America has always had to face the possibility of domestic terrorists using some tactic or device to cause mass casualties to somehow further their goal, or to get publicity. Fortunately, however, we have seen these criminals as lone individuals attacking small targets in a relatively small area. Oklahoma City and the bombing of the World Trade Center in Manhattan changed all of that. Both attacks represented a coordinated effort to make a public political statement. It is inevitable that these types of dangers will continue and increase in frequency and severity.
International terrorism is indeed an important issue.
As the United States exercises its considerable economic, military, cultural, social, and legal power around the globe, it is inevitable that terrorists will seek to make an example of the United States, its citizens, and its interests. It is an emerging and growing problem that must be dealt with in a forthright way, where we as a nation dedicate the appropriate attention and resources to the problem. Domestically, however, it is important to keep in mind that in the event of a massive natural or man-made disaster, the first call that will be made is to 911. They, in turn, will contact a hazardous material unit and inform the area hospitals to expect casualties and injuries. In a likely domestic terrorism scenario, we would face the real threat of not only weapons of mass destruction, but the mass confusion that would result as the first responders, and follow-on federal assets, try to figure out who is in charge during the inevitable onslaught of the mass media sending inaccurate or misinformed material that will scare the population and make matters worse.