Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Western Europe

The purpose of this research is to explore the terrorism and counter-terrorism experiences of Western Europe as a means of gleaning insight germane to the United States' prosecution of the Global War on Terror. The author explores the terrorism and counterterrorism histories of the United Kingdom and Spain with particular focus on their approaches to struggles with the Provisional Irish Republican Army and Euskadi Ta Askatasuna. By applying the terrorism and counterterrorism experiences of Western Europe to current US strategy and recent actions, lessons for U.S. prosecution of the Global War on Terror are revealed. The author challenges U.S. strategy to spread democracy as an effective counter-terrorism measure with respect to the threat posed by transnational terrorist extremists. He argues sustained western military presence in the Middle East is likely to increase rather than diminish jihad-inspired attacks against western homelands. The author concludes with strategic recommendations for a United States response toward terrorism resolution that is governed by perspective, persistence, and patience. These findings are useful to U.S policy makers in forging a way ahead in the Global War on Terror that best serves U.S. interests.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.