The mechanics of terror work quite simply. First, execute the act(s) of terror. Then observe the secondary and tertiary effects. Execute additional acts when and where required. The wave of effects that follow the act will include, but not be limited to, increases in crime; adverse economic impact; joblessness; business closings; shortages; increased policing activities negatively affecting good citizens; a loss of faith in the abilities of protection agencies such as police, etc. Finally, the greater the scope and magnitude of the terror acts perpetrated, the greater the subsequent effects will be, and the longer they will last.

In Terror in America, many of the teams' missions do not really cause that much death or destruction. But the basic mechanics of terrorism, combined with the manner in which our society and culture function, do not require that each and every act of terrorism produce a high body count or a hefty dollar amount of damage.

After 9/11, which was perpetrated using commercial aircraft, immediate actions were taken to heavily secure airports and passenger planes. People were understandably afraid to fly for a while. When people did fly, they were subjected to the most intense searches and security scans of their lives. The bottom line is simply that when we saw people getting killed on commercial flights, we became afraid of flying - thus allowing the government to instigate humiliating, costly, time consuming search protocols. Terrorism creates fear. If we think that terrorism can only occur on air flights, we feel more in control and somewhat less threatened. After all, we can skip flying, if we choose, and not everyone flies anyway.

In the greater Los Angeles area, for example, there are tens of millions of people. If terrorists go to LA and kill fifty people everyday for a week, it makes an almost unnoticeable difference in the population. However, if those killings are ruthless and well directed, there are long-lasting, pernicious subsequent effects. When school children enjoying recess on the playground are shot by snipers, parents will become reluctant to allow their children to go to school. Add killings in hospitals, malls, convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, discount stores, and so forth, and nobody wants to go out - anywhere!

As the mechanics of terrorism engage, the people of LA will stop going out. Restaurants will lose money, as will gas stations, retail operations and so on. Within days, the economy is adversely affected. Soon after that, jobs disappear and crime elevates.

Every major city in America has an example of a form of terrorism. In those examples, we can see the nefarious mechanics of terrorism at work. There is an area of every major city where 'regular folks' dare not travel. Often, the police do not travel to these places either. People are afraid of these high crime areas. Since these areas are confined, we know that if we don't go there, we are okay. That's how we cope with it. When no place is safe, however, people will not go anywhere.

There are also potent psychological affects associated with terrorism. Humans, instinctively, do not like the thoughts and physical and that accompany 'being afraid.' Some people do not deal with fear well at all. Those people will require professional treatment. Their numbers will quickly increase. As people become more afraid of going out, more confinement related problems will occur. Cabin fever, followed by domestic violence, will become commonplace.

The horrific events that occurred on US soil on 9/11 initiated the mechanism of terrorism in America. The secondary and tertiary effects are still growing, so no additional acts have been necessary. Look at what has happened to America since 9/11. Our citizens have never been so split on their thoughts about critical issues; there is a complete lack of faith in the government; the effectiveness of the US military is being questioned; illegal wire taps are being used; billions of dollars of our resources are spent on new (largely ineffective/unnecessary) security measures; frightening questions about habeas corpus violations; the checks and balances system of the federal government is failing; our country makes threats, and does not follow through; and finally, the war in Iraq. Americans are told Iraq is the battle front for the war on terrorism. It throws our young men and women into harms way, and has emptied our treasure chests. Our young people die, and we continue to spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year - yet Americans see nothing but growing losses and no end in sight. Losing on the 'battlefront of the war on terrorism' is ample evidence of our leaders' inability to protect American citizens on US soil. If the people of Iraq cannot be protected in a military state, how can the people of America possibly expect to be protected?

The mechanisms of terror are formidable and enduring. 9/11 made Americans afraid, and a fearful population is easy to lead - or mislead. To disrupt the ongoing mechanisms of terror in America, Americans must unite as individuals ready to protect themselves, their families, their property and their country.

By Ned Kalbfleish, author of Terror in America http://terrorinamerica.com/