War and Terrorism Review

QUESTION

For your final project, you are asked to choose a social problem to write about from the list below and
write a 6-8 page paper (minimum 6 pages) describing the problem, organized efforts to alleviate it, any
resistance to these efforts by organized groups, and the current state of affairs relating to the problem.
List of Social Problems from Which to Choose your Topic
 Poverty
 Social Inequality (you can choose between race/ethnicity, class, gender, and you can choose to
analyze inequality on the national or global levels)
 Ageism
 Crime/Criminal Justice and Violence
 Sexuality
 Alcohol and Other Drugs
 Physical and Mental Health
 Social Problems Relating to Politics
 Domestic Violence
 Social Problems Relating to Education
 Social Problems Relating to Urban Life
 Social Problems Relating to the Environment
 War and Terrorism
Your paper should contain the following components:
 A historical description of the problem
 A description of the social movement(s) developed to alleviate the problem and their strategies
 A description of any organized resistance to the efforts to alleviate the problem
 A description of the extent to which efforts to alleviate the problem were successful, and the
reasons for the success or failure.
 A description of the current state of affairs relating to the problem at hand.
 Concluding remarks, including comments as to the future directions efforts to alleviate the
problem should take in order to ensure success.

For this project, you should utilize, apart from your textbook, a minimum of one academic book and
two academic articles (from peer reviewed sociological journals). For your articles, I recommend using
the JSTOR database and selecting sociology as your discipline. Additional sources may be utilized, as
long as you find them to be reliable in the sense of having good quality control.

Proper referencing is required for this project, including a bibliography of sources used. You may use any
referencing style you desire, as long as it is used consistently.

ANSWER

A Historical Overview

Struggle and fear are two entangled Dilemma that have plagued humanity across epochs. Struggle typically manifests as the confrontation of might between two or more sovereign states, while fear epitomizes the employment of coercion and intimidation’s in pursuit of political goals. These twin crises have inflicted immense human suffering and ruin, urging the international collective to devise potent resolutions. This treatise will deliver a chronological dissection of struggle and fear, sketch the citizen-led actions formulated to palliate these matters, delve into the organized resistance faced by these initiatives, scrutinize the extent of their efficacy, illustrate the current landscape of these crises, and provide final reflections on future trajectories to ameliorate them.

Historical Examination of the Dilemma

The quandary of struggle and fear is not a recent anomaly. This conundrum has consistently posed a grave threat to global harmony and stability. Over the course of history, countries and communities have locked horns over resources, dominion, and ideological systems (Brands et al., 2023). Among the most memorable battles in recorded history are the Peloponnesian War, the Hundred Years’ War, the Napoleonic Warfare, the Great War, and World War II. These struggles have led to immense human suffering, millions of casualties and displacements, obliterated infrastructures and economies, and left indelible scars on societies.

Fear, too, is not a contemporary development. The use of brutality to attain political ends has roots in ancient times. The Assassins, a covert sect of Shia Muslims, resorted to assassinations and scare tactics to consolidate power in the 11th and 12th centuries. In the 20th century, fear became more rampant, with groups such as the Irish Republican Army, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the Red Brigades launching attacks against civilians and governing bodies.

Some catalysts for warfare include territorial disagreements, economic ambitions, political dogmas, and faith. Fear is frequently driven by political and ideological aims, such as self-governance, religious radicalism, or opposition to a particular regime or belief system. Poverty, inadequate education, and other societal and economic factors may also fuel the spread of fear.

Citizen-Led Actions to Palliate the Dilemma and Their Tactics

Citizen-led actions have arisen to palliate the quandary of struggle and fear. These initiatives have taken diverse shapes, like peace agencies, advocacy alliances, and international entities. These collectives have formulated various tactics to grapple with the issue, including diplomacy, mediation, and lobbying.

One of the most eminent peace agencies is the Nobel Peace Prize laureate International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The ICAN is an alliance of bodies from around the world that aim to lobby for the eradication of nuclear arms (Ruff, 2022). ICAN’s approach involves amplifying public awareness of the dangers of nuclear armaments, lobbying for the banning of nuclear arms, and encouraging disarmament negotiations between nations.

