Is the War on Terror a war that can be won
Is the war on terror a war that can be won?
‘Less than 12 hours after the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush pro- claimed the start of a global war on terror. Ever since, there has been a vigorous debate about how to win it.’1 However more than 12 years on there is still no indication of how close it is to being won and whether it can actually be won. In fact, many such as Jonathan Steele (journalist and international affairs author) suggests it is ‘A war that can never be won.’2 However, before we look at whether it can be won, it is important to look at the war’s goal(s). By doing so we can determine whether there can be an end point. For America under George Bush the goal was to ‘defeat this evil, wherever it is found.’3 But this creates a problem. Would the end be the defeat, eradication of Al Qaeda and the Taliban wherever they are? Or was Bush suggesting the eradication of all terrorism, i.e. stopping any group from using terrorist techniques? It seems more obvious to accept the former, due to the fact America invaded Iraq, Afghanistan and the stance of much of the countries media is that when bin Laden dies ‘so too dies the “global war on terrorism.”’4 In this case America’s war on terror should’ve been won with removal of bin Laden, and the end of the Iraq war in 2011 but still in 2013 with Obama entering his second term, much of his focus was still on counterterrorism5 and in ‘the year leading up to the inauguration, more people had been killed in US drone strikes across the globe than were imprisoned in Guantanamo.’6 With this in mind the war on terror still seems ongoing, especially now with the resurgence of Al Qaeda in Yemen. According to an analyst at Rand Corp “There are multiple indications that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is plotting attacks both within Yemen, against U.S. and Western structures and overseas.”7 Although, only threats with no real attacks yet, this will still be very worrying for the U.S particularly if they take into account
‘Less than 12 hours after the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush pro- claimed the start of a global war on terror. Ever since, there has been a vigorous debate about how to win it.’1 However more than 12 years on there is still no indication of how close it is to being won and whether it can actually be won. In fact, many such as Jonathan Steele (journalist and international affairs author) suggests it is ‘A war that can never be won.’2 However, before we look at whether it can be won, it is important to look at the war’s goal(s). By doing so we can determine whether there can be an end point. For America under George Bush the goal was to ‘defeat this evil, wherever it is found.’3 But this creates a problem. Would the end be the defeat, eradication of Al Qaeda and the Taliban wherever they are? Or was Bush suggesting the eradication of all terrorism, i.e. stopping any group from using terrorist techniques? It seems more obvious to accept the former, due to the fact America invaded Iraq, Afghanistan and the stance of much of the countries media is that when bin Laden dies ‘so too dies the “global war on terrorism.”’4 In this case America’s war on terror should’ve been won with removal of bin Laden, and the end of the Iraq war in 2011 but still in 2013 with Obama entering his second term, much of his focus was still on counterterrorism5 and in ‘the year leading up to the inauguration, more people had been killed in US drone strikes across the globe than were imprisoned in Guantanamo.’6 With this in mind the war on terror still seems ongoing, especially now with the resurgence of Al Qaeda in Yemen. According to an analyst at Rand Corp “There are multiple indications that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is plotting attacks both within Yemen, against U.S. and Western structures and overseas.”7 Although, only threats with no real attacks yet, this will still be very worrying for the U.S particularly if they take into account
Bibliography: Anonymous, Through our enemies ' eyes : Osama bin Laden, radical Islam, and the future of America. 3rd ed (Washington, D.C: Brassey 's, 2002) Cohen, Michael A., Bin Laden 's Death: Beginning of the End of the War on Terror Fiala, Andrew. Terrorism and the Philosophy of History: Liberalism, Realism, and the Supreme Emergency Exemption. (Essays in Philosophy. Volume 3 (3) 2002) Fantz, Ashley Gardner,Frank. Sochi: UK officials warn terror attacks 'very likely '. (2014) Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25907140. Last accessed 11th March 2014. Gordon, Philip H. Can the War on Terror Be Won? How to Fight the Right War. (Foreign Affairs. 86 (6) 2007) Jeffreys Jones, R., Neo-conservatism Its Emergence in the USA and Europe, 2nd ed Mearsheimer, John J., Hans Morgenthau and the Iraq War: Realism versus Neo-Conservatism. (The National Interest. 81 (1), 2005) Nowaczynski, Jenrette ., Comparing Domestic Terrorist Threats in the US and UK Pedersen, Carl., Obama 's America. 2nd ed. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 2009) Reeson, Greg., Differing Viewpoints: Realism, Liberalism and the Phenomenon of Terrorism Scahill, Jeremy., How Obama created endless war on terror. (2013) Available: http://www.nation.com.pk/international/02-Nov-2013/how-obama-created-endless-war-on-terror. Last accessed 11th March 2014 Steele, J Al Jazeera and Reuters. Karzai says US should re-engage Taliban peace talks or leave country. (2014). Available: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/25/karzai-says-us-shouldengagetalibanintalksorleave.html. Last accessed 11th March 2014. CNN. Bush, Blair: Defeat this menace. (2003). Available: http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/11/20/britain.bush.blair.presser/. Last accessed 11th March 2014.