The leaders of these terrorist networks are the real driving force behind them. The United States of America made an attempt to destroy terrorist networks, by killing leaders or capturing them. America attempted air strikes, so that leaders had no prior knowledge or warning of the attack. The problem is America is also killing innocent women and children in these attacks. For example when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq was killed is was said that other people were killed. ‘On June 7th 2006 Zarqawi was killed near the city of Baquba in Iraq, by a United States air strike, along with as many as eight other people, including women and children’ After the leaders have been killed, they are often shown the public as proof that there leader is dead. So that groups can not go on holding onto the belief it was not there leader that was killed.
Another role played by the United States in all of this is there detention camp called Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba. The civilised countries around the world have laws. Stating that someone can not be kept locked up without trial or charge for a small amount of time. These laws also apply in the United States. Guantanamo Bay is in Cuba, where they do not have the laws in place. At Guantanamo prisoners are interrogated. Accusations of torture are brought forward by many prisoners. People being held are accused members of al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Or people just accused of fighting against the forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. America classes these detainees as ’enemy combatants’, out of 775 total prisoners; 420 have been released and 355 are still locked up. With only a small percentage quoted as being put on trial soon. One of the most famous and well-known prisoners of Guantanomo bay is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man who has reportedly confessed to the bombings in Bali, the September 11th attacks and the Richard Reid shoe bombing attempt. The Bali bombing was against Australia, ‘We warned Australia not to join the war in Afghanistan’, this was reportedly said by Bin Laden - but this can not be guaranteed.
Captured terrorists can be used by America to find out information on there fellow members of extremist groups. America has used various ‘techniques’ but accusations of torture have emerged. The issues that America is addressing using these terrorists includes, training bases, methods and where the groups are being funded from. A resolution was actually passed by the United Nations. Meaning that all countries would have to obey the law of human rights. Reports had to be submitted by countries. But the United States and Israel did not produce reports. Which leaves us asking why they made a refusal and what have they got to hide from the United Nations. A method was used by America after the September 11th attack, Muslims and Arabs were bugged and arrested in a search for information. ‘and were subjected to other excessive violations of human rights’ (Pan-Arab International Newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat)
One of the final methods that was used, was by the United Nations was another resolution was passed. Saying that all countries that are members of the United Nations should share all information on what they know is taking place in relation to plans for terrorist attacks.
A different side to what is happening on the ‘War on Terror’ is the invasion of countries. With an aim to gain information and the capture or kill the leaders of the radical groups. In October of 2001 Afghanistan was invaded. After America demanded that the Taliban (another radical group) handed over the members of al-Qaeda that were sheltering in there country. After the refusal by the Taliban, the United States and it’s allies (which included the United Kingdom) began targeting al-Qaeda and the taliban. The Afghan Northern Alliance was supported by the special forces of the United States and Europe. They started fighting on the ground and managed to capture a lot of Afghanistan. Up to the present day there is still conflict involving the United States and the allies in Afghanistan.
Another invasion and the most recent is the Invasion of Iraq was in the month of March in 2003. The main reason for this war was to remove Saddam Hussein from leader of Iraq. On the suspicion of having weapons of mass destruction and supporting global terrorism. Saddam Hussein was later put on trial and executed. George Bush the leader of America announced that the main war in Iraq was over and that they had won. Although many Iraqis saw that America was helping there country and putting it back to a state of normality, there were small groups that fought back. These insurgents see themselves as the fighters of a religious war. Where they want to get rid of all the non-Muslim groups in Iraq and liberate the country. To get there aims fighters have used suicide bombers, car bombs, roadside bombs and hostages. For example the United Kingdom citizen Ken Bigley was taken hostage in Iraq. He was killed on the 7th October 2004 by beheading. A release was attempted, but no positive outcome came though. His words were ’I’m not afraid. You only die once’
The response by the Islamic terrorist groups to the ’War on Terror’ was that of controversy. Many people have stated that more harm than good has been done to countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. And the reasoning for the war had been questioned. ‘few common causes, no common enemy and no common strategy for fighting one’ (Todd Richissin)
