The War on Terror which is also referred to as the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is applied to an international military campaign that was initiated after the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks in America. As an international military campaign, it was intended to eliminate militant organizations such as al-Qaeda, and other terrorist groups so as to end terrorism. The war on terror has taken different directions and phases. Although the results have been good, a lot is at stake (Gardner 624). Nations such as the U.S have spent billions of dollars to end the menace. As a result, death, anger, miser, fear, and distrust have resulted. Seemingly, the fight against terror is far from over.
Apparently, the U.S has been on the forefront to curb this menace as payback for the 9/11 attacks that caused lives of thousands in America. As a State and military project, the war on terror particularly in the U.S has been vigorous. Leaders of terror groups such as Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, have been apprehended and later executed. Notably, for the past 10 years, war on terrorism has infused political discourse at every level in the government. Apparently, it appears that the mingling of terrorists and politicians al all foundations that are aimed at fighting terrorism. Terrorists are rebels who have been trained by Special Forces in the West in using chemical weapons and advanced gadgets and firearms. Ideally, war on terror is a major controversy that has put nations at crossroads.
Source of Funding
After a-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was murdered by the U.S, al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations have faced real challenges in raising financing future attacks, and raising money to sustain the terrorists. Consequently, this is a great achievement for the U.S troops because the groups are now facing challenges in raising significant sums of money. Funds are the backbone of terrorism. Without funds, terrorism cannot take place. Therefore, donated funds should be followed up to ensure that the rightful people get it. In addition, donors should ensure that development programs are followed to help those in desperate need. In addition, terrorist groups such as Taliban, Alshabaab and a-Qaeda are having trouble recruiting new members, funding their families and paying for the training. Bin Laden’s death created an opening for damaging the group. It is indeed a good opportunity for forces to destabilize networks of these groups from the back and from the front. Today, al-Qaeda does not receive enough funds for running its activities; America has maintained pressure on this group and others in need to cut networks by all means. As a result, counter terrorism efforts by nations across the world have decentralized fundraising activities of these terror groups (Graham 22).
The War against Terrorism has Raised Democracy
Notably, the war against terrorism has immensely raised the profile for democracy. The U.S for instance has worked extremely hard to resolve tension caused by terrorists. This program that was started during George w. Bush’s time has shaped the image of the U.S, and resolved uncomfortable dualism. This is a good foundation for establishing tight security in the future. The convention on preventing and fighting terrorism is an instrument worth special mention. The goal of this convention is to curb terrorism and it negative effects so as to recognize enjoyment of all human rights, specifically the right to life, through international co-operation and measures taken at both national international levels.
Consequently, nations that have fought terrorism by all means have embraced patriotism, devotion, and commitment to their people. This follows that; citizens who have experienced the fight against terrorism in their nation can attest to it that, it feels proud to be part of the nation. For instance, citizens in America are very proud of the efforts by their nation to fight terrorism with all its might. The international 9/11 military campaign is a good example of counterterrorism that has yielded good fruits. The deaths of Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein and destabilization of their terror groups, is an indication that the fight against terrorism is coherent.
Endless fights and Spending
Arguably, the aim of curbing terrorism which is a board game is to unshackle the world, and end fear forever. However, the fight against terrorism that began after the 9/11 attack is an indication that, fighting terrorism is a top priority in the U.S. Every year, America spends billions of dollars on fighting terror in Iraq and other terrorist countries such as Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan among others. America has had military forces in Iraq for close to eight but terrorist groups operate as usual. Seemingly, the war against terror appears to do more harm than good. For instance, it has been a rise among many people who think that Islam is a threat to the world; it has also turned towards hatred among religions and ethnic groups. A study done to determine effects of the war in Iraq showed that the war has not yielded good fruits yet. In addition, it has not weakened al-Qaeda. Subsequently, if 10 years of have had no discernible impact on terrorism, then there is need for nations to start new approaches (Feith 14).
The war against terror is just an iceberg of what the real issue is on the ground. Apparently, there have been efforts to disable certain terrorist groups, but troops have come short on this one. They have no mechanism to prevent formation of new terror groups. Ideally, suppression by the military appears to lead to extended support for extremist groups. Pounding Muslims into submission and building a gauntlet of security around nations such as the U.S will not make the world safer, instead, it will create hared, seclusion, and in the end, the common man in the society will be on the losing end. To curb terrorism, nations need to look at their roots. A religion is not to blame for terrorism, because extremist groups exist in all religions. These groups become dangerous once they gain power. Terrorists are rebels who have been trained by Special Forces in the West in using chemical weapons and advanced gadgets and firearms.
Conclusion
Notably, the war against terrorism has immensely raised the profile for democracy. The U.S for instance has worked extremely hard to resolve tension caused by terrorists. Although the results have been good, a lot is at stake. Nations such as the U.S have spent billions of dollars to end the menace. As a result, death, anger, miser, fear, and distrust have resulted. Seemingly, the fight against terror is far from over. Without funds, terrorism cannot take place. Therefore, donated funds should be followed up to ensure that the rightful people get it. Pounding Muslims into submission and building a gauntlet of security around nations such as the U.S will not make the world safer, instead, it will create hared, seclusion, and in the end, the common man in the society will be on the losing end. Nations need to look at their roots and determine the best intervention to curb terrorism. With the current advancement in technology, chances are that, the fight against terrorism will be a major payback for all the injustices, fear, deaths, and distrust it has caused to millions of people across the world.
Works Cited
Gardner, Hall. American Global Strategy and the "war on Terrorism". Aldershot [u.a.: Ashgate, 2007. Print.
Graham, Stephen, ed. Cities, war, and terrorism: towards an urban geopolitics. John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
Feith, Douglas J. War and Decision. Harper Audio, 2008.
