War on Terror Essay Example

to historical events like the September 11 bombing and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States has not faced any foreign country attacks. However, it is important to note that the bombing of Pearl Harbor did not directly invade or bomb American territory. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the impact of September 11 on American and international politics. As argued by Keller (2005), these attacks created uncertainty regarding their motive as they lacked specific demands.

The source (p. 60) suggests specific measures to pacify terrorists and eliminate their incentive for future attacks. It is crucial to recognize that acts of violence lacking a clear motive, intended solely for public attention, cannot be categorized as terrorism but rather as crimes. Moreover, terrorism shares similarities with ordinary crime as it entails political violence against the general population.

Keller (2005) defines terrorism as an act that aims to instill fear in a specific community to achieve political goals. According to Keller, terrorists are individuals who carry out such acts (p.58). This implies that violence can only be classified as terrorism if it has a political motive. The text raises doubts about the significance of September 11 and its impact on global society and America, questioning whether one bombing targeting two buildings can bring about substantial change. Additionally, Keller debates the effectiveness of the war on terror, arguing that it is not truly against terror itself since terror is a feeling rather than an entity. The author emphasizes the distinction between a war between two parties and a war against something. For instance, during World War 2, Japan waged a war on Korea without reciprocation from Korea, resulting in

there not being a war between Korea and Japan (Keller, 2005, p.55).

Despite not directly engaging in combat with Japan during World War 2, Korea did have conflicts with the country, although it was not officially recognized as a war. In contrast, Japan and America did participate in a war against each other. Keller (2005) explores in his book the differences between terrorism, poverty, and Fascism. Unlike Germany and Japan in World War 2, terrorism cannot be perceived as a physical battle (p. 55).

Chomsky challenges the validity of the phrase "war on terror" and criticizes its usage, highlighting the lack of consideration for innocent victims in Afghanistan who are oppressed by the Taliban. This aligns with bin Laden's objectives. The US government continuously increases its budget to sustain these wars and should instead promptly end the war on terror.

Despite the American government's 7-year-long war on terror, it appears that they have not made significant progress or achieved success in their plan.

In order to enhance combat effectiveness and succeed in the Global War on Terror (2006), the White House has announced a $3.4 billion allocation for restructuring the Army to increase its agility and self-sufficiency.

In addition, President Bush has formally requested Congress for $72, as confirmed by the White House.

President Bush has requested $65.3 billion to support the Global War on Terror until Fiscal Year 2006. This funding will be utilized to aid U.S troops and field commanders, as well as prepare Iraqi and Afghan security forces and governments in their battle against insurgents, promotion of democracy, and provision of emergency humanitarian relief. The allocation breakdown consists of $65.3 billion for the Department of Defense, $4.2 billion

for the Department of State and other international operations, $2.9 billion for Intelligence Community management and classified activities related to the War on Terror, and $16 million for other agencies involved in counterterrorism efforts.

In addition, there is a proposed 4.3% increase in fiscal year 2007 budget allocated to U.S international broadcasting with a specific emphasis on addressing the war on terror.

Over the past 7 years, the Army's involvement in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has led to a significant expenditure of money. However, despite an increase in budget allocation for these conflicts, progress has been limited.

The accompanying pie chart displays the American government's spending on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the war on terror. The total federal funds spent amount to $2,650 billion.

• Military spending accounts for 54% ($1,449 billion).
• Non-military spending makes up 46% ($1,210 billion).

Currently, military expenses consist of $653 billion from the Department of Defense and $150 billion from other departments. Additionally, there is an extra $162 billion allocated to supplement the underestimated budget of $38 billion for the "war on terror." The category known as "past military" includes veterans' benefits and 80% of interest on debt. Overall, military spending represents 4% of total federal fund expenditure.

The U.S. government allocates more than half of its funds to combat terrorism and continues to do so. The bar chart displays the growing amount of funding dedicated by the U.S. government for the global war on terror. A spokesperson mentioned that in 2007, the "Global War on Terror" received $200 billion [Furthermore, an additional $162 billion was included to supplement the Budget's underestimated $38 billion in "allowances" for

the 2009 "War on Terror," which covers Iraq and Afghanistan]. There was a substantial increase in funding between 2001 and 2009.

In 2001, the expenditure on terrorism was $20 billion. By 2009, funding for terrorism had increased tenfold compared to 2001. Additionally, a chart demonstrates that U.S. military spending is equivalent to the combined military spending of the next 15 countries. These figures depict each country's respective military expenditures. Some contend that U.

The United States, with the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) globally, has a consequent increase in military spending. This accounts for 47 percent of the world's total military expenditure, despite having around 21 percent of the world's GDP. It is worth mentioning that among the top 15 countries listed, at least 12 are recognized as allies of the United States.

