War On Terror Cheat Sheet

• Introduction
In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched an
international war on terrorism defined by military intervention, nation building, and efforts to
reshape the politics of the Middle East. However, it has become clear that the American strategy
has destabilised the Middle East while doing little to protect the United States from terrorism. In
its scope, expenditure, and impact on international relations, the war on terrorism was
comparable to the Cold War; it was intended to represent a new phase in global political relations
and has had important consequences for security, human rights, international law, cooperation,
and governance.
The military dimension involved major wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and covert operations in
Yemen. Its intelligence dimension comprised institutional reorganisation and considerable
increases in the funding of America’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, expanded cooperation
with foreign intelligence agencies, and the tracking and interception of terrorist financing. Its
diplomatic dimension included continuing efforts to construct and maintain a global coalition of
partner states and organisations and an extensive public diplomacy campaign to counter anti-
Americanism in the Middle East.
• Precursor to the September 11 attacks

In August 1996, Bin Laden declared jihad against the United States. In February 1998, Osama
bin Laden signed a fatwā, as head of al-Qaeda, declaring war on the West and Israel; in May al-
Qaeda released a video declaring war on the U.S. and the West. In August 1998, al-Qaeda struck
the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, in retaliation, U.S. President Bill Clinton launched
Operation Infinite Reach, a bombing campaign in Sudan and Afghanistan
Next came the 2000 millennium attack plots, which included an attempted bombing of Los
Angeles International Airport. In October 2000, the USS Cole bombing occurred near the port of
Yemen, and 17 U.S. Navy sailors were killed.
• September 11 attacks
The events of September 2001 can certainly be considered as one of the most ground-breaking in
the 21st century history of the world, triggering profound military, political and diplomatic
changes. In the morning of 11 September hijacked commercial planes destroyed the World Trade
Centre in New York and parts of Pentagon, attacking the key economic and military symbols of
American power, killing about 3000 people and injuring over 25 000.
That was the starting point of the War on terror and its main provoker.
• Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty

On 13 September, for the first time ever, NATO invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty,
which commits each member state to consider an armed attack against one member state to be an
armed attack against them all. The invocation of Article 5 led to Operation Eagle Assist* and
Operation Active Endeavour*. On 18 September 2001, President Bush signed the Authorisation
for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists passed by Congress a few days prior, the
authorisation is still active and has been used to justify numerous military actions.
* Operation Eagle Assist was a NATO operation where AWACS aircraft patrolled the skies
over the United States following the September 11 attacks. On October 4, about a month after the
September 11 attacks, the North Atlantic Council decided to operationalize Article 5 of the North
Atlantic Treaty.
* Operation Active Endeavour was a maritime operation of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization. It operated in the Mediterranean Sea and was designed to prevent the movement of
terrorists or weapons of mass destruction. It had collateral benefits in enhanced security of
shipping in general
• U.S. objectives
The Authorisation for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists or was made law on 14
September 2001, to authorise the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible
for the September 11 attacks. Congress declares this is intended to constitute specific statutory
authorisation within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution of 1973*.
* the purpose of this joint resolution is to authorize the continued participation of United States
Armed Forces in the Multinational Force in Lebanon.
5 objectives were introduced:

1. Defeat terrorists such as Osama bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and destroy their
organisations
2. Identify, locate and demolish terrorists along with their organisations
3. Reject sponsorship, support and sanctuary to terrorists
4. Reduce the underlying conditions that terrorists seek to exploit
5. Protect U.S. citizens and interests at home and abroad
• Criticism
Criticism of the War on Terror addressed the issues of morality, efficiency, economics, and other
questions surrounding the War on Terror. The notion of a "war" against "terrorism" has proven
highly contentious, with critics saying that it has been exploited by participating governments to
pursue long-standing policy/military objectives, reduce civil liberties, and infringe upon human
rights. It is argued that the term war is not appropriate in this context since there is no
identifiable enemy and that it is unlikely international terrorism can be brought to an end by
military means.
Other critics, such as Francis Fukuyama, note that "terrorism" is not an enemy, but a tactic,
calling it a "war on terror", obscures differences between conflicts such as anti-occupation
insurgents and international mujahideen. With a military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan and its
associated collateral damage, Shirley Williams maintains this increases resentment and terrorist
threats against the West. There is also perceived U.S. hypocrisy, media-induced hysteria, and that
differences in foreign and security policy have damaged America's reputation internationally.
• So will it even end?

After almost 20 years of considerable strategic consistency during the presidencies of George
Bush and Barack Obama, Donald Trump promising to “bomb the hell” out of ISIS and “defeat
them fast.”
The failures of America’s counterterrorism campaign outweighed its successes. The war in
Afghanistan had effectively scattered the al-Qaeda network, thereby making it even harder to
counteract, and that the attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq had increased anti-Americanism among
the world of Muslims. It is alleged that the war on terrorism was a contrived smokescreen for the
pursuit of a larger U.S. geopolitical agenda that included controlling global oil reserves,
increasing defence spending, expanding the country’s international military presence, and
countering the strategic challenge posed by various regional powers.
President Trump’s administration introduced a National Defence Strategy meant to shift U.S.
focus toward great-power competition with China. Trump’s presidency has barely avoided full-
scale war with Iran, and it’s maintaining two U.S. carrier strike groups in the Middle East for the
first time in almost a decade.
All this adds up to a continuing commitment of resources and attention to a region that no longer
represents the area of greatest concern to national security. Terrorism, as we’ve come to think of
it, is still a real threat, but it’s one of many competing national security issues and doesn’t
necessarily present the gravest threat.
President’s Trump “Peace Plan”, which was introduced on 28 January 2020. The plan gives a lot
of advantage to Israel and “disarms” Palestine. This may be interpreted as a move to weaken out
some of the players in the war, in order to achieve advantage over them. Nevertheless, like
crime, terrorism can only be reduced to what officials call "manageable levels". And today there
is already a newly emerging threat, that of far-right extremism, something that will likely breathe
new life into what appears to be a War without End.
The coronavirus pandemic might change the tone of the war, putting it on hold, having in mind
the spendings of the country for supporting its citizens and helping the business.

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• Introduction

• Precursor to the September 11 attacks

• Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty

5 objectives were introduced:

• So will it even end?

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