Jonathan Lupton – 10R
Question 2 – What were the Aims and Methods of the War on Terror?
Many American and European politicians have stressed a war on terrorism after the attacks on September 11th 2001. The media and opposing politicians have suggested many unofficial reasons why the war on terror has started. These include the large sums of oil in the Middle East, the Jewish movement in Israel, the strategic position of Iraq and Iran in the Middle East, and a simple reason to retaliate after 9/11. However leading politicians, such as George Bush and Tony Blair, have also passed forward many formal reasons as to why they believe the war was needed.
The first aim is to ensure Rogue States, (countries which breach human rights regimes and cause a general stress to other countries), no longer support any form of terrorist activity and to spread democracy and freedom to the people of Rogue States. The USA has publicly stated that countries such as Iraq, Iran, and North Korea are all Rouge States. To achieve this aim, western countries have pushed the method of completing numerous attacks on Afghanistan. “There are thousands of these terrorists... and they are brought to camps in places like Afghanistan where they are trained in the tactics of terror.” America and its allies believe this will be a good start to the breaking of Rogue States as Afghanistan’s Taliban Government persecutes its own people, it is the base of Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban government supports Al-Qaeda’s plans and ideas. America has also pushed a spread of democratic beliefs in Iraq as their main method in the war in the area. “Our mission in Iraq is clear: ... We're helping Iraqis build a free nation that is an ally in the war on terror and advancing freedom in the broader Middle East.”America and its Allies believe that this will be beneficial to the War On Terror because it helps to reform people who turn to terrorism and stamp out the murderous ideologies of terrorism in the area.
