associations that promote human security. It aims to alleviate poverty, rehabilitate schools and hospitals and enhance public services and fund other programs that may help to develop human lives.

In this final argument, the people-centered concept of human security highlighted physical protection, human rights and development. It now redefined human security as protecting human lives by ensuring their freedom and contentment. According to the article, state and human security, in this perspective, is complementary. It also suggested the emphasis on economic welfare vis--vis protecting the essential component of human security. Basing on these analyses, it then provided a linkage and correlation to the idea of UNDPs Human Development Report 1994 which put equal importance on the threats of economic well-being as one of the underlying problems of human security and distinguished human development as widening of peoples choices and their ability to manage their own lives.

In sum, the articles that were presented were very much helpful. Aside from the fact that both are correlated, they also put equal weight on helping the readers fully understand human security and its relation to human development. Based on this, it can be deduced that the arguments of the author in the articles are consistent with the facts that he provided considering that he set United Nations and other international bodies and organizations to support his claim. Finally, the author indeed raised several important matters throughout the article since he sought to give answers to those underlying questions of human security and human development and how was it relevant in the past and in present times.

Russia is a democratic republic with 83 federal units. The country is bordered by 14 countries including Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Poland. It is one of the largest countries in the world with a land area of 17,000,000 squire kilometers and a population of 143 million people. The country is well endowed with natural resources like minerals, forest cover and water resources. Russian mighty and power was acquired during its membership in the Soviet Union were it emerged as a super power. The country has permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council it is also a member of the Group of 20(G20), Group of 8(G8) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. This paper will critically examine the Russian national purpose and ideology, national power and international relationships as well as foreign policy. The paper will also describe the Russian commitments and its national security relationships with the United States.

Question one. National purpose of Russia
Russia is keen to increase her economic growth, protect the security of her people and safeguard vital markets for her products. The country has managed to use technology in developing military influence to protect her people and enhance power and influence in the international market. However, the Russian economy is still struggling and the focus is to enhance economic expansion. The national purpose is therefore shaped by economic and security interests. To pursue its national interest, Russia has teamed up with other rich nations in influencing global politics and international policy-making processes. Besides, the country has membership in economic blocks to find convenient market for its products (Bowen, 1998).

Question Two.Russian ideology
Since the era of Soviet Union, Russia has been pursuing a socialistic political ideology (Hill, 1978). The Soviet Union was based on Marxism-Leninism theories and the influence was extended to political parties in other countries. Nevertheless, with the fall of the powerful USSR, there was need to build a new strategy to guide the nation. In this regard, there was a re-emergence of nationalistic views since the election of Vladmir Putin as the president. In general, the national ideology is to have a social contract between the people and the government (Hamm, 1995).

Question Three.National interest of Russia and international conflicts
In the pursuit of her national interests, Russia has met challenges and conflict of interest with the other international players. This fact can be explained by the Ukraine-Russian energy crisis of 2006, which affected all parties including the European Union and the United States. Russias negative relationship with Georgia is also an example of how national interest can conflict with international interests. National security and technology dominance is another key issue that the country has been in conflict with other countries. For example, the suspicion that has always been there pertaining to the interests of NATO and the United States in particular. This is about international dominance and influence on security, which Russia is keen to remain relevant (Christian, 1998).

Question Four. Sources of national power of Russia
The Russian national power is derived mainly from its wealth of resources and geopolitical position. Russia is a global leader in technology with massive mineral and water resources. The country has managed to use technology to make sophisticated security systems as well as build a strong and sustainable energy system. In light of the globalization process, Russia has been able to access international markets via membership to trade groups and economic blocks. On the other hand, the country has numerous bilateral agreements with other countries. This in turn has played a big role in strengthening international cooperation and trade.

Question Five.Threat situations confronting Russia
Some of the biggest threats facing the Russian economic lifeline are the existence of internal and external issues that will have profound effect in the energy sector. These issues include poor industry regulation, inadequate guidelines on technology transfer and poor approach on developing the manufacturing sector. In addition, other issues like competition from United States in producing technology gas and the instability of the future of oil prices present huge challenges to the Russian authorities (Krugman, (1988). With the emergence of new economies like china and the Korea, it is very clear Russia is going to cede much of its dominance and influence on the international political and economic platform. Drug trafficking is probably the single largest social challenge facing Russia today. Drug trafficking has increased significantly in recent past due to insecurity and instability in central Asia especially Afghanistan. According to statistics, drug cartels are producing an average turnover of about 32 billion US dollars. There is also a strong indication that this money finances terrorism activities. Demographic catastrophic is the other concern for the Russians.  The total population is falling significantly, since fertility rate and life expectancy are low and this has lead to a demographic catastrophe like shortage of work force. Diseases like HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and other disease conditions have also resulted to high death rates thus worsening the situation.

