Proceeds of the war on terrorism

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The US constitution provides for the protection of its people’s rights to privacy. The provisions of the fourth amendment are clear on the illegalizing of people, houses, papers, and effects from unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause or warrant. This amendment aims to ensure that all the affected cadres are secure and safeguarded from unjustified intrusion (Donohue, 2016). The law is not entirely bulletproof as the loopholes are often utilized by the government and its law enforcement agencies in conducting their duties. In the past, people have used the fourth amendment to escape prison. However, the war on terrorism has hampered the benefits expected of this law.

The law prohibits most warrantless search and seizure of property. Terrorism is a serious and contentious issue in America, especially after the 9/11 incident. The incident changed the course of the war on terror. I believe there is no excuse to conduct terrorism anywhere in the world as the aftermath is always deleterious. Terrorism ruins political and economic peace and development. However, this should not be an excuse to violate any person’s basic rights. So if the war on terrorism means the rights and freedoms of persons are violated, I vehemently discredit such measures. Recent events in the Middle East have seen security agencies violate the rights of persons with a history of such places. Such persons are subjected to warrantless searches, seizures, and arrests in contrast to the provisions of the fourth amendment. Indeed, terrorists do not use common tactics in committing their crimes, which prompts the police to use similar approaches to combat them (Atkins, 2014).

I believe the war is exaggerated and biased to people with Muslim and Middle East ties. This is because aggressive tactics are somehow limited to such persons. There have been cases of domestic terrorism by non-Muslims and radical right-wing people. Hence, the right to privacy should be respected while investigating, searching, and arresting persons. Spying on Americans violates the primary provisions of the fourth amendment (Atkins, 2014). Criminal justice laws ensure the right persons are convicted following due process. US security is an interplay of all the law enforcement agencies. Maximum protection can only be achieved through these channels. Hence, they should continue cooperating to avoid an instance similar to the 9/11 one. The government exists for the people. Private entities reap heavily from the government and as such, may hamper or promote government activities. Terrorists have evolved in terms of the use of technology, and this is going to get even better. Women and children are likely to form the core of their attacks soon because of the biased nature of investigations on men.

References

Atkins, E. (2014). Spying on Americans: At What Point Does the NSA’s Collection and Searching of Metadata Violate the Fourth Amendment. Wash. JL Tech. & Arts, 10, 51.

Donohue, L. K. (2016). The Original Fourth Amendment. The University of Chicago Law Review, 1181-1328.