CIAO DATE: 06/02

The Campaign Against Terrorism

Abstract

The attacks of September 11 were tragic. However, we are lucky to be fighting this war against terrorism today, rather than in ten to twenty years' time. Bin Laden and other terrorists are seeking biological and nuclear weapons that could kill millions of people. The technological skills and resources needed to make weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are diffusing and becoming easier to obtain over time. Now that we know that some terrorists will stop at nothing, it is imperative to stop terrorists and stop proliferation of biological and nuclear weapons before things get even worse. With a nuclear weapon, bin Laden would have destroyed all of lower Manhattan.

In this essay, I first argue that preventing WMD terrorism is the real reason to fight this war. The WMD threat is the reason we must win and must be prepared to pay significant costs to win. Indeed, because of the pressing and worsening WMD threat, we are lucky to be fighting this war now.

Second, this is not just a war using force, but a campaign involving a number of tools ranging from foreign aid and information to judicial/legal measures. I describe and assess a number of steps we should take to reduce the probability and consequences of future terrorism. Serious weaknesses and vulnerabilities have been revealed by and since the attacks. Among other things, we must increase domestic preparedness against WMD attacks, limit proliferation of WMD, reduce enmity towards the United States, and lessen dependence on Middle East oil. We must arrest and kill as many terrorists as possible, and use information, diplomacy, and foreign aid to reduce future terrorism.

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