The United States of America Vis-à-Vis Terrorism

Abstract

Due to international policy and internal sociopolitical factors, America has been the primary target of international terrorism since the 1960s and is seen as a major obstacle to the goals of international terrorism. This article discusses key mistakes made by the Unites States that the author argues have strengthened and given rise to further terrorism, including (a) acceding to terrorists'demands; (b) funding freedom fighters who later became involved in terrorism against their former benefactors and allies; (c) misunderstanding foreign peoples and cultures and believing all terrorism must be state sponsored; (d) applying force selectively; (e) thinking in error that the United States is safe from terrorism; and (f) faulting U.S. media specifically, exacerbating the problem by inadvertently galvanizing sympathetic public opinion for acceding to terrorists'demands. The author discusses corrections to these mistakes.Although this article will be only a very general outline of the problem formulated in the title, I nevertheless hope that it contrives to touch on the most important issues. I also hope that this critique of U.S. policy will be regarded as neither a manifestation of anti-Americanism, so "fashionable" and popular today, nor a typical European willingness to teach or to advise "the Big Brother." My interest in American counterterrorism policy is propelled not by any ill will toward the United States but on the contrary, by my attraction to this country and the conviction that nothing else but America is the pillar of international order and security, and that without a safe and stable United States, there is no safe world.

The Economics of Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: A Survey (Part II)

“…At the same time, targeting terrorism roots may be regarded as giving in to terrorists' demands. As game theory shows, concessions to terrorists may trigger new terrorist actions, may lead to changes in the structure of terrorist groups and other forms of adaption (e.g., Enders and Sandler 2006;Bolechow 2005).…”