War on Terrorism

The "War on Terrorism" or "War on Terror" (in US foreign policy circles, the global war on terrorism or GWOT{{fn|1}} ) is a campaign by the United States and some of its allies to rid the world of terrorist groups and to end state sponsorship of terrorism. There is a de facto focus on stopping Islamist terrorism.

Contemporary United States

The current "War on Terrorism" has been primarily an initiative of the United States. Daniel J. Gallington wrote:

Related Topics:
United States - Daniel J. Gallington

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:Despite the antiterrorism rhetoric of the U.N. and the major world powers, and with the very significant exception of Great Britain and a few others, we are in a world war against radical Islam by ourselves. http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20040929-084824-5586r.htm

Related Topics:
U.N. - Radical Islam

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Soon after and in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush announced his intention to begin a "War on Terrorism" a protracted struggle against terrorists and the states that aid them.

Related Topics:
September 11, 2001 attacks - George W. Bush - Terrorists

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On September 18, 2001, the U.S. Congress authorized the president to

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: "use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons." http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode50/usc_sec_50_00001541----000-notes.html

Related Topics:
September 11 - 2001

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On September 20, 2001, the U.S. President George W. Bush presented his position in an address to a joint session of Congress and the American people:

Related Topics:
September 20 - George W. Bush

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: "Our war on terror begins with al-Qaida, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated." http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html

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On October 10, 2001, the U.S. President presented a list of 22 most-wanted terrorists. Then in the first such act since World War II, President Bush signed an executive order http://www.law.uchicago.edu/tribunals/exec_order.html on November 13, 2001 allowing military tribunals against any foreigners suspected of having connections to current or planned terrorist acts on the United States. U.S.-led military forces later invaded both Afghanistan (see U.S. invasion of Afghanistan) and, controversially, Iraq (see 2003 Iraq War) under the pretext of the War on Terrorism.

Related Topics:
October 10 - World War II - November 13 - Military tribunal - United States - Afghanistan - U.S. invasion of Afghanistan - Iraq - 2003 Iraq War

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These undertakings were advanced through fear that subsequent terror attacks could be much worse, including a growing fear of nuclear terrorism, and the 2001 anthrax attacks ultimately discovered to have originated from a US government lab at the Dugway Proving Ground.

Related Topics:
Nuclear terrorism - 2001 anthrax attacks - Dugway Proving Ground

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Several governments have provided aid in some aspect of the conflict; for example by making arrests of suspected terrorists and freezing bank accounts.

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The USA has received limited military help from some (with the exception of the United Kingdom) usually small governments. In the United States, the War on Terrorism became the prism through which international relations were viewed, supplanting the Cold War and in some cases the war on drugs.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - Cold War - War on drugs

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Many pre-existing disputes were re-cast in terms of the War on Terrorism, including Plan Colombia and the Colombian civil war; the United States' diplomatic and military disputes with Iraq, Iran, and North Korea; the conflict between Russia and Chechnya; and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The two largest campaigns undertaken as part of the War on Terrorism have been those in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Related Topics:
Plan Colombia - Iraq - Iran - North Korea - Russia - Chechnya - Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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