WAR ON TERROR

War on Terror

War on Terror

Introduction

Since the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has waged a highly publicized “war on terror” characterized by large-scale military actions, intensified anti-terror screenings at airports and other public sites, and numerous speeches by public officials warning about the dangers of international terrorism. Some commentators, however, criticize the nation's military-based anti-terror strategy as misdirected. These critics downplay the significance of terrorism, claiming that it is largely a psychological rather than a military threat. In fact, experts say terrorism does not pose a serious physical risk to most Americans; a person is much more likely to be killed in an automobile accident than by terrorists within the United States.

Thesis Statement

Research has shown that responding to the 9/11 attacks with the “War on Terror” has made the US more vulnerable because it has created huge deficits, diminished America's standing in the world, and weakened the rights of its citizens.

Discussion

Indeed, most terrorism experts agree that terrorists seek to frighten and disrupt social order as a substitute for their lack of military strength. Interviews with terrorists and studies of terrorist groups suggest that individual terrorists and the groups they represent are often motivated by revenge or a desire to right what they perceive as injustice. Terrorists employ violence as part of a carefully planned and executed strategy designed to further their cause. However, terrorist groups are typically non-government organizations formed by a small number of zealots who have no access to conventional military resources or manpower. To influence governments or those in power, therefore, terrorists resort to nonconventional, asymmetric warfare tactics, such as assassination, kidnapping, hostage-taking, and suicide bombings. Terrorist attacks are also relatively inexpensive and easy to execute by small terrorist organizations with little money to spend or logistical resources at their disposal. In fact, many commentators regard suicide terrorism as the ultimate strategic weapon of the poor and the weak because it inflicts high casualties at a very low cost. Experts thus see terrorism simply as a tactic—violence used by otherwise weak extremist groups. (Paye, 2007)

According to a new report by the Eisenhower Research Project, the wars in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan have killed no less than 225,000 people, including civilians, women and men in uniform, and contractors. The wars will cost US between $3.2 and $4 trillion. (Eisenhower Study Group, 2011)

The suicide rate among US troops has more than doubled ...