Search

The article discusses the history and study of terrorism and its relevance to the Islamic terrorist group al Qaeda. Terrorist groups are divided into two categories, nationalist and ideological, and their differences discussed: nationalists fight on behalf of a people or ethnic group, for limited territorial goals, while ideological terrorists fight on behalf of a political or religious idea, for abstract, unlimited goals. Al Qaeda is discussed as an example of an ideological group, and terrorist and counterterrorist strategies and tactics are discussed as well.

The article examines the importance of credibility in the U.S. war on terrorism. The author challenges the conventional wisdom that a healthy reputation for resolve keeps a country safer or helps it pursue its goals. He also argues that the credibility of the U.S. will not prove to be decisive in the fight against extremism. On the other hand, it is mentioned that the term credibility has been used in so many contexts that it can at times seem to mean all things to all people, while the credibility of a state is a mixture of its competence, legitimacy, resolve, trustworthiness, willingness to take casualties and rigidity purpose.