Abstract
How is the current United States (US) counterterrorism (CT) strategy suited to combat the evolving threat posed by the Al Qaeda terrorist network? Although in some respects the US CT strategy has delivered the intended results of its sponsors, a number of events in the past several years demand that the US government reorients particular aspects of its approach to transnational terror in order to stay ahead of its adversary in the global war on terror (GWOT). Multilateral and multifaceted traits of the US CT strategy underscores the need to maintain and develop new and effective partnerships with institutions, organizations, and overseas states; but until the US government begins to look at the GWOT – not in terms of big-war paradigm, but instead as new type of war characterized by global insurgency – Al Qaeda and the Global Silafi Jihad will continue to punch above the capacity of Western democracies to manage their position in the GWOT and stay ahead of the game.
Highlights
In response to Al Qaeda’s violent attacks (Note 1) against the American homeland on September 11, 2001, the United States (US),under the administration of President George W
The National Strategy for Counterterrorism (CT)evolved synchronously over the previous decade to enrobe a wide range of procedures and strategies seeking to mitigatethe current and future threat posed by Al Qaeda as well as the Global Silafi Jihad (Note 2)as a new type of war
Since a RAND Corporation report showed that a mere 7% of all terrorist groups that expired were taken down by military force since 1968 (Jones and Libicki, 2008:110), which stands in contrast to evidence in the same report that 40% of those groups were taken down as a result of police and intelligence cooperation, and 43% were deterred from terrorist acts as they became integrated into the political process of their host countries (Jones and Libicki, 2008:110), the use of foreign aid to governments remains a highly-viable option that should be considered part-and-parcel to the overall global war on terror (GWOT)
Summary
In response to Al Qaeda’s violent attacks (Note 1) against the American homeland on September 11, 2001, the United States (US),under the administration of President George W. The National Strategy for Counterterrorism (CT)evolved synchronously over the previous decade to enrobe a wide range of procedures and strategies seeking to mitigate (and eventually eliminate)the current and future threat posed by Al Qaeda as well as the Global Silafi Jihad (Note 2)as a new type of war. If we are to agree with supporters of a more autarchic approach, such an orientation would afford a considerable advantage to the very threat the US and it’s allies are facing It is for this reason, that multilateralism and a mosaic of agencies, channels, and tactics should be increasingly tied together in a cohesive strategy to apply the greatest amount of pressure against the militant Islamic threat
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