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The Challenge of Terrorism

The terrorist acts committed on September 11 were brutal, heinous, inhuman, and evil. Our first priority should be to attend to the welfare of the survivors and the needs of victims’ families. With reference to meeting the challenge of terrorism, however, two things are critically important: understanding the nature of the great challenge that we confront, and developing an appropriate response to it.

The Nature of Terrorism

To understand the true nature of terrorism, we should take note of the following:

First, there exists an immense diversity of religious approaches. All major religions of the world include multiple orientations to politics: liberal, traditional, secular, and “fundamentalist.” Each one of these orientations includes several differing approaches. Most Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Hindu “fundamentalists,” for example, do not favor terrorism; only some in each of these traditions do.

Second, vast majorities of populations in the countries where terrorists reside condemn and abhor terrorism—whether it is conducted in the name of religion, secular nationalism, or state security. They have themselves suffered from the violent acts of their countrymen.

Third, in many of these countries, mass poverty, governmental corruption, tyranny, and economic injustice are appalling facts of life. These lead to frustration, bitterness, and anger. Such circumstances and feelings can predispose some individuals to the attraction of terrorism.

Fourth, despite bitterness and frustration, most common people in these countries remain committed to fairness and yearn for peaceful solutions. They are attracted to democratic ideals as well as democratic institutions. Increasingly, they believe that their own traditions favor democracy.

The Response

The challenge of terrorism, therefore, is a common challenge to the world, and is intrinsically connected with an acute awareness of deprivation, injustice, and despotism. The appeal of terrorism—to those attracted to it—rests on the terrorists’ promise to right the wrongs and to rid their societies of deprivation, injustice, and tyranny. Our response to terrorism should reflect these facts, as well as the perceptions of these realities.

Any indiscriminate use of force against innocent civilians will violate our own American ideals, and can lead to ongoing conflict, tension, insecurity, and more violence. Vengeance is counterproductive. As Gandhi said: practicing the principle of “an eye for an eye” can lead to a world full of the blind.

Far more effective in the struggle against terrorism, in the long run, will be a number of political initiatives. First among them is an effective representation of American ideals and goodwill. Among the greatest strengths of America are its democratic institutions and its ideals of liberty, justice, and equality. These two are the prime reasons for America’s strength, both as society and state. Contrary to repeated assumptions by the media, most people in the Islamic world admire America’s democratic institutions and the American consensus on its liberal ideals. They make a distinction, however, between American democracy and what they consider American imperium. America can be a beacon of light for the developing world, a model of how to achieve democratic ideals. We only need to convey our ideals and goodwill for the world more convincingly.

Second is the need to review our foreign policy. America should actively and evenhandedly support just and peaceful resolution of Israeli-Palestinian issues. Our evenhanded support for a just peace will not only enhance American credibility, but also benefit Israel. I know of many supporters of Israel who believe that the best security of Israel lies in recognizing human dignity as well as the civil and national rights of Palestinians.

Third is our rededication to reducing poverty across the world. Since the end of the cold war, the U.S. interest in the economic uplift of the Third World has declined dramatically. U.S. support of capitalist pursuits is less balanced now by due regard for the special needs of poor countries than ever before. Our rededication to reducing poverty worldwide will not only meet our moral obligation, it will also promote a feeling of human fellowship across the globe.

Conclusion

It is time for the people of goodwill to unite for justice, equality, freedom, and human brotherhood. Many of us have reached these ideals from secular approaches. Others amongst us affirm these ideals by virtue of their religious experience—be they Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Taoists, or Sikhs. These ideals provide the common ground for all Americans and the entire humanity. They are enshrined in our constitution. It is time for us to recommit ourselves to realizing them, both by word and deed.

Nasim A. Jawed, Department of History