Countering Ideological Support for Extremism: Challenges and Implications

Abstract

We cannot win the war against terrorism if we do not understand and deal with its ideological dimension. Nor can the West do this alone. Following the attacks on 11 September 2001, one of the principal questions asked in the United States about the Muslim world—one that has not yet been answered to my knowledge—is, “Why do they hate us so much?” Perhaps a relevant corollary is, “Why have we become, or allowed ourselves to become, the primary target of extremists?” Attempts to deal with this aspect of the war on terrorism have taken several names: for example, “countering ideological support for extremism” and “strategic communication.” But to my knowledge we have not yet satisfactorily understood “why they hate us so much,” and we still lack any effective strategy to deal with the issue of the ideology that motivates people to commit terrorist acts. That is why this conference is so important. You know the tenor of public sentiment in your countries. You know how your citizens react to U.S. words and actions. We need to listen more before taking action. We also must realize that we are judged by what we do, not just by what we say. Our military men and women have successfully pursued a dynamic response to acts of terror. Each American looks with pride at the professionalism and sacrifice of our servicemen and -women in doing what soldiers should do—killing the bad guys and winning our nation’s wars. The non-kinetic aspect of the war on terror has proven to be a much more difficult task, and is clearly one in which soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines can assist, but they cannot accomplish it alone. Conferences like this promote knowledge and understanding, both of which are in sadly short supply. In the absence of knowledge and understanding, suspicion and misunderstanding take root. I firmly believe these two evils—suspicion and misunderstanding—are at the foundation of the hatred that exists in the Muslim world toward the West in general, and the United States in particular. We must also admit, however, that legitimate and sometimes contradictory national interests play a role in generating these conflicts, as does the manner in which different nations pursue these interests. We must learn about each other, recognize real divergences of interests, and manage them vigorously in order to avoid further polarization of disputes. The stakes involved in this dynamic are incredibly high and, to be sure, disengagement—letting parts of this world go down their own paths, or blithely hoping that they can exist in their own isolation—is simply not a possibility. Globalization is