Another significant peace entity is the United Nations (UN), which emerged in the wake of World War II to safeguard global peace and security (Carayannis & Weiss, 2021). The UN has been instrumental in efforts to grapple with the quandary of struggle and fear, playing a pivotal role in orchestrating global efforts to avert and resolve confrontations. The United Nations has devised a range of tactics to confront the quandary of struggle and fear.

A pivotal approach employed by the United Nations (UN) in mitigating the threats of warfare and acts of terror revolves around the enhancement of global unity. The UN has vigorously endeavored to strengthen the ties among countries via the encouragement of diplomacy, open conversations, and peaceful settlements of disagreements. Moreover, the UN has strived to stimulate economic growth and the eradication of poverty, acknowledging these as integral elements in diminishing the probability of hostilities and acts of terror.

Apart from peacekeeping institutions, there exist advocacy entities dedicated to easing the issues of warfare and acts of terror. Amnesty International signifies a rights-oriented organization committed to safeguarding the privileges of individuals globally, with an emphasis on aspects such as freedom of speech and expression, the termination of capital punishment, and the prevention of torture and other brutal practices. This entity has devised a multitude of strategies to tackle the issue of warfare and acts of terror, including documenting rights violations, advocating for civilian protection in conflict-ridden regions, and campaigning for the termination of capital punishment.

Structured Opposition to Initiatives Aimed at Mitigating the Issue

Notwithstanding the endeavors of social initiatives to alleviate the issues of warfare and acts of terror, structured opposition movements exist that contradict these efforts. These factions often possess diverse objectives and ideologies compared to social initiatives and may resort to aggression to realize their goals.

A quintessential illustration of structured opposition to initiatives aimed at mitigating the problem of terror is the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). ISIS signifies a militant faction that aspires to establish a caliphate in the Middle East and employs violent and terror tactics to realize its objectives (Harmon & Bowdish, 2018). The faction has executed a plethora of assaults against civilians and governments, including the 2015 Paris atrocities and the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.

The arms commerce represents another example of structured opposition to initiatives aimed at mitigating the issue of warfare and acts of terror. The arms commerce is a multi-billion dollar sector that profits from the fabrication and commerce of weaponry. The sector has faced condemnation for instigating conflicts globally by trading arms with governments and non-state actors engaged in wars and skirmishes. A representation of the arms industry is Lockheed Martin, a US-based firm that manufactures an extensive array of military weapons, apparatus, and surveillance systems. Lockheed Martin has been implicated in numerous controversies related to the fabrication and commerce of weaponry. In 2018, Lockheed Martin faced criticism for its involvement in the Yemen war, where its weapons were deployed by the Saudi-led alliance in assaults that resulted in civilian casualties.

Degree of Success in Mitigating the Issue

The success of initiatives aimed at alleviating the issues of warfare and acts of terror has been inconsistent. While social initiatives and global organizations have achieved some degree of success in diminishing the occurrence of warfare and acts of terror, there have also been reversals and obstacles.

One of the most successful instances of efforts to alleviate the issue of warfare is the decline in the number of armed conflicts in recent years. As per the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, the number of global armed conflicts has dipped from a maximum of 52 in 1991 to 25 in 2019. This decline is attributable to a multitude of factors, such as the enhancement of global unity, the refinement of conflict resolution mechanisms, and economic growth.

Initiatives to mitigate the issues associated with terroristic activities have indeed marked some victories. As per the Global Terrorism Index, fatalities due to terrorism dropped by nine per cent, amounting to 6,701 lives lost and is now 38 per cent beneath its zenith in 2015. The decrease in fatalities coincided with a decline in the incident count, with acts of terrorism plunging by nearly 28 per cent, from 5,463 in 2021 to 3,955 in 2022. Efforts by administrations and global entities to counteract terrorism through strategies such as law enforcement and military intervention, coupled with endeavors to confront the root causes of terrorism, like poverty and educational deficits, were notable.

Nevertheless, there have also been hindrances and complications in the initiatives to mitigate the issues of war and terrorism. The emergence of populist and nationalist movements across numerous countries has resulted in a dip in international collaboration and a surge in tensions among nations. Moreover, the advent of new terroristic methods, like cyberterrorism and lone-actor attacks, has complicated counterterrorism measures. The persisting conflict in Syria serves as an illustration of this. The conflict initiated in 2011, when nonviolent demonstrations against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad were met with brutal suppression. From then, the conflict has morphed into a convoluted and multi-dimensional battle, involving multiple players, including the Syrian government, opposition factions, extremist entities like ISIS, and foreign authorities.

