Die "War on Terror" - Rhetoric auf dem Prufstand
In: Osterreichische Zeitschrift fur Politikwissenschaft, Band 35, Heft 1, S. 93-107
The United States is waging a war of words. Rhetoric forms the basis for the strategy in the war on terror. From the descriptions of terrorism itself the actual political activities can be explained. According to recent war & terrorism studies, three alternative descriptions are possible: international terrorism is found in foreign nations, can be perceived as a transnational network, or is seen as within the attacked nations themselves. It depends on which perspective is taken on international terrorism which strategies will be employed in order to fight it. The strategy of the United States is based on the prescription that terrorism is mainly to be located in foreign nations, so called haven states. This understanding makes the strategies of the US at least logical. Results from war & terrorism studies differ in their explanations & thus recommendations on how to fight international terrorism. This allows for the interpretation, that the strategies of the United States are not designed to reduce international terrorism but for long term military engagement especially in the Middle East. References. Adapted from the source document.