Winning the War of Ideas in the Global War on Terrorism

Abstract

Abstract : The Presidents National Strategy for Combating Terrorism expands on Part III of the National Security Strategy by detailing the ends and of waging the global war on terrorism (WOT). The strategy uses the 4-D strategic concept as an expression of the President's strategic intent and as a strategic framework for prosecuting the WOT. The 4-D strategic concept consists of: defeating terrorist organizations of global reach denying them sponsorship/support/sanctuary diminishing the underlying conditions for terrorism and defending U.S. citizens and interests at home and abroad. Based on past headlines things are going quite well in prosecuting the hot war against terrorist organizations and their state sponsors. Similar progress is being made in denying terrorists support and in defending the homeland. What is lacking is comparable success in diminishing the underlying conditions for terrorism. Anti-Americanism is at an all-time high. This paper will look at how the U.S. needs to prosecute the war of ideas in order to diminish the underlying conditions for terrorism. It will describe the nature of the threat presented by Islamic extremists, summarize current political and public diplomacy policies to address the threat (ends, ways and means), and explore policy options and implications. Key questions to be answered include: How do we measure success? How do we know when we have won? What is the endstate of a war of ideas? Are we resourced and organized well enough to effectively prosecute it?