Understanding the War on Terror by Patrick Coaty

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Understanding the War on Terror by Patrick Coaty
The War on Terror garnered interest after the September 11 2001 attack, but there had been other acts of terrorism that had already affected diverse countries. Nonetheless, the 9/11 attacks became the rallying call for the War on Terror. The attacks were surprising, and they galvanized public opinion on the need to take action against terrorism. Even though, efforts to fight against terrorism are ongoing it is still not clear on level of threat posed by homegrown and international terrorists. Terrorism affects the international environment as actors can carry out their activities across many nations. Additionally, terror affects states and individuals, showing that acts of terror have far reaching consequences from the international scene to individuals. This essay identifies significant historical elements of terrorism and evolution of terrorism since the September 11 2011 attacks
In Understanding the War on Terror, Coaty gives a general overview of terrorism on relation to the international environment. The author highlights that it is important to understand and define the enemy in the War on Terror. The War on Terror relates to the US led military campaign to fight terrorism starting with Iraq invasion after 9/11 attacks. It is also necessary to pursue national interests, and in the Bush doctrine, international law appears to have had little impact on the administration’s stance on the War on Terror. The attacks reaffirmed the growing need for states to be more proactive in combating terrorism. Terrorist organizations are non state actors and there rise in prominence is a cause for concern. The US efforts to counter Al Qaeda extend from the need to limit the power and impact of terrorist groups.
There is a historical precedence of terrorism, which first occurred during the French revolution, where acts of terror were committed to control the monarchy. At the time, opponents of the monarchy sought to establish a new government and establish another that would be proactive in improving the lives of ordinary people. The Bolshevik revolution in Russia overthrew the aristocracy, and many people also died (Coaty 85). The French and Bolshevik revolution have similarities, as there was the loss of many innocent lives simply because people had relations to the royal families. Even though, both revolutions appear to have legitimate reasons for overthrowing the rulers, they were in favor of terrorism by supporting violence against the innocent civilians. The Nazi regime relied on the Gestapo to terrorize German citizens prior to WWII, and the state secret police was synonymous with violence and acts of terrors against perceived enemies of the state.
Terrorism was also used as a tool to control people in the Soviet Union, where the political class used terrorism against people to maintain power and coerce them. The Soviets use of terrorism is noted for controlling people’s personal life, and anything deemed subversive would be frowned upon, and hence people were living in fear. Under Soviet control, terrorism facilitated power consolidation and this paved way for other countries to use terror against their people and control their po...