Social Condition of America in 2000-2001

2.4.1 Social Condition of America in 2000-2001

As the theme of the novel is about war and terror, later I present the social condition of America during the time consolidating the birth of the novel. The condition of America that has relation with the theme of the novel is about terrorism and the American government war toward terrorist. While the novel was published in 2001, the social condition that I will present below is during year 2000-2001 that I think it was the right time to consolidate the birth of the novel of IS. These years become the year which consolidate the birth of the novel because such the theme of the novel is relevant with the social condition in the USA that concern on the terrorism issues. The social history in America during this time was famous of terrorism issues as the peak of it was on September 11, 2001 when the WTC building was bombed by terrorist. The government of America then accused Al Qaeda as the responsible community for the bombing of WTC. The USA believes that Al Qaeda is a terrorist community which lives in Afghan, Mideast of Asia. According to the Code of Federal Regulations FBI 2004:iii terrorism is defined as the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. The terrorism that had happened in the United States around 2000 is about eight terrorist incidents recorded by FBI and all of the eights were done by domestic terrorists. While in 2001 there were about fourteen terrorist incidents. All were done by domestic terrorist except two of them that done by international terrorists. FBI 2004:iv divides the terrorism into two categories. They are domestic terrorism and international terrorism. Domestic terrorism refers to activities that involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state; appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. While international terrorism involves violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or any state, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or any state. These acts appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce civilian population; influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping and occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum. Because of some terrorist incidents, the USA makes a policy in their States security. In the governmental of President Clinton, the USA‟s policy in the Department of National Security is enlargement and engagement under the chief of William J. Perry. According to Thomas Davies, Perry says: The current national security strategy of the United State, known formally as engagement and enlargement, is designed to enlarge the community of market democracies while deterring and limiting a range of threat of our nation, our allies and our interest. Maintaining a strong defense, promoting cooperative security measures, working to open foreign market and promoting democracy abroad are the policy initiative intended to secure these objectives Los Angeles Times, 1996. From the quotation above, it can be concluded that national security of the USA now is about enlargement in territory of other states and engagement alliance that is created to enlarge the market community democratically in facing any hindrance and thr eatening from other states, allies and the USA‟s interest. This policy is done by creating the security and spread democratization to save those objects. In the governmental of President Bush, the USA used this policy in the world that is between both of those policies enlargement and engagement. The combination of those policies creates the different politic behavior which gives many effects toward global issues including the activities of doing war toward terrorism all over the world. While in the governmental of President Reagan, it was announced briefly that the focus of the foreign politic policy of the USA is “the war toward terrorism”. The focus of this policy is the states in Mid-America and Middle East. The Foreign Minister of the USA, George Schultz says: Momok kejahatan terorisme, suatu wabah yang disebarkan oleh, para penentang peradaban sendiri yang bejat” dalam “kembalinya barbarisme pada zaman modern Chomsky 2003:44. He also says that the terrorism must be faced with violence and power, not by the way of mediation and negotiation that tend to reveal the weakness of the power of a State. As the rising of the international terrorism until the year 2001 with the peak of the tragedy of WTC bombing, it has led the FBI to expand its international presence. By the year of 2001, the FBI had legal attaché offices in 44 countries around the world FBI 2004:i. This quotation proves that the USA had enlarged the war of terrorism until 44 countries. This means that FBI has authority in many countries in attacking terrorism as prevention.

2.4.2 Historical Background of America during the End of World War II, 1945