Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Understanding the New Security Environment, Readings & Interpretations

In this newly revised edition of Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Understanding the New Security Environment, Colonel Russell Howard and Major Reid Sawyer have collected original and reprinted articles and essays by political scientists, government officials, and members of the nation’s armed forces. The editors and several of the authors write from practical field experience in the nation’s war on terrorism. Others have had significant responsibility for planning government policy and responses. The contributors include a majority of the significant names in the field including General Barry McCaffrey, Martha Crenshaw, Bruce Hoffman, Barry Posen, Jessica Stern. Part One of the book analyzes the philosophical, political, and religious roots of terrorist activities around the world and discusses the national, regional, and global effects of historical and recent acts of terrorism. In addition to material on the threats from suicide bombers, as well as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons, there are also important contributions analyzing new and growing threats: narco-terrorism, cyber-terrorism, genomic terrorism, and agro-terrorism. Part Two deals with past, present, and future national and international responses to--and defenses against--terrorism. Essays and articles in this section analyze and debate the practical, political, ethical, and moral questions raised by military and non-military responses (and pre-emptive actions) outside of the context of declared war. Five detailed Appendices: Chronology of Terrorism Incidents, Groups Designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, Terrorist Group Profiles, and Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Revised Edition

Part 1. Defining the Threat

Chapter 1. Terrorism Defined

1.1   Bruce Hoffman, from "Defining Terrorism," Inside Terrorism (Columbia University Press, 1998)

1.2   Paul R. Pillar, from "The Dimensions of Terrorism and Counterterrorism," Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy (Brookings Institution Press, 2001)

1.3   Eqbal Ahmad and David Barsamian, from Eqbal Ahmad Terrorism: Theirs & Ours (Seven Stories Press, 2001)

Chapter 2. Why Terrorism?

2.1   Martha Crenshaw, from "The Logic of Terrorism: Terrorist Behavior as a Product of Strategic Choice," in Walter Reich, ed., Origins of Terrorism: Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, States of Mind (Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1998)

2.2   Louise Richardson, from "Global Rebels: Terrorist Organizations as Trans-National Actors," Harvard International Review, (Fall 1998)

Chapter 3. The New Terrorism Model

3.1   Colonel Russell D. Howard, from “Understanding Al Quaeda’s Application of the New Terrorism—The Key to Victory in the Current Campaign,” An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2003)

3.2   John Arquilla, David Ronfeldt, and Michele Zanini, from "Networks, Netwar, and Information-Age Terrorism," in Ian O. Lesser, John Arquilla, Bruce Hoffman, David Ronfeldt, Michele Zanini and Brian Jenkins, Countering the New Terrorism (RAND Corporation, 1999)

3.3Brent Ellis, adapted from “Countering Complexity: An Analytical Framework to Guide Counter-Terrorism Policy Making,” Journal of Military and Strategic Studies (Spring/Summer 2003)

Chapter 4. Religion

4.1   Magnus Ranstorp, from "Terrorism in the Name of Religion," Journal of International Affairs (Summer 1996)

4.2   Mark Juergensmeyer, from "The Logic of Religious Violence," in David C. Rapoport, ed., Inside Terrorism Organizations (Columbia University Press, 1988)

4.3   Adam Dolnik, From “All God’s Poisons: Re-Evaluating the Threat of Religious Terrorism with respect to Non-Conventional Weapons,” Monterey Institute International Studies Report Prepared for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (2003)

Chapter 5. Weapons of Mass Destruction

5.1   Jessica Stern, from "Getting and Using the Weapons," The Ultimate Terrorists (Harvard University Press, 1999)

5.2   Christopher F. Chyba, from "Toward Biological Security," Foreign Affairs (May/June 2002)

5.3   Richard F. Pilch, from “The Bioterrorist Threat in the United States,” Monterey Institute International Studies Report Prepared for the Cneter for Nonproliferation Studies (2003)

Chapter 6. The Threat of Other Forms of Terrorism

6.1   Barry R. McCaffrey and John A. Basso, updated from "Narcotics, Terrorism and International Crime: The Convergence Phenomenon," An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2003)

6.2   Bruce Hoffman, from “The Logic of Suicide Terrorism,” The Atlantic Monthly (June 2003)

6.3   Maura Conway, adapted from “Terrorism and IT: Cyberterrorism and Terrorist Organisations Online,” Paper Presented at the 44th Annual International Studies Association Convention, Portland, Oregon (February 27,2003)

6.4   Madeleine Gruen, from “White Ethnonationalist and Political Islamist Methods of Fundraising and Propaganda on the Internet,” Paper Presented at the 11th Annual Terrorism Trends & Forecasts Symposium, Morristown, New Jersey (May 20, 2003)

6.5   John Ellis, from “Terrorism in the Genomic Age,” An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2003)

Part II. Countering the Terrorist Threat

Chapter 7. The Challenges of Terrorism

7.1   Laura K. Donohue, adapted from "Fear Itself: Counterterrorism, Individual Rights, and US Foreign Relations Post 9-11," A Paper Presented at the International Studies Association Convention, New Orleans (March, 2002)

7.2   Bruce Hoffman, from "A Nasty Business," The Atlantic Monthly (January 2002)

7.3   Anthony Clark Arend, from "Terrorism and Just War Doctrine," in Elliott Abrams, ed., Close Calls: Intervention, Terrorism, Missile Defense, and 'Just War' Today (Ethics and Public Policy Center, 1998)

7.4   Brad Roberts, from "NBC-Armed Rogues: Is There a Moral Case for Preemption?" in Elliott Abrams, ed., Close Calls: Intervention, Terrorism, Missile Defense and 'Just War' Today (Ethics and Public Policy Center, 1998)

Chapter 8. Strategies and Approaches for Combating Terrorism

8.1   Richard K. Betts, from "The Soft Underbelly of American Primacy: Tactical Advantages of Terror," Political Science Quarterly (2002)

8.2   James S. Robbins, from "Bin Laden's War," An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2002)

8.3   Richard H. Shultz and Andreas Vogt, from "The Real Intelligence Failure on 9/11 and the Case for A Doctrine of Striking First," An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2002)

8.4   Barry R. Posen, from "The Struggle Against Terrorism: Grand Strategy, Strategy, and Tactics," International Security (Winter 2001/02)

8.5   Wyn Q. Bowen, from “ Deterring Mass-Casuality Terrorism,” Joing Force Quarterly (Summer 2002)

Chapter 9. Organizing To Fight Terrorism

9.1   Martha Crenshaw, from "Counterterrorism Policy and the Political Process," Studies in Conflict & Terrorism (2001)

9.2   Richard K. Betts,from "Fixing Intelligence," Foreign Affairs (January/February 2002)

9.3   Jeffrey H. Norwitz, from “Combating Terrorism with a Helmet or a Badge?” Journal of Homeland Security (August 2002)

9.4   Rob de Wijk, from "The Limits of Military Power," The Washington Quarterly (Winter 2002)

9.5   David J. Rothkopf, from "Business Versus Terror," Foreign Policy (May/June 2002)

Appendices

Appendix A Background Information on Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations
Appendix B Significant Terrorist Incidents, 1961-2001