Counterterrorism

The anti-war on terrorism

Sadly, the international community is yet again dealing with a horrific attack in the heart of Europe by home-grown terrorists. In response, politicians from across the political spectrum have made public commitments to do whatever is needed to win this "war."

We should reject this characterization. Continuing to conceive of the effort to defeat terrorism in general, and ISIS in particular, through the lens of war clouds our thinking and fails to address the full complexity of the social and political precursors upon which the viability of organizations like ISIS depend.

This is not to say that the rhetorical use of "war" doesn't have its place. When used metaphorically it helps to convey the seriousness of a challenge and the nature of the sacrifices that will likely be needed to meet it. When used this way, it is done with the understanding that it is rhetoric, not reality.