The International Terrorism
Abstract
September 11, 2001, was a day that future historians will call a hinge of history. On that day, a lethal blow was struck in the heart of freedom. From that day on, international terrorism could no longer be considered a tactical threat with no real global implications. There is no question that terrorist incidents will continue to plague the international community well into the foreseeable future. One primary reason for this is the inherent difficulty involved in preventing a terrorist attack before it occurs. Another is the often fanatical nature of individuals who carry out the often suicidal assaults. These factors are often the primary reason that the only action that can be taken in response to terrorism is after-the-fact. Herein, too, lies a significant and controversial problem; which responses are appropriate? The purpose of this monograph is to examine the origin structure and goals of the international terrorism and terrorist action and identify steps the U.S. can take to stop the threat of terrorism coming from the Middle East. The focus of this monograph is, therefore, on the U.S. available policy options which range to combat international terrorism from diplomacy, international cooperation, intelligence capabilities, economic sanctions to the use of the military forces, against Middle East States on the terrorist list (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Sudan). The author concludes that the war against terrorism can be won, not merely contained.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 22, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA419833
Entities
People
- Ahmad D. Alfarajat
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College