Problems in Using Trade to Counter Terrorism: The Case of Pakistan

Abstract

Even before the smoke had settled from the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington, United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick launched a series of speeches arguing that global trade liberalization was a central plank of the counter-offensive against terrorism. In a thoughtful essay, "Countering Terror With Trade" Zoellick's (2001) main premise was that: America's trade leadership can build a coalition of countries...Open markets are vital for developing nations, many of them fragile democracies that rely on the international economy to overcome poverty and create opportunity; we need answers for those who ask for economic hope to counter internal threats to our common values. To address the relationship between trade agreements and other international objectives the President has proposed that we build on openness and growth in developing countries with a tool box of cooperative policies. As Tonelson (2002) notes, "trade policy as anti-terror weapon is an understandably appealing idea. It doesn't put American soldiers in harm's way. It is nonviolent, market-friendly and holds the promise of 'draining the swamp' where terrorists are assumed to thrive. And it doesn't require a line in the federal budget."

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA524528

Entities

People

  • Robert E. Looney

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Asia
  • Commerce
  • Globalization
  • Governments
  • International Trade
  • Investments
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Pakistan
  • South Asia
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • Textile Industry
  • Textiles
  • Trade Policy
  • United States

Readers

  • International Relations and European Studies
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Strategic Security Studies