America's Enduring Obsession: Terrorism and WMDs

Strategic Insights -

The incoming Obama administration's stance on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction is unlikely to diverge significantly from the previous administration's, despite a new era of diplomacy and "smart power" promised by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Leaders on both sides of the aisle agree that preventing WMDs from falling into the hands of terrorists is a top priority, a consensus driven by the devastating 9/11 attacks. Secretary Clinton called a nuclear-armed Iran "unacceptable," and incoming President Barack Obama has pledged to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, echoing the previous administration's stance.

Key Takeaways:

  • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized the importance of diplomacy and "smart power" in addressing foreign policy challenges, with persuasion taking priority over coercion.
  • The incoming Obama administration is unlikely to significantly alter its stance on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, despite promises of a new approach.
  • There is a bipartisan consensus in the US that preventing WMDs from falling into the hands of terrorist groups is a top priority, driven by the lessons of 9/11.
  • Secretary Clinton described a nuclear-armed Iran as "unacceptable," mirroring the previous administration's stance.
  • Incoming President Barack Obama has pledged to take a similar stance on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
  • On North Korea, Secretary Clinton stated that the US will "embark upon a very aggressive effort" to remove nuclear weapons from the Kim Jong-il regime.
  • The previous Bush administration's efforts to engage in diplomatic channels with North Korea and Iran through European mediators were ultimately unsuccessful.

Statistics:

  • Since 9/11, US leaders have had a recurring nightmare of destruction that would make that September day pale by comparison.
  • The number of civilians killed in the 9/11 attacks: thousands
  • The estimated number of people killed by the Iraq War (2003-2011):

+ US military deaths: approximately 4,500

+ Iraqi civilian deaths: estimated between 150,000 and 1 million (Source: Iraq Body Count)

  • The number of nuclear tests conducted by North Korea: 3 (2006, 2009, and 2013)
  • The oil supplies provided to North Korea in exchange for its agreement to shut down a nuclear reactor: in exchange for oil supplies, North Korea agreed to shut down the reactor in 2007.

Sources:

  • "The gravest threat that America faces is the danger that weapons of mass destruction will fall into the hands of terrorists." (Hillary Clinton, Senate confirmation hearings)
  • "The age of catastrophic terrorism" (John Kerry, Senate hearing)
  • "The idea of a war on terror is mistaken and misleading" (David Miliband, British Foreign Secretary)
  • "The threat of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction eclipses all others, and it will preoccupy them for years to come" (Source: the article)