The problematic of the war on terrorism through American unilateralism & European multilateralism in the Middle East. (c2007)

Abstract

Globalization and terrorism are key issues in today's international affairs. Interdependence used to be among major powers and their respective colonies. The world continues to remain interdependent, yet, in a different form. Indeed, international relations almost always involve violence and war, nevertheless, they are also centered on economic interests and trade. Wars would most of the time have territorial purposes. Today, the United States is leading a war against trans-national terrorism, a phenomenon that has evolved throughout globalization, particularly with the advancement of technology and its relatively simple access. September 11 bluntly illustrated the use of a global means, the airplane, and a plot accurately masterminded in different parts of the world. Terrorism, in addition, acquired different aspects. In the past, it would be addressed against specific statesmen, related to a defined political cause. More recently, it remained a method with political objectives. Yet, it now targets innocent civilians, little involved in state policies. Nevertheless, in the eyes of the trans-national terrorists, no one is innocent. On the contrary, every person actually symbolizes the policies of the targeted state. Furthermore, the United States decided to launch a global war, a battle usually involving states, rather non-state actors. Such a position greatly affected the United States' relations with its allies, namely the European countries. The latter indeed have similar objectives in preventing and countering trans-national terrorism, particularly after having been subject to large-scale terrorist attacks at home. Yet, as opposed to American unilateralism, most European countries united in a multilateral perspective, strengthening intelligence and police measures among one another. In addition to the military approach, the United States left no choice to the other countries, which would either be with the United States, or automatically with the enemy. As a matter of fact, the source of transnational terrorism has increasingly been located in the Middle East. In the American view, the Middle East mostly hosts repressive, authoritarian, Islamic anti-American regimes which breed terrorism as a means of expression and which therefore ought to be replaced by democratic systems. The United States aims at doing so militarily. In the European view, the large immigrant population at home is composed of those who had fled countries either in conflict, or undergoing harsh political and economic crises. Following September 11, the Madrid and London attacks, immigrants with Muslim and Arab origins increasingly became associated with terrorism. As a result, Europe aimed at regulating and controlling migration, yet, with respect to human rights and refugees asylum. It therefore carefully analyzed the reason of migration and aims at promoting development in the immigrants' respective countries of Origin. As such, Europe witnessed internal divisions with regard to foreign policy vis-a-vis the United States on the one hand, and global terrorism on the other. The United Kingdom was the first to join the United States on such an initiative, while other European countries opted for policies established within a multilateral framework. This thesis brings together two different perspectives on a common inescapable reality. Both the American and European sides are aware that tans-national terrorism is implanted worldwide threatening virtually, yet, with very concrete consequences on the international order.