Assessing U.S. Strategy in the War on Terror

Al Qaeda and its jihadi allies pose a large threat to U.S. national security. Such a grave menace requires a strong response. Yet the United States has so far waged only a one-dimensional war against al Qaeda, fighting hard on one front when it should be fighting on four. Specifically, the Bush admi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2006-09, Vol.607 (1), p.10-26
Main Author: Van Evera, Stephen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Al Qaeda
Bush, George W
Cold wars
Counterterrorism
Defence policy
Defense Policy
Defenses
Diplomacy
Government policy
Internal security
International relations-US
Iraq
Iraq War-2003
Military policy
Military strategy
Muslims
National Security
Nuclear weapons
Political thought
Public diplomacy
Public opinion
Terrorism
Terrorists
U.S.A
United States
United States of America
War
War on Terror
Weapons
Weapons of mass destruction
World wars
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Summary:Al Qaeda and its jihadi allies pose a large threat to U.S. national security. Such a grave menace requires a strong response. Yet the United States has so far waged only a one-dimensional war against al Qaeda, fighting hard on one front when it should be fighting on four. Specifically, the Bush administration has focused heavily on an offensive campaign against al Qaeda overseas while neglecting three other critical fronts: bolstering homeland defense, securing weapons and materials of mass destruction from possible theft or purchase by terrorists, and winning the war of ideas. And the administration has sometimes done too little even on the offensive, instead diverting itself into a costly and counterproductive sideshow in Iraq. The public credits President Bush for toughness on terror. In fact, his administration has pursued a half-hearted war on terror, failing to devote the political and financial resources it requires.
ISSN:0002-7162
1552-3349
DOI:10.1177/0002716206291492