National Strategy Of Combating Terrorism

Combating Terrorism Steve Elsey April 13, 2011 POLS 3100

Fighting terrorism has always been more than a physical confrontation; it also is a battle of ideas. Al Qaeda, for instance, has stated that “Hostility toward America is a religious duty, and we hope to be rewarded for it by God. To call us Enemy No. 1 or 2 does not hurt us. Osama bin Laden is confident that the Islamic nation will carry out its duty. I am confident that Muslims will be able to end the legend of the so­called superpower that is America.”(Osama bin Laden: Conversation with Terror) We cannot do anything to stop terrorism all together, there will always be radicals, but we can try to minimize their effects.
The war on terror has always been a war on ideals, and we need to help push the ideals that contradict those terrorists operations. “Ideas can transform the embittered and disillusioned either into murderers willing to kill innocents, or into free peoples living harmoniously in a diverse society.” (National Strategy for Combating Terrorism) We can obtain a world with minimized terror by creating a global environment that is inhospitable to violent extremists and those who support them. One of the terrorist main ways on spreading terror is through the media. We would be best to counter in the media as well. "Our enemies have skillfully adapted to fighting wars in today's media age, but for the most part we, our country, our government, has not," Rumsfeld said in remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He said that while the al Qaeda
This includes understanding of policy objectives, or at least a balanced presentation, e.g., why governments may seek to mediate, yet not give in to terrorist demands.”(Perl) The group that has the most influence on the media is the one that tends to have the beliefs of the people. If the terrorists are able to fill the media with their attacks and their plans, the population will begin to believe that the terrorists are everywhere and that they are in need of help that their government doesn’t provide. If the government can effectively portray their plans through the media, they can calm the terror that feeds the terrorists. The mass media is not the only way that terrorists can recruit and harm though. “Increasingly sophisticated use of the Internet and media has enabled our terrorist enemies to communicate, recruit, train, rally support, proselytize, and spread their propaganda without risking personal contact.”(National Strategy for Combating Terrorism) In Egypt, “Activists have used Facebook, Twitter and other social media to rally supporters online, co­ordinate protests and share tips on how to dodge arrest and deal with teargas”( Egypt internet users report major network disruptions) Terrorists are able to use the