GOVT 480 DB FORUM 1 2 REPLIES DUE 8/31/2020

CAN YOU DO THIS FOR ME DUE 8/31/2020

 You must post 2 replies of at least 200 words each to other classmates' threads. 

Each reply must incorporate at least 1 citation. Acceptable sources include the textbook, the Bible, and electronic sources (excluding Wikipedia).

 Submit your replies by 10:59 p.m. (CST) on Monday of the assigned module/week. 

1ST REPLY

 Mike Shelor DB1 

“On July 17, 2008, Siddiqui, was detained by Afgan authorities who found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that referred to a “mass casualty attack” and that listed various locations in the United States, including Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge” (Office, 2010). Other items that that were in her possession included, knowledge on how to destroy reconnaissance drones, using underwater demolitions, the construction of dirty bombs, documentation on how to weaponize Ebola, and was carrying sodium cyanide. During her interview process, Aafia Siddiqui gained access to an Army officer’s M-4 rifle and fired the weapon in the direction of the interview members. At this point she was heard proclaiming her desire to kill Americans. She would demonstrate this motivation by further assaulting members of the interview team during the skirmish.

 Siddiqui’s background was plentiful. “After completing her initial education, she moved to the US in order to study at the University of Houston. Due to the success of her studies, she was able to procure a transfer to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study a BSc in Biology” (Case, 2014). After completing her degree at MIT, Siddiqui obtained a doctorate from Brandeis University in cognitive neuroscience.

 After being found guilty of numerous crimes on February 3, 2010, there were requests from the Taliban and the Islamic State to trade for Siddiqui’s release. Offers from Islamabad were made to free Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for Siddiqui’s release. The Islamic state terrorists had requested that she be set free in order to spare James Foley’s life which did not happen. Another offer was made to exchange a 26-year-old American female who was kidnapped in Syria while working for a humanitarian organization. This request would counter the 6.6 million ransom demanded from her captors.” In Pakistan, a group of militants calling itself the Aafia Siddiqui Brigade has attacked government facilities in order to avenge what they see as her unfair trial and wrongful incarceration” (Harris, 2014). This group would continue to murder and attack in her name.

 Is Aafia Siddiqui a terrorist? “Foreign Policy referred to her as “Lady al-Qaeda,” referencing allegations she was a facilitator for the terrorist network’s activities and her ties to a 9-11 mastermind” (Logan, 2014). The evidence mentioned in the above text would support such an allegation. The term “terrorism” can be described as violence or the intimidation of violence to achieve a result in the political theatre. Another description is intentionally and violently targeting civilians for political gain. But if there are no violent actions, is it terrorism? My answer to this question is yes. These acts seem to be premeditated that would have eventually led to loss of life no matter the nationality. Label Siddiqui as a terrorist, sympathizer, radical, or revolutionary, the name still carries a level of threat that needs to be prevented.

 Colossians 3:25 states” Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism” (NIV).

References

Case. (2014, January 23). Aafia Siddiqui. Retrieved from Cage: cage.ngo/aafia-siddiqui

Harris, S. (2014, August 26). Lady al Qaeda: The World's Most wanted Woman. Retrieved from Foreign Policy: https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/08/26/lady-al-qaeda-the-worlds-most-wanted-woman

Logan, N. (2014, August 27). Why is Aafia Siddiqui a terrorist bargaining chip? Retrieved from Global News: https://globalnews.ca/news/1530270/why-is-aafia-siddiqui-a-terrorist-bargaining-chip/

Office, U. A. (2010, September 23). Aafia Siddiqui Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 86 Years for Attempting to Murder U.S. Nationals in Afghanistan and Six Additional Crimes. Retrieved from FBI: archives.fbi.gov/archives/newyork/press-releases/2010/nyfo092310.htm

2ND REPLY

 Nicholas Dziama DB1COLLAPSE

“On July 18, 2008, a team of U.S. servicemen and law enforcement officers, and others assisting them, attempted to interview SIDDIQUI in Ghazni, Afghanistan, where she had been detained by local police the day before. The U.S. interview team included, among others: three officers and employees of the U.S. Army; two officers and employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and two U.S. Army contract interpreters” (US Attorney's Office, 2010).

Utilizing the two-pronged approach provided in the week reading, does terrorism meet these two key points, someone is terrorized, and the meaning of the term is derived from the terrorists’ targets and victims, yes, Aafia Siddiqui is a terrorist. The US officials and Military personnel that were shot at while interviewing her where in fact terrorized. The government would “tend to define terrorism as subnational violent political opposition” (White, 2017) which in Siddiqui’s case would directly querelae to her attempts to orchestrate large scale attacks on US soil as well as utilize science knowledge that she obtained while being educated in the United States to crate and employ a dirty bomb on American soil.

“On July 17, 2008, SIDDIQUI was detained by Afghan authorities, who found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that referred to a "mass casualty attack" and that listed various locations in the United States, including Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Other notes in SIDDIQUI's possession referred to the construction of "dirty bombs," and discussed various ways to attack "enemies," including by destroying reconnaissance drones, using underwater bombs, and deploying gliders” (US Attorney's Office, 2010).

ISIL is highly motivated to trade her for American captives because she represents a very similar story to that of Bin laden or  Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. She represents a member of their organization that was educated in America and was able to gain access to US assets successfully using that education. She was radicalized the same way the others were and she has the knowledge and ability to continue to formulate and orchestrate attacks which makes her highly sought after.

References

US Attorney's Office. (2010, September 23). Aafia Siddiqui Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 86 Years for Attempting to Murder U.S. Nationals in Afghanistan and Six Additional Crimes. Retrieved from FBI New York Field Office: https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/newyork/press-releases/2010/nyfo092310.htm

White, J. (2017). Terrorism and Homeland Security 9th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.