Vulnerabilities of Soft Targets Abroad

On September 20, 2008 the Marriott in Islamabad, Pakistan was attacked with a truck load of explosives that killed numerous people. This story hit close to home for me because I have visited Pakistan and on many occasions frequented the Marriott. I met and talked with some of the staff who I thought about after hearing of the attacks. Were they victims in the attack? I may never know.

This attack shows how vulnerable international businesses operating abroad are to terrorist attacks. In fact, the U.S. State Department's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) claims that American businesses in foreign countries are often targeted more than the federal government. Why is this?

Well, in the security field there are concepts referred to as hard and soft targets. Hard targets are locations where extreme security measures have been implemented to prevent attacks. Examples may include barricades, walls, fences, alarms, or the use of police officers or security guards around the perimeter to prevent unauthorized access. Soft targets are the exact opposite. These locations have none or less of the above mentioned security measures.

Criminals and terrorists prefer the latter. They are easier to access and require fewer resources to attack. Since most federal government buildings abroad (i.e., embassies or consulates) are hard targets, the criminals and terrorists prefer to attack foreign businesses, which are usually soft targets.

Now I understand that the Marriott used some security measures, such as security guards and metal detectors, but as seen, these precautions did not prevent this attack. This is not to place blame on Marriott officials because even the most secure U.S. embassies abroad have been attacked. However, I would suggest not just the Marriott, but all international businesses operating abroad, strive to increase security measures. Make your business a hard target, if you will.

The extra money businesses spend on security today may save both money for their company and the lives of employees and staff in the future.

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