The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) recently held a
briefing with top counter terrorism and Middle East policy
researchers and experts on the future of Iraq and the Obama
administration. Many of these experts agreed that the U.S.
troop withdrawal plan over the next few years must rely
upon both continued Iraqi security force training to
improve regional stability as well as the development and
reconstruction of Iraqi civil society. One could call the
military-based approach an exercise in counter terrorism
training for Iraqi security forces, whereas the development
based approach includes anti terrorism training for Iraqis.
The Iraqi government, security services, and greater
population will require both counter terrorism training and
anti terrorism training, which brings one to question what
exactly is the difference between anti terrorism and
counter terrorism and how can U.S. policy best incorporate
both types into an effective strategy in other countries as
well as its own terrorism prevention policy.
Counter terrorism operations are a tactical approach used
by governments, militaries, local law enforcement, and
other parties towards dealing with terrorists. Counter
terrorism includes applying intelligence and using force to
eliminate terrorists, and is essentially a strategy of
repression or suppression. The U.S. military defines
counter terrorism as "operations that include the offensive
measures taken to prevent, deter, preempt, and respond to
terrorism." (Joint Publication 1-02 Department of Defense
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms; U.S.
Department of Defense ; 12 July 2007) The short term goal
of counter terrorism policy is not to eliminate root causes
of terrorism, but to bring the current crisis under
control. Continued counter terrorism training of Iraqi
security forces is an integral component for a timely
withdrawal of U.S. troops, as Iraqi security officers need
to prepare to deal tactically with Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI)
and other subversive forces on the ground. Experts from the
USIP briefing suggested key steps related to counter
terrorism policy for the new administration should include
the continued training and equipping of Iraqi security
forces, among other efforts. (USIP briefing; "Iraq in the
Obama Administration," December 2008) Continued Iraqi
security and reconstruction, however, is also dependent
upon anti terrorism training.
While similar and often incorrectly interchanged with the
term "counter terrorism," anti terrorism is a strategic,
long- term effort towards reducing and altogether halting
terrorism by focusing on root causes and seeking to change
the environment which fosters terrorism. "Anti terrorism
tactics consist of gathering information and disseminating
it broadly, promoting public discourse, lobbying policy
makers to encourage violence reduction policies and
legislation, conducting civil litigation against terrorist
actors, and organizing social institutions to accomplish
these functions. Anti terrorism is a strategy of expanding
democracy to eliminate the causes and resources enabling
terrorism."(Paul de Armond; "Rock, Paper, Scissors: Counter
Terrorism, Anti Terrorism, and Terrorism," Public Good
Occasion Paper #6, 1997) Experts suggest that the U.S.
government must continue to lobby for a settlement between
the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central
government, develop a strategy for national elections, and
support peaceful power transitions - all efforts that can
be categorized as anti terrorism training. (USIP briefing,
December 2008)
The suggestions made by terrorism and Middle East experts
for a successful and timely withdrawal of U.S. troops from
Iraq illustrate the importance of a blended approach
towards dealing with terrorism in Iraq, across the globe,
and within the U.S. Anti terrorism and counter terrorism
strategies are jointly important for the United States'
continued success in preventing and eliminating the
terrorist threat in the present and in the future. This
blended approach highlights the importance of developing
policies under the rubric of strategic security, which is
the multi disciplinary, global view of past, present, and
future security issues that permits the timely accumulation
of accurate, objective knowledge. Strategic security
thinking is vital for the continued safety and protection
of the U.S., as well as states around the globe.
----------------------------------------------------
Daniel Sommer is Director of Marketing at Henley-Putnam
University. Henley-Putnam offers accredited online Bachelor
and Master of Science Degrees in Intelligence Management,
Terrorism & Counterterrorism Studies, and Management of
Protection Management, and a Doctoral Degree Program in
Strategic Security. For more information on Henley-Putnam
University, Counter Terrorism Training or Anti Terrorism
Training, visit http://www.Henley-Putnam.edu .
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