Customer Reviews

Terrorism and International Relations

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The authors give a timely and recent study of international terrorism. Emphasising Islamist movements like Al Qaeda. It is suggested that understanding the Islamists inextricably involves both religion and politics. That it is a mistake to focus solely on one of those factors.

Some authors look at how a liberal democracy can or should respond to internal threats of terrorism. It is stressed that any given anti-terrorism policy has costs and benefits. Some are tangible, like increased government expenditures. The possible responses are also interesting. Like a decentralised economic system, which is better able to take losses in infrastructure and people. However, politically and somewhat ironically, the usual response is to strongly centralise a national command organisation.

Much of the book is necessarily open ended. With speculations as to how the War on Terror will unfold, and specifically the US occupation of Iraq.