Question Six. Domestic factors influence on foreign policy.
Russian foreign policy is widely influenced by domestic factors. Her endowment with natural resources has provided the authorities with revenues to support strategic foreign policies. It is also very clear foreign policy and Russian domestic factors are closely interrelated issues. This has led to formulation of foreign policy that favors domestic factors like economic development and national security. For instance if there is a need to expand markets for Russian commodities like security and military equipment or energy, then the government utilizes the foreign policy avenues to access the markets.

Question Seven. Russias commitments
Russia appears to be committed in maintaining a good working relationship with the United States. This relationship with the United States is based on a wide array of issues like national security and nonproliferation policy, global politics and international trade. Russia is also committed in strengthening her position to become a global energy superpower. The country is exploring all avenues to enhance her market competitiveness in a bid to dominate the international market. On the other hand, the country is committed to more cooperation with other countries and international organizations like the United Nations, G8, the G20 and other economic groups.

Question Eight. Military strategy of Russia
Russia has the capacity and willingness to pursue military technical revolution. The Russian military has continued to focus on extensive research, development, and adopting new technologies in information and communications as well. The overall military strategy is to have regional and perhaps international dominance and to keep in pace with the military developments in other powers like United States, china, Korea and European countries. This dominance is critical in securing markets for her products as well as extending her influence to the international scene.

Question Nine. Past and present international strategy of Russia
In the economic front, Russia has concentrated so much on extraction and processing of mineral and other natural resources. The present and future strategies will be based on the need to diversify and modernize the Russian economy to incorporate value addition in the manufacturing sector. Energy efficiency will also take centre stage in Russian strategic positioning to enhance competitiveness and stability of Russian products.

Question Ten. Russian foreign policy
Russian foreign policy is widely influenced by international situations as well as domestic factors. The country is focused on establishing equitable and mutually advantageous collaborations and relations with the rest of the international community. Similarly, Russia is determined to pursue a foreign policy that seeks to create external conditions conducive for her economic development and to have influence on the international scene (Harding, 1984). The countries foreign policy safeguards her interests and those of its individual citizens and fellow compatriots in the Diaspora.

Question Eleven. Russian national security affairs and United States involvement
National security affairs of Russia could lead to an involvement of the United States. The two countries have an arms control treaty called the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) that they intend to renew in 2010. It is therefore evident that Russian national security affairs can easily trigger responses from the United States. United States and Russia have a binding bilateral military agreement. In this agreement, the two countries will cooperate in military exchanges which are a step forward in ensuring global peace.

Conclusions
Based on the above analysis of Russia it is evident that domestic factors play significant roles in shaping countries foreign policy. Economic and security strategies are the key domestic factors that influence foreign policies. Russian ideology coupled with her internal and external situation has made it necessary for the country to implement appropriate foreign policy to safeguard her interests in the international scene.

Japan and the United States are among the worlds largest economy. Both countries have democratic systems of government, but there are other political aspects that differ in the two countries. The two countries have completely different systems of government with Japan having a parliamentary and the United States with presidential system. The parliamentary system of Japan has a Prime Minister who is elected by the House of Representatives from among themselves by a majority vote. He is usually the leader of the majority party and is the head of government. He chooses a cabinet that assists him in directing the government, from his political allies. The United States has a presidential system where there is a chief executive of the government, that is, the president without the prime minister. The president does not need to select a cabinet commanding the support of the legislative majority. The legislature also operates for a fixed term and cannot be dismissed before the time expires.  In the United States system, the president and the members of the executive branch of government cannot be members of congress, except the vice president.
 
Another political aspect that is different between the two countries is the electoral system. In the Japanese system, representatives are elected to the Diet, the Japanese National Parliament. The Diet is divided into two sections, the Upper House, which is the House of Councilors and the Lower House which is the House of Representatives. The House of Councilors is most powerful of the two. In law making, a bill rejected by the upper house after it has been passed by the Lower House, it can still become a law if it is passed again by the Lower House with a two-thirds majority. In the United States, the position of the Head of State and Head of Government are both held by the president. The President in the United States system is always actively participating in the political process heshe is never a symbolic figurehead. The President of the United States has special privileges in the passing of legislations. The privilege is the power of veto over passing of bills, nevertheless, it is very rare for the president to have authority to propose bills or vote for or against a bill.
  
