Summary: "War Against Terrorism" - A Geostrategic Synopsis
Walter Feichtinger
The question whether the "war against terrorism" declared by the USA actually is the security-politically decisive element, or whether it does not serve as a means of realizing geopolitical conceptions of order only, cannot be answered definitely. The threats caused by terrorism are complex, and the usage of the term "war” is counterproductive, because it narrows the approach towards the problematic nature and results in false expectations on the part of the own population. Concentrating on the fight against terrorism the USA have run into an unfavourable strategic situation, because they have lost their trustworthiness and authority by unilateral action, thus working a nice act for their geopolitical rivals like China and Russia, and above all, Iran.
In Europe the unilateral action of the USA concerning the war against terrorism has caused a process of sensitization and rethink, which has resulted in alienation. In spite of the overthrow of the Taliban-regime and the successes against the Al Qaida leaders, the threats caused by terrorism have not decreased, as shown by the plans foiled 2006 in London. All over the world great parts of the Islamic community have been set against the USA and all the Western World, a fact which may give rise to increasing threat potential.
The attempt to politically reform the Middle East has failed. Mainly due to the war in Iraq, instead of stabilisation and democratization a permanent conflict zone has developed, the effects of which cannot be anticipated conclusively. Extreme Islamistic movements, which might even lead to the overthrow of "pro-western” political leaders, are gaining ground. The UN has been under considerable pressure, because, as far as fighting against terrorism, dealing with "weak states” and their non-governmental violent protagonists on the rampage, and the use of preventive and pre-emptive force for self-defence are concerned, the urgency of matters has increased.
Transnational terrorism and fighting against it have led to the marginalization of human rights in conflicts. Russia’s action in Czeczenia and China’s line against religious/ethnic minorities testify to this. The global war against terrorism has become a decisive security-political paradigm. The way of fighting against terrorism so far, however, has caused considerable collateral damages which urgently recommend an overall strategic adjustment. This, however, does not only concern the USA, but all relevant protagonists.
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