The Global War on Terrorism Post 9/11: A Comparison in Ends, Ways and Means between a Superpower and a Small Nation
Abstract
The attacks on American soil on September 11, 2001 were a defining moment in history. The attacks changed the world. The threats to nations had now changed and security became a global issue. As a result, the United States set forth a grand agenda to rid the world from the horror of terrorism, including a requirement that nations around the world support the global war on terrorism. An unprecedented coalition was gathered post 9/11 to go after the terrorists and those who harbored them in Afghanistan. When the fight against terrorism was expanded to include Iraq, several nations departed the broad coalition that was in place. Norway was one of these nations. This research paper analyzes the fundamental changes that occurred in international relations after the attack on Iraq. Specifically, it analyzes and compares the ends, ways, and means of the two different nations post 9/11, and establishes how a superpower and a small nation can separate in their strategic decisions based on values, fundamental beliefs, and national interests. The author concludes that Norway, for major political reasons, departed somewhere between Afghanistan and Iraq due to a superpower concept, obscured motives, and a lack of indisputable legitimacy through an unambiguous United Nations resolution. (52 refs.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 19, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA424369
Entities
People
- Stig Ermesjoe
Organizations
- United States Army War College