 The electoral system in Japan differs greatly from the one in the United States. The Japanese house of representatives has 500 members, who are elected and are in office for a four-year term. Out of the 500 members, 300 come from single-seat constituencies, like in the United States, every voter in a particular district has one vote, and the candidate who gets majority votes becomes the winner and hence a sole representative for that district. The remaining 200 members are elected by Proportional Representation (PR) in eleven regional blocs. Voters in a region vote for a party and not for an individual. The number of seats in parliament that a party gets is based on the percentage of polls that it gets. Every party gives its seats in Diet to its top candidates, who are then ranked from the highest to the lowest before the elections. For example, in a district that has 20 seats, if a party gets 50 percent of the vote, then the party gets 10 seats, that are given to the top candidates on their party list.

The Upper House which is the House of Councilors has 252, members, who are elected and holds office for a six-year term. Elections are carried out for half of all House of Councilors seats every three years. For example, after elections are held in 1998 to fill the first 126 seats, then another election is held in 2001, to fill the remaining half. In every Upper House election, members are elected from single-seat constituencies, 52 from multi-seat constituencies, and 50 by Proportional Representation. There are three to five representatives in each district as compared to one in the case of the United States. In an election, the three to five who get the top votes are all winners. Every voter still has a single vote. In the American presidential system, the president and the congress members are elected in separate elections. The separate election of the executive is done by the Electoral College. The president is elected to office for a fixed term.  

The campaigning styles in these two countries are very different. Japanese political parties are generally weak organizationally. They also have few rank and file members, therefore individual aspirants cannot rely so much on their parties for political support. This is unlike in the United States where aspirants campaign in support of their political parties. Candidates in Japan therefore, often build personal organizations of supporters among electorates in their districts. Aspirants encourage electorates to join their personal support organizations by doing small favors for them like assisting their children to get into good quality schools or better jobs, sending them cards during holidays and financing trips for them. Aspirants also try to gather support by recruiting leaders of local organizations in the hope that they will motivate their members to join the organization and vote in their favor during the election.

In Japan, there are strict rules imposed by the government as control over campaigns. Aspirants are only allowed to have one campaign vehicle and a few posters and other printed materials. The campaigning period is only 12 days. In the American system, most of the aspirants pay for television and radio advertising so as to communicate with the electorates. The strict rules imposed by the government of Japan bars such advertisements. Aspirants in Japan are allowed only a few commercials or television appearances sponsored by the government. Aspirants in Japan spend less finance on commercials as compared to those in the United States, but spend more on funding the personal support groups. Just like in the United States, elections can be very expensive to the aspirants.

In 1993, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost control over its Diet majority temporarily. The party therefore lost the control of the government as some of its members defected and established a new party. The situation was so significant since up until that point, Liberal Democratic Party had controlled the government of Japan for 40 years without disruption. A long time of political realignment took place after the 1993 event, even if Liberal Democratic Party regained power in 1994.  A lot of small political parties emerged then disappeared or combined with other parties, while some of the existing parties like the Japan Socialist Party changed their names in an attempt to transform with the transforming times. The most significant consequence of Liberal Democratic Partys temporary loss of control over the government was the reform of the electoral system by the coalition government. The reform was enacted in 1994. The reforms primary objective was to establish a system that had two main parties that interchange power regularly, as it is in the United States. Up until then, the Japanese electoral system had one large party (the Liberal Democratic Party) that dominated three or four lesser opposition parties that were never capable of winning control of the government.

Those reforming the electoral system were strained and made political compromises allowing some aspects of the old system to stay. Analysts argue that the reforms will never be able to create a two-party system (Hao, p. 28). In the late 19th century, it was hypothesized that the speaker of the United States House of Representatives would transform into a quasi-prime minister, making the United States to change into a form of parliamentary system. However, this did not take place. It is therefore evident that politics in these two countries remain totally different.

The greatest leap in the development of computers quantum technologies
That technologies define the path and the speed of progress is difficult to deny for years and decades computers have served the basic measure of human evolution and created conditions necessary for humans to improve the quality of their lives. In the middle of November 2009, the worlds first universal programmable quantum computer has been put through its paces. But the test program revealed significant hurdles that must be overcome before the device is ready for real work (Barras, 2009). Although some time will pass before quantum computers turn into reality, it is more than important to understand why quantum and not any other technologies will exemplify the gigantic leap forward in the development of computer technologies.

First of all, quantum technologies create infinite opportunities for making computers both small and effective quantum computers work in a way that effectively combines small size with unlimited functional benefits. A quantum computer operates through a gold-patterned aluminium wafer that contains an electromagnetic trap 200 micrometers across with the two ions of magnesium and the two ions of beryllium, and quantum approach to technologies will, most probably, change our ideas about how computers should look (New Scientist, 2009). Of course, the smaller computer is the more convenient in use it will become, although it is very possible that quantum computers will not immediately become available to everyone.

