Terrorism in a vacuum (redux)

STUDY: The Terrorism Index, Foreign Policy magazine and the Center for American Progress, August 18, 2008

Back in May, Tom posted about his participation in a survey on terrorism by Foreign Policy magazine and the Center for American Progress. The results are in (above).

Below I'm re-posting the letter he got and his response.

The letter:

On behalf of Foreign Policy magazine and the Center for American Progress, we would like to invite you to participate in the Terrorism Index, a survey of terrorism and national security experts from across the ideological spectrum.

The index, which last appeared in the September/October 2007 issue of Foreign Policy, is widely considered a benchmark assessment of U.S. national security and the fight against international terrorism. It has helped shape the policy debate and received substantial media coverage, both in America and abroad. Its findings have been reported in such media outlets as CNN, ABC News, Fox News, the New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, and NPR. This attention is a testament to how hungry the world is for information that helps distill the complex foreign policy issues we face today. At the core of the survey's success are experts such as yourself.

Tom's thoughts on the survey:

My take: "Somewhat interesting, but a bit narrow in focus. Terrorism in a vacuum is how it felt. Weren't any questions that related to economics per se, although in many lists, you could choose "more aid,"

For biggest U.S. threat, I put "our own trade protectionism."

For biggest U.S. policy goal, I put "expand global economy."

I had to write both of those in, but they had nothing like that.

Comments

[Daniel McIntosh]

It's all in how you ask the question, isn't it?

Seriously, was the fact that FP wrote the quiz in this way an indication of laziness, dishonesty, or a just a lack of imagination?

[Bill C.]

Interesting that the American people seem to be:

a. Very much focused on economic matters being the most important issues (to wit: rising energy costs, the subprime mortgage implosion, cost of healthcare, quality of education and the federal budget deficit) but

b. Seem to see "terrorism," as a much less important economic issue than those items noted above (and 10th in Pew poll).

[Bill C.]

Tom's phrase "terrorism in a vacuum" got me thinking.

Certainly terrorism might be considered within the context of: Globalization.

However, terrorism might better be considered within the context of: The aspect of globalization that requires the foreign domination of civilization homelands.

In this latter context, I note that a number of the great civilizations that have not fully joined the modern world (such as the Islamic civilization) are also great civilizations whose homeland(s) are significantly controlled by foreign powers.

In this context (civilization homelands significantly controlled by foreign powers), the Islamic World, like the great Chinese civilization before it, might be seen to be going through its "Boxer Rebellion" phase (anti-imperialist/"terrorist" movement centered on returning the civilization to the old ways.)

Thus, as in the Chinese, Islamic and other civilization cases, the aspect of globalization that requires that civilization homelands be dominated and controlled by foreign powers -- this is humbly offered as a more-focused context within which to view terrorism.