Counterterrorism and the War on Terrorism Study Guide

General Policy Classifications for Counterterrorist Options

• Counterterrorist Policy Classification: Use of Force

  • Rationale: This classification is driven by the need for symbolic strength.
  • Practical Objectives: The primary goals are to punish the terrorists or to destroy them entirely.
  • Typical Resources Used: This approach utilizes military assets, paramilitary assets, and covert operatives.

• Counterterrorist Policy Classification: Operations Other Than War—Repressive Options

  • Rationale: The underlying logic is focused on deterrence, prediction, and destabilization.
  • Practical Objectives: Objectives include the disruption of terrorist activities, the gathering of intelligence, and the coercion of those who support terrorists.
  • Typical Resources Used: This classification relies on technologies, intelligence-gathering mechanisms, and covert operatives.

• Counterterrorist Policy Classification: Operations Other Than War—Conciliatory Options

  • Rationale: The logic is to resolve the underlying problems that lead to terrorism.
  • Practical Objectives: These options aim to end immediate crises and forestall the development of future crises.
  • Typical Resources Used: Resources include social resources, economic assets, and formal negotiations.

• Counterterrorist Policy Classification: Legalistic Options

  • Rationale: This classification is based on the rule of law.
  • Practical Objectives: Objectives focus on fostering international cooperation as well as the prosecution, conviction, and incarceration of terrorists.
  • Typical Resources Used: This approach uses international organizations, law enforcement agencies, and domestic legal establishments.

The Use of Force in Counterterrorism

• Specific Categories of Force:

  • Maximum Use of Force: Categorized as Suppression Campaigns.
  • War in the Shadows, Part 1: Categorized as Coercive Covert Operations.
  • Surgical Use of Force: Categorized as the use of Special Operations Forces.

• Suppression Campaigns

  • Rationale: Symbolic strength, punitive measures, and preemption.
  • Practical Objectives: The destruction and disruption of the terrorists.
  • Typical Resources Used: Military assets and paramilitary assets.

• Coercive Covert Forces

  • Rationale: These forces carry out coercive covert operations.
  • Practical Objectives: The disruption of terrorists and creating a deterrent effect on potential terrorists.
  • Typical Resources Used: Military and paramilitary assets.

• Special Operations Forces

  • Rationale: Coercive covert operations, destabilization, and preemption.
  • Practical Objectives: Disruption of terrorists and fostering a deterrent effect on potential terrorists.
  • Typical Resources Used: Both military and police assets.

Operations Other Than War: Repressive Options

• Categories of Repressive Options:

  • War in the Shadows, Part 2: Nonviolent Covert Operations.
  • Knowing the Enemy: The application of Intelligence.
  • Hardening the Target: Enhanced Security measures.
  • Long-Term Coercion: The utilization of Economic Sanctions.

• Nonviolent Covert Operations

  • Rationale: Deterrence, destabilization, and prediction.
  • Practical Objectives: Creating a deterrent effect on potential terrorists and the disruption of active terrorists.
  • Typical Resources Used: Covert operatives and technology.

• Intelligence

  • Rationale: Prediction.
  • Practical Objectives: Determining and calculating the activity profiles of terrorists.
  • Typical Resources Used: Technology and covert operatives.

• Enhanced Security

  • Rationale: Deterrence.
  • Practical Objectives: The hardening of potential targets to make them less vulnerable.
  • Typical Resources Used: Security personnel, physical security barriers, and security technology.

• Economic Sanctions

  • Rationale: Deterrence and destabilization.
  • Practical Objectives: Achieving long-term destabilization and deterrence of sanctioned states.
  • Typical Resources Used: National economic resources and coalitional diplomacy.

Analysis of Economic Sanctions

• Condition for Success 1: Bring pressure to bear on the sanctioned regime.

  • Common Problems: Often, the economic pressure is passed on by the regime to a population that is politically powerless.
  • Case Study: Economic sanctions against Iraq began in the early 1990s; however, the regime remained strong despite the pressure.

• Condition for Success 2: Maintain strong international cooperation.

  • Common Problems: International cooperation is difficult to sustain and can weaken or dissolve over time.
  • Case Study: United States sanctions against Cuba; these were eventually perceived by the world community to be a relic of the Cold War era.

• Condition for Success 3: Control leaks in the sanctioning policy.

  • Common Problems: When leaks in the policy occur, they are generally impossible to control.
  • Case Study: The uncoordinated sanctions movement against South Africa during the apartheid era; this failed to significantly affect South African policy.

Operations Other Than War: Conciliatory Options

• Categories of Conciliatory Options:

  • Reasoned Dialogue: Diplomatic Options.
  • Responding to Grievances: Social Reform.
  • Giving Them What They Want: Concessionary Options.

• Diplomatic Options

  • Rationale: To resolve specific terrorist crises.
  • Practical Objectives: To negotiate agreements that are case-specific or to negotiate long-term agreements.
  • Typical Resources Used: Direct contacts and intermediary contacts.

• Social Reform

  • Rationale: To degrade the environments in which terrorists operate.
  • Practical Objectives: To win support away from potential terrorist supporters and decrease the overall effectiveness of terrorist propaganda.
  • Typical Resources Used: Targeted economic programs and intensive political involvement.

• Concessionary Options

  • Rationale: To resolve terrorist crises and degrade the environments that foster terrorism.
  • Practical Objectives: To satisfy the specific demands that motivate terrorist activity.
  • Typical Resources Used: Formal negotiations, economic concessions, and political concessions.

Legalistic Responses to Terrorism

• General Categories:

  • Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism.
  • Domestic Laws and Counterterrorism.
  • International Law: Legalistic Responses by the World Community.

• Law Enforcement

  • Rationale: To enhance the security apparatus and move toward the demilitarization of the counterterrorist campaign.
  • Practical Objectives: Managing day-to-day counterterrorist operations and bringing terrorists into the formal criminal justice system.
  • Typical Resources Used: Standard police personnel and specialized personnel.

• Domestic Laws

  • Rationale: The explicit criminalization of terrorist behavior.
  • Practical Objectives: The enhancement of criminal penalties for terrorist behavior and ensuring terrorists are processed through the criminal justice system.
  • Typical Resources Used: The criminal justice system and active legislative involvement.

• International Law

  • Rationale: Fostering international consensus and cooperation against terrorism.
  • Practical Objectives: Developing a unified coalition response to terrorism.
  • Typical Resources Used: International organizations and the mobilization of state resources.