Present Circumstances Concerning the Issue

The present circumstances regarding the issues of war and terrorism are intricate and multi-dimensional, with different regions and nations encountering varying degrees of conflict and instability. Despite some progress in curbing the frequency of war and terrorism, many challenges persist that need resolution.

One of the most daunting hurdles we face is the prolonged strife in Syria, which has triggered the forced relocation of countless individuals and the loss of numerous lives. The struggle has been aggravated by the involvement of territorial and global forces, not to mention the rise of radical sects such as ISIS. The escalation of extreme-right radicalism and white supremacist aggression represents an additional considerable obstacle. These sects are increasingly being linked to a rising tally of attacks against innocent civilians and minority populations, coinciding with an uptick in hate-related offenses and prejudice.

Potential Paths for Actions to Diminish the Problem To guarantee the effectiveness of actions aimed at diminishing the issues of warfare and terrorism, it’s crucial to tackle the primary sources of these dilemmas. This includes addressing the societal, financial, and political elements that ignite the expansion of terrorism and the inception of conflicts. A crucial future tactic to diminish this issue is to cultivate global cooperation and discourse among countries. This can be accomplished via the strengthening of global organizations like the UN, supplemented by enhanced diplomacy and negotiations among countries.

Addressing the fundamental catalysts of violent extremism and hostility, such as impoverishment, insufficient schooling, and societal exclusion, might also function as an antidote to these deep-seated predicaments. This can be realized through the advancement of economic growth, literacy, and societal inclusivity, as well as through the provision of community-based amenities and aid for underserved communities.

Actions must also be initiated to confront the problem of arms dissemination, which intensifies disputes on a global scale. This can be actualized through stricter oversight on the business and exchange of armaments, coupled with enhanced cooperation among countries to thwart unauthorized weaponry transactions. Moreover, measures should be adopted to counter radical ideologies and indoctrination that ignite hostility and extremism. This can be actualized through the advocacy of tolerance, cultural diversity, and interfaith dialogue, as well as through the utilization of counter-narratives that refute extremist indoctrination.

The labyrinthine and multi-dimensional issue of warfare and acts of terror demands a strategically unified and enduring commitment for its resolution. Notwithstanding the notable progress achieved in mitigating this issue, a multitude of hurdles persist, encompassing ongoing turmoil in places like Syria and the escalating surge of far-right radicalism.

In the quest to secure successful strategies for the mitigation of these problems, it is pivotal to confront the root causes behind warfare and terroristic acts, factors such as destitution, educational deficiencies, and societal alienation. These daunting tasks can be tackled via the enhancement of global collaboration, economic progression, scholastic initiatives, and societal integration, concurrently with the advocacy for legal justice and human dignity.

By adopting an all-inclusive, unified method, we can aspire towards a world that is significantly more tranquil and secure, where the menace of warfare and acts of terror are drastically minimized. The onus lies upon us as individuals, governmental bodies, and global entities to unite in our efforts to realize this objective.

Conclusion

In summation dedicated initiatives ought to be undertaken to bolster the principles of legal justice and human dignity, the bedrocks essential for the prevention of discord and terroristic acts. This can be realized through the advocacy of democratic principles, human rights, legal justice, and the backing of human rights champions and societal organizations.

References

Brands, H., Feaver, P., & Inboden, W. (2023). Stress Testing American Grand Strategy II: CRITICAL ASSUMPTIONS AND GREAT-POWER RIVALRY. American Enterprise Institute. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep48799

Carayannis, T., & Weiss, T. G. (2021). The ‘Third’UN: Imagining Post‐COVID‐19 Multilateralism. Global Policy, 12(1), 5-14.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1758-5899.12919

Harmon, C. C., & Bowdish, R. G. (2018). Social Media: The Islamic State’s Multimedia Blitzkrieg. In The Terrorist Argument: Modern Advocacy and Propaganda (pp. 205–240). Brookings Institution Press.http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7864/j.ctt1vjqr1x.13

Ruff, T. A. (2022). Ending nuclear weapons before they end us: current challenges and paths to avoiding a public health catastrophe. Journal of public health policy, 43(1), 5-17.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41271-021-00331-9