George Kennan's Contianment concerning the War on Terrorism

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George Kennan introduced the concept of containment into the United States government in 1947. He proposed the idea that in order to stop the spread of Communism, the government should place economic sanctions and non-violent means of pressure to force the Communist territories, and especially the Soviet Union, to succumb to United States desires. However, his policy was misunderstood by President Harry Truman, and was taken as containing communism through means of warfare and military action. Though misunderstood, the policy still worked and eventually the USSR fell in power. In 2002, President George W Bush, in reply to the World Trade Center attacks, issued a war against terrorism. Currently, as a highly controversial topic, it is being debated whether or not Kennan's original policy of non-violent containment would be functional in the War on Terror. This policy requires economic sanctions to force the enemy to comply, however, in the case of the War on Terror, such sanctions have actually not served as an affected lever at all against terrorist supporting countries. Also, like the Cold War, worldwide support is needed to implement the policy and to effectively contain terrorism. As of now, the United States has very little support rendering it difficult to institute containment. Terrorism is also a religiously based activity and unlike the political philosophy of communism, is connected to God. Regardless of common thought, no economic nor any earthly threat would stop the mind of a terrorist. After careful analysis, it is obvious that such a policy would be ineffective in such a war.

The policy of containment includes economic sanctions, which would cripple the economy of the enemy, forcing them to comply with United Sta...

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...inual meetings and community support creating religious fervor and zeal. At the moment of the terrorist act, the individual?s priorities are changed and nothing overpowers the priority that is ?larger than life?- martyrdom in God?s name. To a martyr, greed would never even be considered.

The policy of containment requires effective economic sanctions and global support, neither of which has occurred throughout the War on Terror. Without these, containment would never function properly and could not be successful in the war. Also with the strong religiously based beliefs of the Jihad and terrorist members, neither a matter of greed nor any consequence held on earth, would prove to be preventive in their actions. It is clearly proven that through various reasons, Kennan?s original policy of non-violent containment would prove ineffective in the War on Terror.

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