Global terrorism: causes, impacts, and counterstrategies

Global Terrorism became the most important national security issue in the United States since hottest parts of the Cold War. Although the U.S. had been fighting terrorism for decades, September 11th, 2001 marked a day when the world watched while lower Manhattan recoiled from the largest terrorist attack on American soil. The question of whether democracy can end global terrorism is one, which is hotly contested by political thinkers in America. Former President George Bush Believes that yes democracy will curb terrorism in a speech of his on the matter, while F. Gregory Gause, an intellectual at odds with the President's beliefs, believes that democracy is not the easy solution to such a problem as terrorism in the 21st century.

President George W. Bush offers a firm defense of Democracy, and suggests that the Middle East would be much better off if democracy flourished in the region, as it would allow for freedom of expression and merit-based elections, a way for people to respond to injustice outside of the established regimes in the region. President Bush believes people in the region are resorting to Terrorism as a last-resort tactic, particularly because job prospects in the region are so sparse, and corruption in police and bureaucracy exists everywhere. While trying not to offend allies of Bush's administration in the Middle East, he goes after the problems of being unable to voice opinion and how this affects individuals' motivations. In President Bush's last remarks he calls for individuals to realize that freedom takes courage, and that freedom is a universal concept which is present in all human beings to realize.

F. Gregory Gause does not believe that 'democracy' is what is needed to end global terrorism. Gause believes that democracy is simply a political structure which does not directly solve the underlying catalysts for terrorism. For instance, the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 was within the United States in a fully functioning democracy, by Americans who were upset with the government. Gause looks at India, another democratic nation, and sees that 75% of terrorist attacks have occurred within that country. This is due to national, ethnic, social, and class problems within an ancient society, something outside of the realm of Western democracy.

Although I agree with President Bush that terrorists must be hunted down and captured or killed, I do not believe that democracy as a form of government is the key to ending all forms of terrorism, and I do not believe that democracy can by itself make that part of the world wealthier, it takes hard work and innovation for money to be made. Democracy will however help the Middle East solve many other problems, particularly in countries ruled by oppressive dictators for decades, which have not been servants of the people for a day of their administration. I believe President Bush had to say what he did, but I do not know if he truly believes that democracy is the simple answer to such a complex problem as global terrorism.