What is the best way to fight the threat of terrorism?

Question

Terrorism is major problem at the moment.

But is it possible to combat terrorists like they are a convential army like Israel is trying to do in Lebanon at the moment?

Or does Guantanemo Bay, or detaining people indefinalty without trial really work?

Does extra security really protect us? Is it ever possible to be secure? Somebody could blow up a shopping centre tommorow. (There is no protection there, and people will always find a way to break security if they are determined enough)

If Osama Bin Laden was caught tommorrow would we have won or would they be 100 more terrorists to take his place?



Is winning the hearts and minds of the terrorists and their supports the best way to combat terrorism? But how is this done?

Answer 1

First of all, although terrorism is a serious matter, I don't believe it's the major problem. In the targeted West "only" 3500 people died in the last 5 years. Every life is invaluable, but this number is ridiculous in comparison with the deaths caused by pollution, illnesses or accidents.
Terrorism is only made big by politics. They only focus on the Middle East (and Korea) when Africa and South America is pretty dangerous too.

Now to your question. I agree with the previous answers that as long as there are people who are discontent, there will be terrorism (not to mention the psychos who start shooting in schools). It's getting easier to bring big destruction even for a single person without militant knowledge, so everybody is a possible terrorist.
What the Allies do is the first step to reduce terrorism: stop countries help terrorists on state level. Paralelly, however, much more serious efforts should be taken to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, and provide the poor a chance to develop. What is done at the Africa conferences is a bad joke. Solidarity, education. Finally, we need finally to get rid of dirty politics. This first generation of modern terrorists were raised up by us during the Cold War, and we are responsible for what's happening now. Let's get rid of the dishonest politicians who use mean ways to ensure their little peronal interests.

Answer 2

Terrorism will never be defeated It makes no difference what we do in the world there will always be one group of people unhappy with the way they are treated and will want to change things to suit them. As long as you have large groups dictating to everyone their values and their way of living they will become the targets. Example: If the UK was handed over to a Muslim extremist group as their own country and they started to impose their way of living on the nation, There would be groups that do not agree with this and they would become the terrorists. It is a never ending cycle. The only way to combat terrorism is to stop com batting it and start negotiating it. The USA will always be the major target because they are a big country and an easy target and they are of firm conviction that they can bomb the terrorists into submit ion. Not working so far

Answer 3

I just asked a similar question. I am not happy with what I think is the best answer, but I can't think of any other viable way to combat terrorism. I think the NSA needs to have the right to listen into telephone conversations of suspected terrorists. The keywords being 'suspected terrorists' and not all of America. Unfortunately, I think people who fit the profile of a terrorist need to be investigated. After seeing what nearly happen in the UK, it is clear that radical Muslims have no affliation to the country they are living in. It's just not fair. There's no good answer.

Answer 4

You need to understand what the radical islamist believe. If you are not of their mind, then you are an infidel and you must be destroyed. Very simple. They really don't have very complex minds.
We are having to fight a different type of war now. I really couldn't care less about GITMO and it's detainees. They have released some. Its a slow process, they'll get to it. They are not being tortured or mishandled so they are fine where they are at.
yes the extra security does help. We are not going to catch everything, but they are trying their very best. They have caught quite a few.
Bin laden makes no difference at all in this war.
You will never win the heart and mind of a terrorist unless you change to their way of life. Period. end of story.

Answer 5

With a bloody big stick and lots of money. The big stick to smack them over the head every time they get naughty. Lots of money to improve the life's of the population where the terrorists originate from. You also need a robust and efficient propaganda machine.
A lot of the problems faced at the moment is that Iran and Syria are discreetly backing terrorists. They see western style democracy as a threat to their power base and are willing to covertly fight for it.
Both countries are responsible for acts of war against the USA and UK but those to countries do not have the support of their populations the morale courage and willingness to spend money to sort the problem out.

Answer 6

By stop trying to wipe every terrorist off the face of the earth, it just can't happen. The tactics of our government and Israel just creates more resentment and hostility. It make work as a short term method but not in the long run.

Detaining people without a trial is wrong and opens the doors to too many abuses. It gives people in power who don't have any restraint the means to torture other people.

There needs to be better dialogue and trust built up on both sides even though this is hard to do but it's very neccessary otherwise there will continue to be longer and more lethal wars and more terrorist actions. The British were able to do it with the IRA. It took a long time but they did it.

Answer 7

The Terrorism problem in reality comes from 1 major thing in my opinion :
Losing hope at tomorrow : they have nothing to look forward to .. their life has no hope pass today. This could come from Poverty, economical depressing, lack of education, high rate of unemployment..
When that happen.. the Leaders of those terrorists groups approach those guys knowing that they can brain wash them and create a new hope for tomorrow.. even if that hope is making it to paradise by blowing yourself..
well.. Fix this problem .. you will have no terrorists.. The billions we are spending on weapons for us and our partners over the world.. can be easily directed into building schools .. creating jobs.. in other words.. giving something to get them busy in life.. Do you think you can have American citizens who are born hear.. well educated and have a job becoming Terrorists? I do think so.. keep them busy.. they won't have time to think about destruction.. but use the force.. and we all use.. Terrorists feed and grow on violence..

Answer 8

Terrorists usually have something in common, like a language, political affiliation, religion, etc. It is why they have become terrorists.

Once you have identified what the driving force is behind the terrorist movement, then you know who and what to look for when you attack them. Or try to reform them into peaceful and sane members of society.

In the terrorist activities of today, they all seem to be driven by religion,..they mostly are Islamic fanatics. That means that you have to group them according to their religion, then re-group them according to their behavior,..then you know your enemy.

Once you know your enemy, then you can decide how you are going to handle the problem. BUT FIRST, YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY YOUR ENEMY.

Answer 9

Excellent points and question.

The shortest answer is to provide justice.

what does that mean, justice?

Does that mean to appease terrorist.
Does it mean to give in or surrender?

Hell no.

It means getting rid of the most desperate people who have nothing and are willing to die.

This means addressing the poverty, this means not letting more than half the world going hungry.

this giving Palistine a fair deal, this means rebuilding Afganistan like we said we would.

this means fighting our enemies with intellegence, and law inforcement and always use the military as a last resort.

Answer 10

before your start fighting terrorists you have to ask your self who is the real terrorist first of all and than jump to the next question why there is a such thing who helped terrorist to be born ?

when you find the answer the solution will be very easy i guess.

we all helped in a way or an other to reach such stage but the big part came from the west since the era of colonialism refer to history. and one more thing always remember that peace produce peace and violence produce violence.