All personal insights gained about the budgetary costs

by | Jan 17, 2025 | Accounting

 

Discuss all personal insights gained about the budgetary costs borne by the U.S. to protect against terrorism and other threats AND

(2) In a second paragraph, discuss the potential costs of attacks (such as 9/11 or the Boston Marathon and even smaller attacks; notwithstanding the human losses) when the attacks are successful in the Homeland AND

(3) In a third paragraph, compare and discuss the comparison of the U.S. costs to the “limited costs” incurred by terrorists to carry out differing attacks.

(4) In your fourth paragraph, also discuss if you have a better understanding of, or appreciation for, the level of funding the U.S. has been committing to Homeland Security, Homeland Defense, and Intelligence AND has your position on the appropriateness of the U.S. expenditures changed or remained the same after reviewing all of the information provided for this review and discussion.

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

The United States dedicates substantial resources to counterterrorism efforts. These costs encompass a wide range of expenditures, including:  

  • Intelligence Gathering: Funding for intelligence agencies like the CIA and FBI, including surveillance, human intelligence, and data analysis.
  • Homeland Security: Costs associated with securing borders, airports, and critical infrastructure, including personnel, technology, and equipment.  
  • Military Operations: Funding for military operations in areas deemed to be threats to national security, including counterterrorism operations overseas

The United States dedicates substantial resources to counterterrorism efforts. These costs encompass a wide range of expenditures, including:  

  • Intelligence Gathering: Funding for intelligence agencies like the CIA and FBI, including surveillance, human intelligence, and data analysis.
  • Homeland Security: Costs associated with securing borders, airports, and critical infrastructure, including personnel, technology, and equipment.  
  • Military Operations: Funding for military operations in areas deemed to be threats to national security, including counterterrorism operations overseas
  • Research and Development: Investments in technology and research to counter emerging threats, such as cyberattacks and the development of weapons of mass destruction.
  • Law Enforcement: Costs associated with investigating and prosecuting terrorism-related crimes.

These expenditures represent a significant portion of the federal budget and have increased dramatically since the 9/11 attacks.

The costs of successful terrorist attacks on the U.S. homeland are immense and multifaceted:

  • Loss of Life: The most significant cost is the loss of innocent human lives. Attacks like 9/11 and the Boston Marathon bombing resulted in tragic loss of life and inflicted severe physical and emotional trauma on countless individuals.
  • Economic Impact: Terrorist attacks can have devastating economic consequences, including:
    • Damage to infrastructure: Attacks can cause significant damage to critical infrastructure, such as transportation systems and financial institutions.
    • Disruptions to business: Attacks can disrupt businesses, leading to job losses and economic downturns.
    • Decline in tourism: Attacks can deter tourism, negatively impacting the economy.
  • Social and Psychological Impacts: Terrorist attacks can have a profound impact on the social and psychological well-being of the nation, eroding public confidence and increasing anxiety levels.  

The stark contrast lies in the relatively “limited costs” incurred by terrorists to carry out attacks. Terrorist organizations often utilize low-cost methods, such as explosives, improvised weapons, and cyberattacks, to inflict significant damage. This stark asymmetry highlights the challenge of effectively countering terrorism while minimizing the societal and economic costs of such efforts.

This review significantly increased my understanding of the level of funding the U.S. commits to Homeland Security, Homeland Defense, and Intelligence. Prior to this analysis, I was aware of the significant expenditures, but I had not fully grasped the sheer scale of these investments.

While the need for robust security measures is undeniable, the question of whether the current level of spending is appropriate and effective remains a subject of ongoing debate. It is crucial to continually evaluate the effectiveness of these expenditures and ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to mitigate threats and protect national security

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