From 2001 to the present, the American government has consistently prioritized allocating a significantly larger amount of funds towards its military compared to Iran and North Korea, with a ratio of 72 to one. The substantial increase in funding prompts inquiries regarding its source. Zinn (2002) asserts that the government's justification of a "war on terrorism" enables ongoing warfare and oppression, ultimately resulting in profits for corporations. Nonetheless, Zinn cautions that this strategy will eventually lead to a world that is more precarious and hazardous.

The war on terrorism serves a two-fold purpose. Its primary objective is the apprehension of terrorists, while its secondary goal is to instill fear in the public. This strategy allows those in power to maintain control over the nation for an extended period. Additionally, it raises concerns about terrorists' response to this war and their interactions with each other. Furthermore,

it prompts an investigation into the specific reasons why these individuals targeted the United States.

An article from the New York Times (16/9) suggests that terrorists carry out their actions due to their disdain towards cherished Western values such as freedom, tolerance, prosperity, religious pluralism, and universal suffrage.

The promotion of freedom and values in America has made it a target for terrorists. After the September 11 attacks, the American government took strong action by including Iraq in the war, even without evidence linking Iraq to Al Qaeda. According to The Washington Post's 2006 report, the September 11 commission determined that there was no collaborative relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda. This unexpected revelation contradicted earlier arguments made by the American government about a connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda, as well as Iraq's possession of destructive weapons. Chomsky (2001) highlighted this as an important point.

The U.S. government is exploiting opportunities to advance its own agenda, which includes activities like missile defense and the militarization of space. It also seeks to undermine social democratic programs and downplay concerns about negative impacts of corporate "globalization," environmental issues, and health insurance. The government aims to implement measures that concentrate wealth among a few while suppressing public debate and protest. This argument suggests that countering terrorism serves as a means for the American government to achieve objectives beyond just fighting terrorism itself, such as promoting militarization. Furthermore, terrorists' response can be traced back to their reaction against the Soviet Union's invasion in Afghanistan when the U.S. provided weapons and assistance to support Afghan people.

According to Keller (2005), the Middle East has undergone ideological shifts in response to their enemies.

It is important to note that a morally acceptable act of terrorism is not supported. In fact, if an act can be classified as terrorism, it warrants condemnation (p. 55). This perspective recognizes both the moral wrongdoing of terrorism and the difficulty in determining its ethical status. An illustration of this complexity lies in the universality of patriotism - American troops fight for their nation while Afghan troops fight for their own country.

Each troop has their own purpose. America became involved in the Middle East Asian region during the Cold War, supporting Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. This interference resulted in a war on terrorism without considering the consequences. Ultimately, terrorism is a violent act that aims to instill fear in the general public and achieve political goals. However, attacking innocent individuals under any circumstances is unforgivable and must be completely stopped. Nonetheless, the concept of a "war on terror" is illogical as it implies a conflict between two equally powerful entities, while terrorism itself is intangible and represents nothing more than a sentiment.

Despite ongoing military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq for 7 years, the U.S. government has failed to capture leaders of Al Qaeda and its allies. Unfortunately, innocent people have become victims of these conflicts. Additionally, it seems that the government's motives go beyond eliminating terrorism domestically or globally. They are using the war on terrorism to create fear among the public, ensuring blind trust in their statements and consolidating their power. These unintended strategies inadvertently aid Al Qaeda and its allies as determining who qualifies as terrorists becomes increasingly unclear. The concept of a war against terror or terrorism is broad and

abstract, including not only Al Qaeda or the Taliban but also other terrorist groups worldwide.

The presence of terrorists in the world is significant and it seems impossible to eliminate all of them. The ongoing War on Terrorism is a continuous battle against an unknown and unpredictable enemy, making success highly unlikely.

Reference list

1. Keller, S (2005) 'Conceptualizing the War on Terrorism' in Shanahan, T (1st eds.) Philosophy 9/11 Open Court: Illinois, pp53-69.
2. Chomsky, N (2001) September 11 Allen; Unwin: Crows Nest, pp. 23-27.
3. Herman, E, S., and O'sullivan, G (1989) The Terrorism Industry: the Experts and institutions that Shape our view of Terror Pantheon Books: New York,
   pp. 191-213.
4. The White House (2006) 'reporting' http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060216-11.
5. html, downloaded 27/05/2008.
6. Bibliography Broadcasting Board of Governors (2008) 'Broadcasting Budget Targets War on Terror' www.bbg.gov/_bbg_news.cfm? articleID=133,
   downloaded 25/05/2008.
7. Warresisters (2008) 'where your income tax money really goes' www.

The website warresisters.org/pages/piechart.htm was downloaded on 25/05/2008. According to Pincus and Milbank (2004) in their article ‘Al Qaeda-Hussein Link Is Dismissed’ available at http://www, there is no connection between Al Qaeda and Hussein.

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washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/articles/A47812-2004Jun16. html, downloaded 25/05/2008.

remains unchanged.