Global Terrorism, Revised Edition

As the first phase of the war on terrorism ended with at least a partial victory over the Taliban and al-Qaeda, a new phase opened. This new phase focuses attention on the ability of dispersed al-Qaeda members to carry out attacks on targets throughout the world, as well as the many other terrorist groups and regional hot spots that could spawn future attacks on the United States or embroil the country in military intervention. The U.S. government has expressed great concern about the threats of state-sponsored terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (most notably in Iraq, Iran, and North Korea) and terrorist-guerrilla movements. Global Terrorism, Revised Edition addresses the new reality of terrorism at home and abroad, combining an updated general perspective on terrorism (including a historical introduction and theoretical discussion) with recent events and publications. Two important features are updated regional coverage of terrorism in North America that places the recent attacks and responses in global perspective, and the discussion of regional hot spots and events in connection with the expansion of the war on terrorism declared by the United States. This volume addresses issues such as the Israel-Palestine conflict as well as the U.S. military invasion of Iraq. T he attitude toward terrorism in nations such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt and the public involvement of U.S. armed forces as trainers and advisers in the Philippines and Columbia are covered. The book also sheds light on the actions of North Korea and U.S. responses. With the geography of world terrorism constantly changing, this revised edition provides readers with essential information for understanding what is happening in the war against terror, why it is happening, and what it may lead to in the future.