Dealing with Terrorism

Over the past years there has been a dramatic increase in terrorism all over the world. At the same time, many governments are at a loss on how to combat terrorism. Despite massive counter-terrorist activities, terrorist attacks in weak states such as Afghanistan and Iraq have continued and the threat of attacks in developed countries remains strong.

Terrorism is often alleged to originate from religious and national grievances as well poverty and envy. But many poor people breed no terrorists and many terrorists are not poor. Moreover, many groups with grievances do not resort to terrorist activities. What then are the primary sources of terrorism and what can governments do to combat it? Should terrorism be fought aggressively at its sources or defensively? When are foreign aid, political compromise and military force likely to be appropriate? What role can businesses play in alleviating this threat? When should security be a public initiative and when a private business?