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Security risks to Australia
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This tutorial essay will seek to give an analysis of potential security threats to Australia in the Asia Pacific. However due to word limit constraints a number of important issues are not able to be discussed these issues include the threat maritime crime against Australian vessels in international waters, illegal fishing within our territorial waters, small arms trafficking and the threat of infectious disease. These are certainly interesting and therefore dangerous times to be alive many threats are facing our nation and its citizens not only in our homeland but anywhere we may travel in the world. Recent terrorist attacks on Australian targets in Bali have signalled that we can no longer stand idly by under the deluded impression that we are safe. It is time to act. In light of recent attacks against our people it is appropriate that this paper begins with an analysis of threat of terrorist attack against Australia or Australian targets within the region. The threat of terrorism in the Asia-Pacific region has not abated with the end of the Cold War; if anything, the situation has deteriorated due to increased globalisation, more cooperation between terrorist organizations, and the emergence of new terrorist sources and tactics. Various terrorist groups in Asia are increasingly linked with each other and with suppliers of money, weapons and training outside the region. Terrorism overlaps with other transnational security threats, as terrorist groups frequently engage in organized crime and narcotics trafficking to raise funds. Combating terrorism effectively may prove to be an obstacle to democratisation in Asia, exacerbating the tension between state police powers and individual rights. With the presence of four declared nuclear powers in the Asia Pacific region there is a chance that one of these international terrorist cells could gain access to nuclear armaments. Australia’s position as one the United States closest allies in the region puts at possible risk from attack especially considering our close proximity to the worlds largest Muslim nation Indonesia and the anti Australian sentiments harboured by many of their number. http://www.apcss.org Whilst the risk of a nuclear terrorist against Australia is quite low the discovery of an abandoned terrorist training camp in near Canberra last year is evidence of terrorist activity on our shores. One scenario could involve the use chemical or biological weapons against one of Australia’s major cities or an attack upon one of our many embassies within the region. It is interesting to note that the Australian embassy was forced to temporarily shut down operations in East Timor last month after terrorist threats. http://www.ci-ce-ct.com/Feature%20articles/20-11-2001.asp http://iiasnt.leidenuniv.nl:8080/DR/2002/09/DR_2002_09_17/1 Some of the preceding points have been illustrated in the last week by major terrorist attack against Australians in Bali allegedly orchestrated by the extremist Jeemahh Islamiah group who receives logistical support and funds from Osama Bin Ladin’s Al Quada terror network.
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