By Ashley J. Tellis
During the 1990s the United States and its allies enjoyed a much
sought-after period of prosperity and tranquility following the end of the Cold
War. In hindsight, however, it is now apparent that Al Qaeda, a fiercely
anti-American global terrorist network, was taking root in over sixty countries
during this period, culminating in the devastating September 11 attacks on New
York and Washington, D.C.
The Bush administration, which had entered office
determined to secure U.S. primacy amid the emergence of major power centers in
Asia, such as China, soon found itself forced to confront a worldwide Islamist
insurgency.
This study analyzes the relevance of terrorist groups as substatal
actors in international politics, their influence on deeper dynamics of the
international system, and the challenges facing the United States posed by
transnational terrorist organizations.
It argues that international terrorism,
although currently salient, does not necessarily replace or even alter the
traditional concerns of international politics, but rather subsists among them.
On balance, the United States has managed these interlocking challenges with
partial success, and needs to pay greater attention to pursuing the legitimacy
and protecting the economic foundations of its power.
Failing to do so, or
waging a poorly defined "war against all," carries the risk of
far-reaching economic and political reverberations that may, in the not-too-distant
future, enervate the United States, undermine its legitimacy as the sole
superpower, and gradually erode continued American dominance in the world
order.
Source: The National Bureau of Asian Research 2004
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