How Should the United States Respond to Terrorism?

• NCJ Number: 189900
• Author(s): Anthony Cordesman; John Parachini; Bruce Hoffman; Ivan Eland
• Date Published: November 2000
• Length: 62 pages
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; Cato Institute
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislative Hearing/Committee Report
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Transcript from the Cato Institute Policy Forum, Monday, November 27, 2000; downloaded August 14, 2001

Annotation

This document presents a discussion on terrorism.

Abstract

Diplomatic tools should be used when working with other countries in cooperation to narrow the range and narrow the territory in which terrorist groups can operate. Reducing the sanctuary environment and applying economic pressures are also ways to make it harder for terrorists to operate. Improving law enforcement all across the world is another tool. Some response preparation and training is needed, however, the emphasis should be on prevention of these events. A comprehensive threat assessment that looks at both the foreign threat as well as the domestic threat is needed. Because of the strength of the U.S. military, intelligent opponents that are willing to take risks will, over time, probably evolve methods of attack, which are asymmetric in character. What are needed are a strategy, a program budget, and far more sophisticated management tools than are available today. With words like bioterrorism and cyberterrorism, Americans are feeling far more insecure than they have been for a long time. The U.S. approach to terrorism is fragmented and uncoordinated with perhaps even duplicative responsibilities. The Foreign Terrorist Organizations Lists that originally outlawed 30 foreign terrorist organizations that were prohibited from engaging in fundraising and political activities in this country has been revised to 27. However, the State Department’s terrorism list is highly politicized. When governments do bad things they are called war crimes, when governments sponsor bad things done by armed groups it is called state-sponsored terrorism. The U.S. is the target of over 40 percent of the world’s terrorism. Recommendations are to increase resources devoted to intelligence, increase domestic spying by law enforcement agencies, pursue apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators through the legal system, invest more resources in mitigating the consequences of an attack, and take retaliatory military strikes. Also important is analyzing what motivates people to attack the U.S.