Size, however, is not the only critical feature of quantum computers. Moreover, size is probably one of the least significant characteristics in quantum technologies. Quantum computers will signify the greatest leap forward in the development of computer technologies simply because they will expand the boundaries of computer performance. Quantum computers will process information at a speed that was not known before. They will work to solve large complex problems without any effort. They will change the idea of how information works in this world and will certainly change the direction of the human evolution. Quantum computers will change the quality of cryptography in computer science and will promote efficient factorization  an option that only quantum computers can use they will produce significant impacts on the development of artificial intelligence and will help programmers develop a whole range of effective solutions from compression algorithms to voice recognition and quantum communication techniques.      

Unfortunately, quantum computers are not without their problems, and ethical issues are the most serious ones. Spinello and Tavani (2004) write that nanotechnology and quantum computing have the potential to radically change information technology. If these technologies are successful,  computers will become very very small, very very fast, and have an enormous amount of memory relative to computers of today (p. 690). These prospects are both optimistic and troubling, because if the current computer technology is associated with numerous ethical issues, quantum computers will make these problems even more serious. Privacy will become a matter of the major ethical concern for example, governments will be able to use quantum technologies to impose their control on individuals and groups (Spinello  Tavani, 2004). Another problem is in whether quantum computers give rise to the development of human robotics and how bionic humans will influence the quality of the human life (Spinello  Tavani, 2004). We will have to define whether it is normal to have a quantum device that enhances various human abilities implanted in our bodies. We will have to define the ethical limits of computer evolution. Quantum devices will create a revolution in virtual reality and will make the line between virtual and physical reality increasingly blurred. Nevertheless, and despite these problems, it is clear and understandable that our transition to quantum technologies is inevitable.

Globalization and technology pros and cons
Globalization is probably one of the most frequently used words in the modern vocabulary. However, the meaning of globalization is often taken for granted, and it is not always clear what technologies can be responsible for what we call globalization today. Moreover, the list of these global technologies is so extensive, that it is simply impossible to define which one became the critical driver of globalization in the world. I believe that the three major technologies are responsible for globalization the Internet, television, and air transport.

First, television has provided millions of people with a unique opportunity to access, analyze, and use the benefits and achievements of other cultures and societies  the benefits and achievements that had been unknown or difficult to understand before television. It is very probable that television became the first step toward globalization in its current form, because television has an especially important role in shaping such social meanings as communication content dictates the way local or global mass media systems will affect peoples social experiences (Waters, 1995). The impact of television on human lives is so extensive that it is very difficult to foresee the results of globalization and technological development, but it is clear that television is responsible for the growing cohesion of cultures and attitudes, and reinforces the process of integrating diverse cultures and groups into one global network.

However, television alone would hardly lead to the development of present day globalization trends. I think that transportation became one of the principal factors responsible for globalization jet airplanes gave individuals a unique opportunity to travel and to familiarize themselves with new cultures. Jet airplanes are partially responsible for the elimination of geographical borders, which characterize modern globalization trends. The invention and expansion of transportation facilitated the process of economic integration, which, until present, has been the determinant feature of globalization.

Finally, the Internet shifted the relationships between countries, societies, and individuals to a new quality level. The underpinnings of the Internet are formed by the global interconnection of hundreds of thousands of otherwise independent computers, communications entities and information systems (Kahn  Vinton, 1999). On the one hand, the emergence and expansion of the Internet reflected the principles and features of globalization itself, which always relied on the interconnectedness of different social, economic, and cultural elements. On the other hand, the Internet also reinforced globalization trends and moved globalization into the masses.

According to Griffiths and Wall (2007), globalization is usually characterized by the two major trends (a) shifts within countries toward market-driven production systems and (b) the increasing international economic integration. However, it is at least incorrect to assume that globalization is limited to trade and economy. In reality, globalization has already crossed the boundaries of economic integration and impacts social, cultural, and political life. I suppose that the two major features of globalization are (a) interconnectedness and (b) internationalization. These trends make all events and individuals interconnected and create a situation, in which time is shrinking (Griffiths  Walls, 2007), borders disappear, and people and spaces turn into one integral global atmosphere.

Unfortunately, globalization is not always positive. I think that access to technologies is one of the major problems in the globalized world. Certainly, I benefit of interconnectedness of cultures and disappearing borders traveling becomes available and I have better opportunities to understand other cultures. However, globalization is impossible without technologies, and if I lack access to the Internet or cannot afford using air transport, I can hardly become a part of it. This is probably one of the major drawbacks of globalization it is driven by technologies, but it does not always create conditions necessary to access and use these technologies successfully.

