Stopping the Next Global Terrorist: A Case Study of Hezbollah in Argentina
Abstract
As we move beyond the defined state threats of the cold war, we face a new threat that is far more widely based. The direction of military commanders is to combat this threat. To attempt to isolate 21st century terrorists to a specific country or a localized region is doomed to fail; we live and operate in an age of super communication and super access, characterized by global reach across all pillars of power. Globalization is the culmination of this age. The benefits reaped for those who participate in globalization are tremendous, but equally tremendous are the disadvantages for those who are excluded. One artifact of exclusion from globalization is the new breed of terrorist that we face: the global terrorist. He becomes the exemplar for poor and disenfranchised people; those who are wholly or partially disconnected from the global arena. His roots reach back to those disconnected masses, through insurgency and insurrection. His power lies in finding and recruiting those disconnected masses. He seduces them to his ideology, one designed to keep them disconnected from globalization and allied to him. This paper will use a case study of the Hezbollah operations in Argentina to serve as an illustrative example of the urgency for reconnecting these masses to globalization. Why Argentina? Terrorism has taken root in this small country and already has taken lives. While occurring in SOUTHCOM's theater, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, directed these actions from Lebanon - illustrating the global nature of this threat. Studying the dynamics of Argentina, and countries like it, is the first step toward preventing global terrorists from reaching U.S. interests as they did in 2001. By severing the connection of poor and disenfranchised masses to flawed ideology and reconnecting them to globalization, terrorist recruitment will be prevented, and its power will be eviscerated.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 09, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA422783
Entities
People
- Andy Crowe
Organizations
- Naval War College