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Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 12:12pm
Can the CDC Help Prevent Suicide Bombings?
Jack Turner
George Mason University
October 15, 2008
Topic Review Assignment
Can the CDC Help Prevent Suicide Bombing?
By Jack Turner, George Mason University
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been in the business of preventing and controlling public health threats for six decades.1 Can a public health agency like the CDC help to prevent and control the problem of suicide bombing? Why would they even try?
Consider these facts:
1. The CDC’s primary goal is prevention of public health threats and the dissemination of reliable health information to the general public, community organizations, health care providers, and government agencies.
2. The CDC has a proven track record at achieving public health goals by promoting and facilitating cooperative relationships between local communities, government agencies, and the medical community.
3. Since September 11, 2001, the CDC has led the U.S. and other nations in creating emergency preparedness plans for bioterrorism and other critical public health threats.
4. The CDC’s unique organizational culture puts public health first and sends a clear message of cooperation, respect, and trustworthiness to the communities and agencies with which it partners.
Historically, The CDC has had great successes in protecting the public against health threats and thereby helping to preserve the national security of the U.S. Among its many accomplishments are controlling the spread of infectious diseases, reducing the death rate from heart disease, and promoting work place safety. More recently, the CDC has developed local and national violence prevention programs and emergency plans for preventing and responding to bioterrorism attacks.
Because the CDC strives to prevent public health threats before they begin, it may be an ideal government agency to help prevent suicide bombings as part of its national security responsibilities. Suicide bombers depend upon strong support from the community’s they operate within to achieve their terrorist goals. The community-based public health programs administered by the CDC could be directed to not only monitor community health, but to also monitor community attitudes toward suicide bombing.
The CDC has an obvious advantage over other government agencies in its ability to encourage a culture of cooperation and optimistic communication between opposing factions. In contrast to the adversarial positions often communicated by military, law enforcement, and intelligence services to communities supporting terrorism, the CDC’s organizational culture of public health promotion could send messages of cooperation, respect, and trustworthiness throughout at-risk communities. The CDC’s best prevention plan for reducing the risk of suicide bombings may be the same plan it has already succeeded with: Empowering and training local communities and their governments to share a realistic vision and concrete plans for a better future.
Tags: Suicide bombing prevention, suicide bombing, public health programs and terrorism
Respond with your Content
George Mason University
October 15, 2008
Topic Review Assignment
Can the CDC Help Prevent Suicide Bombing?
By Jack Turner, George Mason University
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been in the business of preventing and controlling public health threats for six decades.1 Can a public health agency like the CDC help to prevent and control the problem of suicide bombing? Why would they even try?
Consider these facts:
1. The CDC’s primary goal is prevention of public health threats and the dissemination of reliable health information to the general public, community organizations, health care providers, and government agencies.
2. The CDC has a proven track record at achieving public health goals by promoting and facilitating cooperative relationships between local communities, government agencies, and the medical community.
3. Since September 11, 2001, the CDC has led the U.S. and other nations in creating emergency preparedness plans for bioterrorism and other critical public health threats.
4. The CDC’s unique organizational culture puts public health first and sends a clear message of cooperation, respect, and trustworthiness to the communities and agencies with which it partners.
Historically, The CDC has had great successes in protecting the public against health threats and thereby helping to preserve the national security of the U.S. Among its many accomplishments are controlling the spread of infectious diseases, reducing the death rate from heart disease, and promoting work place safety. More recently, the CDC has developed local and national violence prevention programs and emergency plans for preventing and responding to bioterrorism attacks.
Because the CDC strives to prevent public health threats before they begin, it may be an ideal government agency to help prevent suicide bombings as part of its national security responsibilities. Suicide bombers depend upon strong support from the community’s they operate within to achieve their terrorist goals. The community-based public health programs administered by the CDC could be directed to not only monitor community health, but to also monitor community attitudes toward suicide bombing.
The CDC has an obvious advantage over other government agencies in its ability to encourage a culture of cooperation and optimistic communication between opposing factions. In contrast to the adversarial positions often communicated by military, law enforcement, and intelligence services to communities supporting terrorism, the CDC’s organizational culture of public health promotion could send messages of cooperation, respect, and trustworthiness throughout at-risk communities. The CDC’s best prevention plan for reducing the risk of suicide bombings may be the same plan it has already succeeded with: Empowering and training local communities and their governments to share a realistic vision and concrete plans for a better future.
Tags: Suicide bombing prevention, suicide bombing, public health programs and terrorism
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