Introduction
Terrorism is an act that is associated with quite a number of evils conducted against mankind. It is a deliberate creation of threat of brutality or causing actual violence towards innocent citizens or a particular government. Terrorists use different techniques in their effort to spread their acts of terrorism. Terrorist in the United States has been of great concern especially after the September 11 2000 attack. In this respect the government together with other stakeholders in the department security came up together and formed anti terrorism conference in FBI academy as a tactic to secure American people against terror attack. The conference which was referred to as Countering Terrorism Intergration of practice and theory was a very important step in facing off the threat that faced the country as well as other countries in the world. Through effective collaboration with the National Security Council the conference, which included intelligence officers, lawyers and military personnel came up with strong policies of fighting terrorism. This paper will to a great extent discuss the extent to which the US government has embarked on fighting terrorism.

Overview of terrorist Activity in the U.S.
The intention of terrorists is to have the control of the oil resources in the Middle East. It is based by this ill motive move that terrorists led by Osama bin Laden, the leader of the Al-Qaeda movement have declared war against US. According to the Al-Qaeda US has occupied the holy lands in the Middle East thus their aim is to forcefully remove them from those lands. Their acts of killing innocent Americans in other countries for instance the 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Kenya and in Tanzania also indicates their intention of creating fear of traveling on the American people (Capuano and Michael 2009).

Terrorism came to light in 1988.The pioneers were seniors Muslim leaders and with the financial support of Osama bin Laden the group started to register other Muslims in the world. It is imperative to note that at first the group categorized itself as a religion movement with the intention of spreading the word of God.However the group performed its operations in secret since it didnt want to be enhance awareness of its existence to the general public. Initially the government did not immediately realize how dangerous the terrorist group was. In 1990s the US government was hosted by the Saudi Arabia government to protect it from the invasion by Iraq. This was against the wish of Osama bin Laden who maintained that US has invaded a holy ground. During this time the terrorists group started to attack the US interests in the whole world thus enhancing the US government strong policies of fighting terrorism.

The most horrible terrorists attack was the September 11, 2001 attack. The attack was undertaken using jet liners which were hijacked by 19 terrorists. Their suicidal operation resulted to their death as well as the death of 2,973 passengers who were mostly Americans. In addition the attack resulted to destruction of the World Trade Center resulting to loss of property leading to negative effect on the American economy. Another example of an attack was the USS Cole attack in the year 2000.During this time the ship which was referred to as DDG 67 was attacked by the terrorists as it refueled in Aden harbor. This attack resulted to the death of 17 sailors while more than 30 sailors suffered serious injuries. The third example of a recent terror attack was the brutal kidnapping of Daniel Pearl in 2002.He was an American journalists based in India. His kidnappers who were the members of Al Qaeda movement forwarded urgent demands to the US government which included releasing all Pakistan people detained by the US authority .Failure to respond to the demands resulted to brutal murder of Daniel Pearl.

Governments anticounter terrorism measures
With the increased threats of terrorist attack in US, the government has embarked on extensive process of ensuring that airlines have been given adequate security in their operations. One major initiative undertaken by the TSA (Transport Security Administration) ensures those luggages owned by passengers traveling from UK to US are properly screened. In the same way the government came up with rules which require carrying out of x-rays on the shoes of the passengers (Nemeth and Robert 2009).This has enforced security mechanisms in that it avoids carrying of explosives inside the airlines. Likewise the airport authority banned possession of gels and any other form of liquid beyond the checkpoints inside the US airports. The accessibility of the airport is another area that the government has only limited to passengers with valid air tickets. In order to succeed in the security measures the USA government has invested a lot in installing security gadgets inside the airports and in the airplanes. For instance metal detectors and other sophisticated security systems have been installed in the areas surrounding airports in order to detect explosives and bombs.

In order to make the war against terrorism a success, the US government under the leadership of President George Bush passed the Patriot Act in 2001.The act which was signed into law by the president, is intended to strengthen the unity among the American residents as a way to eliminate acts of terrorism. In addition the law gives military personnel and other security agencies in US power to scrutinize emails and other form of communication that is seemed to be connected with terrorism. It is imperative to note that unlike other laws which face high resistance from either republican or democratic parties, Patriot act was fully supported by the two parties. This is a clear indication of the extent to which the US government is ready to eliminate the cruelty of terrorism in US and in the whole world in general (Caldwell and Robert 2006).

In order to be effective the Countering Terrorism Intergration of practice and theory policy should have strategies of involving other military personnel from other countries for instance African countries. It is important to note that most of the terrorists hide in African countries since they know these countries have weak security measures. By so doing the US government will share its skills with other countries thus making it stronger in fighting the Al Qaeda and other terrorists groups.Nevertheless, the FBI academy conference has succeeded in fighting of acts of Terrorism especially with the support of the current US government under the leadership of President Barrack Obama.

