Terrorism as the main Challenge Facing the Singapore Armed Forces Research Paper 2022

Terrorism as the main challenge facing the Singapore Armed Forces
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Singapore is a small island city with limited natural resources and inadequate
geographic strategic intensity. Singapore's strategies to defense are sculptured by both the
geostrategic impediment they face and the unique occurrence surrounding the country's
independence1.Singapore has invested heavily in establishing a technologically advanced and
competent military, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The SAF is to ensure Singapore
security and peace and protects sovereignty, interest and the integrity of Singapore from any
exterior threat. The predominant threats to the states remain, the challenge facing the Asia
pacific locality and the world at large indicates that the SAF cannot be able to fight alone. To
guarantee that the SAF sustains its effectiveness in its role as the upholder of Singapore's
territorial integrity and sovereignty, it is very important to understand the future challenges
facing the SAF. The paper will, therefore, discuss terrorism as the greatest challenge that
SAF will face soon.
Terrorism is a future threat to SAF because of the following reasons. The heightened
interconnectedness imported by globalization has refined the constitution of security threats
that Singapore expects to face in the time being. Transnational security threats of the modern
era such as piracy networks, terrorist groups and the like are evolving and will continue to
extend challenges to the SAF. Terror groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
commonly known as (ISIS), AL-Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiah and its affiliates continue to
regroup and maybe aiming at launching major attacks in Singapore soon2.
The incidents in Washington and Newyork in 2001 manifested the global overtake of
terrorism and glared the differences between domestic and international security. Responding
to the attacks, the United States conducted a global coalition against the Al-Qaeda in Iraq and
1 Kwok, Daniel J. Why Conscription Singapore? Social and Geostrategic Considerations.
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA CENTER FOR CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS,
2014.
2 Leow, Boon Teck Alvin. "Understanding the Islamic State and the Threat It Poses." Pointer:
Journal of the Singapore Armed Forces, 44:1 (2018), pp. 61-68.

Student Name 3
Afghanistan in efforts to curb global terrorism and humiliating its capabilities. There has been
a paradigm decline in terror attacks globally since 2007. The success of the global war on
terror (GWOT) has been compromised and worldwide terrorism continues to emerge.
Another reason why SAF may have to face terrorism soon is that recently the terror
threats from terrorists are becoming geographically diffused. further, worldwide Jihadist
movements progress to decentralize smoothly and today it covers a wide area of territory
from the Indian continent, over the Middle East, Levant and through North Africa. Today
terrorist groups are pacing up with the advancement in technology, internet, and social media.
They take advantage of the social platforms to express their ideology as well as encourage
people to operate independently in reinforcing their global movement. Therefore this has led
to emerging of self-radicalized locally terrorists such as Tsarnaev brothers who were
responsible for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing3. Another terrorist is Nidan Hassan who
in 2009 was sued for Fort Hood Shooting. Terror groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and
Syria have continued to use the internet to perpetuate their ideology. This has to lead to the
rapid growth of terrorism compared to before. Further reports and findings have shown that
self-motivates local citizens from Singapore are leaving for Syria to join the Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria. Great fear exists as there are thoughts of these citizens seeking to launch
terrorist attacks in their homeland.
Besides, SAF was pressured to establish a fully competent integrated force with the
ability to curb terrorism with other operational means other than war. This was as a result of
advancement in the security landscape. These operation strategies included Peace Support
Operations as well as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster.
Having the idea that transnational terrorism gravity is within Singapore, some of the
approaches to external defense and internal security will no longer be applied. The SAF has
3 Speckhard, Anne. "The Boston Marathon bombers: The lethal cocktail that turned troubled
youth to terrorism." Perspectives on Terrorism 7, no. 3 (2013): 64-78.