NCJ Number
111526
Date Published
1986
Length
63 pages
Annotation
This study faults current U.S. counterterrorist policy as being essentially reactive and inappropriate to the nature of the terrorist threat, and it discusses the major elements required to develop an action straategy by the military for the pre-emption and punishment of terrorist actions.
Abstract
The booklet first discusses the major characteristics of modern terrorism as a potent weapon of political, psychological, and armed conflict that has yet to be fully appreciated by the U.S. military establishment. It then argues that current counterterrorist concepts are inadequate for laying the groundwork of an offensive capability. The proposed perspective of terrorism as a form of war against the United States is the basis for suggesting pre-emptive military initiatives against terrorism. A discussion of various types of counterterrorist doctrine shows how they govern the development of forces capable of taking the offensive against terrorists and their sponsor states. An exploration of policy dimensions produces an analytical framework for selecting and using existing forces and developing new forces to attack various types of terrorist targets. The study concludes with suggestions for changes before policymakers can develop or implement a counterterrorism capability. 75-item bibliography.