Border security is an important aspect in the war against terrorism. When we talk about border security, we mean all the security apparatus within the US boundaries. It is very important to note that security, terrorist threat is an issue that transcends international borders, and therefore it is critical to examine the issue of border security. On the other hand, border security is critical in prevention of supportive machinery and movement of resources that sustains terrorism. Terrorism is a well-coordinated activity and it is fuelled by a steady supply of resources. These resources include financial support from their leaders such as Osama bin Laden, information and communication systems as well as other resources that are directly involved in propagating extremist educational and religious agendas. The counter terrorism measures at the border point include government efforts to strengthen state control over the national security including the border points. Securing national borders is an exercise that requires great focus on physical security, enhancing the effectiveness of immigration and asylum laws as well as technological advancement to modernize security equipment to monitor border activity and movement of people and resources.

The effectiveness of immigration and asylum laws in thwarting the entry of unauthorized persons is one of the basic steps that governments should implement. These laws should be amended to keep in pace with the dynamism of terrorism. Apart from immigration laws, there is need for the state to monitor the movement of resources across the borders. This is important because most of the resources used for terrorism are passed through the seaports and airports. The state should therefore track the movement of these resources. Modernization of security systems is very essential in dealing with the changing face of terrorism. Similarly, physical screening needs to be employed to each individual person crossing all borders points. Immigration policies should also be made stiffer to discourage the movement of terrorists and their accomplices. Although the application of stiffer immigration policies has its own economic delimits, it plays a significant role in preventing the spread of terrorism. If countries adopt stiff immigration policies then terrorism groups will be isolated to a great extend and it would become easier to deal with them at that position.

Governments role to thwart terrorism
The objectives of law enforcement by the government in relevance to the anti-terrorism war should be made very clear. The objectives of law enforcement are to prevent, deter, disrupt and even neutralize terrorism. Prevention of terrorism is a pertinent issue that law enforcement units should focus on. One of the basic objectives of law enforcement in deterring terrorism should be to remove loopholes and security lapses in the national security system. This can be done by streamlining security apparatus and encouraging the rule of law even in foreign countries. The forces of terrorism thrive on lawlessness and the government should always step in to ensure that law enforcement is effective. Disruption of terrorist activities is another objective of law enforcement which should be emphasized. Disruption of terrorism networks and their supply of resources are critical in thwarting the menace.

One of the major security measures undertaken by the US government is the Homeland security. Citizens also have a responsibility to help the government to implement homeland security systems. Homeland security is the combination of all the agencies that ensure order and security within the country. Domestic intelligence gathering, disaster and emergency management should be strengthened. Of concern is the protection of the US infrastructure and transport systems, which will be achieved by investment in security systems as part of the roles of the homeland security. However to achieve these goals successfully, there is need for government agencies to pull together and initiate concerted effort. The agencies that are directly involved in the antiterrorism crusade like the federal bureau of investigations (FBI), the central investigation agency (CIA) and local law enforcement agencies should be allowed to share terrorism-related intelligence information. In addition, Collaboration with non-law enforcement partners and the private sector should be encouraged for the effective elimination of this threat. Future terrorism will be highly sophisticated due to the change in technology. The face of terrorism is changing every day and it is therefore not easy to predict terrorism 20 years to come. Nevertheless, the change in technology is expected to influence the channels that terrorists are going to use when executing their motives. First, the terrorist groups will always try to come up with new technologies to out do the security systems.

Future terrorism will be based on the battle for technology as terror groups try to gather there own intelligence systems thereby increasing case of cyber attacks. As mentioned earlier, through the Patriot Act the US government has taken serious measures to monitor email and form of cyber communication in order to reduce the cases of cyber attacks (Wong and Kam 2007). It is also envisaged that future terrorism will be more aligned to political, social and economic sabotage through an increase in groups supporting terrorism, criminal gangs and the utilization of technology among the terror groups to enhance their communication systems. The proliferation of non-governmental organizations will also change the forces of terrorism. On one hand, these non-governmental organizations are critical in enhancing the fight against terrorism especially as part of collaboration between government agencies and the private sector. But on the other hand, some of these non-governmental organizations will be used by terrorist groups as conduits to find resources for financing their activities. With the current lapses in security systems, it is possible to have a repeat of the December 911 terrorist attacks but the homeland security forces should wake up. According to my view, the provision of a platform for government agencies to share intelligence reports on terrorism is very critical. Such a platform should also incorporate the input of civil societies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. In addition, the government should formulate stiffer immigration and asylum policies as well as modernize security equipment used by law enforcement units.

Conclusion
Based on the above discussion it is clear that in order to win the fight against terrorism, the US government requires the support of other countries in the world. This is based on the fact that during their attack, terrorists do not only kill American residents but also other citizens from different countries. For example the 1998 bombing of US embassy in Kenya resulted to death of many innocent Kenyans.

