Project Abstract

Abstract
The United States has been a key player in the global war on terror since the attacks of September 11, 2001. This research project delves into the evolution of U.S. counterterrorism efforts and its impact on both domestic and international arenas. By examining various aspects of the global war on terror, including military interventions, intelligence activities, diplomatic initiatives, and the use of special operations forces, this study seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. approach to combating terrorism. The research explores the effectiveness of U.S. counterterrorism policies and strategies in disrupting terrorist networks, preventing future attacks, and promoting stability in regions plagued by violence and extremism. It also investigates the ethical and legal implications of the United States' counterterrorism actions, particularly in relation to human rights, international law, and the use of force. Furthermore, this project examines the role of allies and partners in the global war on terror, as well as the challenges and opportunities presented by multilateral cooperation in addressing transnational security threats. By analyzing case studies of U.S. counterterrorism operations in various parts of the world, this research sheds light on the complexities of contemporary security challenges and the evolving nature of terrorism in the 21st century. Moreover, the study assesses the impact of the global war on terror on U.S. foreign policy, national security priorities, and public perception of the government's handling of terrorism-related issues. It also discusses the role of media, public opinion, and civil liberties in shaping the discourse on counterterrorism efforts and influencing policy decisions at the national and international levels. Overall, this research project aims to contribute to a better understanding of the United States' role in the global war on terror, the effectiveness of its counterterrorism policies, and the broader implications of its actions for global security and stability. By examining the multifaceted dimensions of the U.S. approach to combating terrorism, this study offers insights into the challenges and opportunities facing policymakers, practitioners, and scholars in addressing one of the most pressing security threats of the modern era.

Project Overview

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Terrorism is a security problem that has plagued the world for centuries, states like USA just took a different softer approach towards it till it took a gruesome turn in the 20th century. Although attention to terrorism has increased sharply in recent years, it is by no means a new phenomenon. For decades terrorists have carried out attacks against non-combatant targets causing massive destruction by means of vicious assaults.,…

President Bush met with senior officials, as he said, ‗to assign tasks for the first wave of the war against terrorism. It starts today. A week later he explained, ‗Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated. The 9/11 Commission considered the fatwa issued by the so-called ‗World Islamic Front‘ at the request of Osama Bin Ladin and Ayman al Zawahiri, calling for every Muslim who can to murder any American anywhere, to be a ‗declaration of war. The concept of a ‗war on terrorism‘ or ‗war on terror‘ has thus been taken literally rather than metaphorically in the sense of opposition to an idea, such as the war against fascism or the war on drugs.
Two weeks after the attacks of 9/11, the Security Council unanimously adopted anti-terrorism resolution 1373 (2001) on 28 September 2001, which reaffirmed the Council‘s unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist acts of 11 September and obligated all Member States to criminalize the wilful provision or collection of funds for terrorist acts and to freeze any financial assets and economic resources of those who commit or attempt to commit terrorist acts or participate in or facilitate the commission of terrorist acts and of persons and entities acting on behalf of terrorists. Moreover, all States must refrain from providing any form of support to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts and prevent terrorism by denying safe
haven to those who finance, plan, support, commit terrorist acts and provide safe havens as well. They must prosecute anyone who has participated in the financing, planning, preparation or perpetration of terrorist acts or in supporting terrorist acts and should also ensure that terrorist acts are established as serious criminal offences in domestic law and seriously punished. They also must intensify and accelerate the exchange of information regarding terrorist actions or movements, forged or falsified documents, traffic in arms and sensitive material, use of communications and technologies by terrorist groups, and the threat posed by the possession of weapons of mass destruction. Before granting refugee status, all States should take appropriate measures to ensure that the asylum seekers have not planned, facilitated or participated in terrorist acts. The Security Council also established a 15-member Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) to monitor the resolution‘s implementation, revitalized in 2004 to provide expert advice on all areas covered by resolution 1373, to facilitate technical assistance, and to promote closer cooperation and coordination with regional and intergovernmental bodies. Terrorism in the twentieth century tended to accompany political conflicts centred on nation-states, in struggles for national independence or liberation from oppression or occupation. In recent years international terrorism has taken new directions through the linkage between struggles in different places and the rise of groups motivated by transnational religious ideologies. As the Bishops‘ Working Group pointed out (Countering Terrorism, p. 5), Al-Qa‘eda has both highly specific aims (US withdrawal from Saudi Arabia and the destruction of Israel) and more generalised ones (the removal of Western influence in Islamic lands and the establishment of an international Muslim caliphate). This requires the maintenance of a state of enmity between authentic Islam, as understood in Osama bin Laden‘s purist strand of Wahhabism, and the United States and its allies throughout the world.
Terrorism is not a new challenge to international order, although the influence of the United States has resulted in significant rethinking of the international law and politics of terrorism since the attacks on the US of 11 September 2001, which has had ramifications in all regions, including the Asia Pacific.