The Catalysts and Images of Terrorism: National Security Threat

Historically, terrorism is as old as humans, willingness to use force to affect politics. It has its roots firmly planted, starting around 1st century B.C.E. when the Sicarii, a Jewish group who murdered enemies and collaborators in their campaign to oust their Roman rulers from Judea. The Hashhashin, whose name gave us the English word "assassins," were a secretive Islamic sect active in Iran and Syria from the 11th to the 13th century. Today modern terrorism has learned their lessons from the past and has adapted their techniques in order to achieve their political agenda. Dr. Robert Brathwaite, asserts, “The U.S. National Security establishment currently views terrorism as the single biggest challenge the U.S. faces” (pg. 2). Most policy makers debate over the true definition of terrorism, but many agree on a narrow set of reasons why terrorism poses such a threat. First image threats are charismatic individuals who induce radicalization, for example Osama Bin Laden. Second image threats are states in the international system who are hostile to Western interests and promote radicalization, such as, military dictatorships and non-democratic states. Finally, third image is the decline of the West or Clash of Civilizations responsible for radicalization.
Furthermore, the failure of Democratic Peace Theory (DPT) has been the catalyst driving modern day terrorism to become the unpredictable monstrosity it is today. The idea of a lasting, ideally global, peace has been present in the minds of people for centuries. The most notable formulation of this is Kant’s vision of perpetual peace. “He saw it as a condition that needed to be maintained by politics between states with governments which represented society and separation of powe...

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...t understand the importance of human nature throughout history and present day. Human nature does not allow for a one size fits allow theory, such as Democratic Peace Theory to solve all the worlds conflicts. Every individual or groups of individuals are unique and thus require different tactics to neutralize the threat. Second, if the United States intends on using Democratic Peace Theory in the future, the U.S. must identify the threat for what it is, terrorism. Political correctness and the use of multiculturalism under the guise of tolerance is stifling our policies makers, law enforcement and military from properly dealing with the threat. Until this is understood, the United States will stay in the viscous cycle of playing Russian Rue let while trying to identify the root causes of terrorism and how to prevent another major attack from happening on our soil.