The vision, mission, goals and values of an organization are the daily route markers to the destination the organization wants to reach.   They are as good as they are applied daily in the operations of an organization.  They are easily projected by the organization and its employees if practiced by the management who in turn inspire the juniors to ape them in the practice.

This paper will look at these aspects as regards Unemployment Insurance Business Branch.  It will try to critic and make suggestion for developing and enhancing each within the organization.

Discussion
The vision being nothing more than the dream the forbears had can be improved, redeveloped and or enhanced in line with the prevailing conditions.  This vision though still very viable in the present day needs to be enhanced in order to respond to present day conditions.  The critical points by which to evaluate and improve a vision will include whether it is clear. It must be easily understandable and comprehensible.  When this is achieved then people will easily act on it.  This aspect the current vision fully meets.

It must be challenging.  In that it should electrify and give birth to ministry it should pull people out of their seats and into the streets.  This is very hard to evaluate since different people reach different levels of enthusiasm given the same stimulus.  The vision of Unemployment Insurance (UI) falls short in this aspect.  Given the great service UI gives to the society, the current vision statement does not yank one into action.

A vision statement is essentially the picture one believes God will create as regards the organization.  This should be clear and easy for any one reading the statement to see.  The UI statement does achieve this in a simple yet effective way.

It must as of necessity picture the end at the beginning.  This means bridging the past to the future. It makes any reader appreciate the future of the organization.  It also perceives something that is not yet but is possible.  This means it is based on reality not on idealism.  It finally grabs and will not let go.  This is urgency in its achievement on any part party to it.

On this critical part the UI vision falls a tad short.  It captures but misses the emphasis to motivate the organization to urgency.  It is clear that by achieving and satisfying the mentioned guidelines, the vision will truly reflect importance of UI as is seen from the people it assists or has assisted in the society.
An organizations mission is a statement giving the precise direction and purpose of an organization.  It should motivate employees and give them a sense of priority.  It thus is a concise proclamation of the organizations main concerns and aspirations (Olsen, 2006).  Critically looking at the mission statement of Unemployed Insurance, it does clearly fulfill the requirements of a good mission statement.

It is brief and memorable without being flamboyant.  It is distinctive and very precise to UI in that even if the name UI was missing by reading one would know whos mission statement it was.  The purpose of UI is clearly captured and it does indicate the primary function of UI and the stake holders are clearly acknowledged.

It tackles the critical issue on assumption of value, cause (method), possibility and option.  The mission statement also covers the critical issue of meaning, definition, identification and acquisition of knowledge from items mentioned in the statement.  By incorporating solutions to these issues given the present prevailing circumstances, the UI mission statement will be able to capture the present spirit.
One critical aspect for which Unemployed Insurance has failed is by not having a value statement.  These are the acceptable standards which govern the behavior of individuals within an organization (Dale, 2004).  It gives rise to collective values ensuring there is synergy between the individual value systems resulting in behavior an organization would want to encourage within.

When tackling this issue, care will have to be taken since values are very dear to individuals - they define who a particular individual is.  In some instances, people will do defensive when issues they value are addressed in a manner they feel is disrespectful.  It is important therefore to scrutinize them since they have either a positive or negative impact on resolutions, precedences, strategies, tactics and performance.  It is thus imperative to assess values as globalization has made organizations so powerful that their decisions affect all.

The goals of an organization determine who effective it is in exploiting the scarce resources available to it.  They clearly state the long-range aim for a specific period and are unambiguous and not idealistic.  When through strategic planning, they are translated into activities that achievement of the goal through operational planning.

Unemployed Insurance has done a commendable job in generating organizational goals and further splitting them to sixteen specific objectives.  This allows for an increased probability of the goals achievement, increased organizational efficiency and generally organizational growth.  It makes it easier to clearly pin point in time when there is a deviation from the desired in a timely manner.  This also allows for the engagement of remedial measures that are objective targeted to the particular deviation instead of having broad based measures.

By each goal having its accompanying objectives, it will be easy to cascade growth, and overlapping functions hat depend on each other for the completion of the achievement of the big picture will be easily accomplished.  All players will be clear on specific requirements and in cases of cooperative requirements, exactly who to cooperate with.

Conclusion
Unemployed Insurance has done a commendable in creating vision, mission, goals and values.  It has however fallen short in particular aspects especially in the area of values.  It must as a matter of development for the organization to develop a value statement by which to guide the employees with.
It must tap and channel the energies from the staff value system and use it for the betterment of UI.  By making a value statement, UI will be clearly defining what it wants done, who it wants achieved and to which extent it will allow the staff to deviate from the norm.  This will create a basis from which incoming new staff will be able to mould their values in line with the organizational one.
Unemployed insurance has managed to achieve structural and resource allocation efficiency which is very commendable.  As a matter of fact, it has managed to very ably adapt to the changing time. As commendable as it may, there is need for UI to reevaluate their payout figure in lieu of changing demographics, raising cost of living and unemployment as a result of economic slow down.

The contributions are bound to be affected by the number of organizations still doing business.  Also, the continued relocation of non skilled jobs out of California will not only increase the numbers of unemployed but also reduce the chance of non skilled workers getting another job even where they are willing.  It is thus imperative that UI incorporate, upgrading of skills of the unemployed as a way of making them more likely to get employment.

As the leader of a country, the foreign policy direction would align with hegemony. As a strategy on foreign policy, hegemony is an institutionalized practice of special rights and responsibilities conferred on a state with the resources to lead. There are two conceptualizations of hegemony. One is as the exercise of leadership over other states and the other is the exertion of power over other states. These emerged because of the achievement of hegemony through either consensus or force. Leadership through consensus is less susceptible to controversy, resistance and failure than power through force given the contemporary context of international relations. Exerting power over other states, especially through force cannot be sustained by the country especially given the relative military strengths of other states. Leadership through consensus is more viable by bestowing legitimacy on the country as the leader. The countrys foreign policy follows the exercise of leadership on other states by influencing consensus over a new system led by the country.

Although hegemony is rarely seen in the positive light, the economic and political goals justify the pursuit of hegemonic foreign policy. Economically, the goal of the country is to sustain growth by expanding its market. The country has a well-developed industrial sector. However, the saturation of the market relative to the level of production together with available markets with high demand for these products created the opportunity to achieve the economic goal of the country. Moreover, the country does not have sufficient sources of oil to support its industries. The boundary between neighboring countries holds untapped oil reserves but the countries are in conflict over control with the countries not having sufficient resources to fund exploration and extraction. The encompassing political goal of the country is to ensure peace and security not only in the country but also the region. The country has sufficiently trained armed forces. However, political instability in neighboring countries poses a threat to regional stability. The country also has a strong civil society and a pool of intellectuals running civil society infrastructures. The country can provide some resources and capabilities needed by neighboring countries and neighboring states can contribute to the achievement of the goals of the country.

The foreign policies to be implemented for the state are two-fold. One is the engagement in multilateral trade agreements and establishment of regional economic cooperation. The other is the creation of a mutual defense assistance agreement that involves resources and capabilities sharing for inter-military training and the obligation to lend aid in case of security threats faced by each of the states that are party to the agreement. These policies are in pursuance of the countrys economic and political goals. These also comprise mutually reinforcing policies since economic growth requires a stable political environment and political development is backed by sustainable economic growth.

Being a hegemon fosters the pursuit of these policies. Playing a hegemon involves initiating talks with neighboring countries to seek their participation in economic cooperation and to negotiate terms mutually favorable to the parties but pursue the interests of the country. The trade agreement would involve terms that would allow the country to gain sufficient influence on material resources. This is expressed by the theory of hegemonic stability, which involves material resource preponderance, particularly targeting the control of raw materials, capital, markets, and production of valued commodities. Key to the economic cooperation is the country gaining significant stakes in the development of the oil field bordering neighboring countries and liberalization of markets. The initiation of talks and the finalization of the mutual defense assistance agreement also forms part of the hegemons role. This time, the focus of the agreement is on providing assistance in developing the political infrastructures in exchange for allowing tacit influence on the type of infrastructures to develop or strengthen. The infrastructures are also those perceived by the neighboring countries as good relative to the countrys democratic systems. This applies the concept of infrastructural hegemony.

Although playing the role of a hegemon, the direction is towards multilateral action. The success of the hegemonic foreign policies is the achievement of consensus over the establishment of a new system under the leadership of the hegemon. This involves cooperation as the favorable reaction from the leaders of the neighboring states. The multilateral action aligns with the concept of cooperation hegemony, which involves the practice of power-sharing and power aggregation among the cooperating countries to provide a semblance of collectivism but with the hegemon exercising mutually recognized influence over decision-making and agreements. Influence rests on the benefits extended to neighboring states by the hegemon. Consensus and cooperation are achieved through economic and political incentives that the hegemonic country uniquely provides with the guarantee of the hegemon.

There are challenges and opportunities for the country with its leader as a hegemon. The challenges to the country are the burden of carrying the costs required including the provision of financial aid and other assistance to neighboring states as part of the agreement as well as the risk to citizens being targeted by opposition or radical groups in neighboring countries. However, by ensuring consensus and cooperation to achieve regional economic and security cooperation under the leadership of the hegemonic state, these challenges should be addressed. There are also opportunities to the country from having a hegemon leader, such as increase in economic or national wealth, improved social mobility from better inter-state relations, creation of work and business opportunities, and other similar outcomes.