Exportation of Terrorism
The populations in our massively globalized societies of the world are slowly becoming accustomed to interactions with one-another. It’s not abnormal to own products and subscribe to services from individuals you have never, or will never interact with. Trades of goods and services of course, come with a set of imbalances that - contrary to theories of perfect competition - have existed since its outset. The imbalances aren’t relegated to just the discipline of economics, it influences, and is influenced by a host of others, political, social and otherwise. In terms of GDP, the United States ranks number one in per capita earnings, beating out its closest competitor China. This roughly translates to having the largest single economic footprint in the world while having only around 5% of its population.
As trade can be unequal, so too can the politics behind it. Export can be invasive, cheap products from abroad can ruin unsheltered economies, and imposition of trade regulations can alter a country’s imports. Lines can be blurred between solely economic and political acts, especially when considering the Cuban trade embargo, likely used to dissuade/punish their political ideology, or the 1923 Monroe doctrine which implied a protectorate, but didn’t ratify it. But can a country export terrorism? Isis, or The Islamic State is a radical terrorist organization based in regions of Syria and Iraq which systematically terrorizes peoples in the region, warring with surrounding areas with aims to create a state on their own grounds. What role does the U.S. have to play in this extremism that is proverbially denounced by the western intelligentsia? A good place to look is U.S. foreign policy, trade relations and agreements that took place in that region, and link the after-effects to the terrorism we experience today.
To begin, let’s take a brief look at U.S. foreign policy in regards to the areas currently occupied by ISIS. One of the first acts of intervention in the region in the last century was the U.S.-supported coup in Syria in 1949, and a similar coup in Iran just 4 years later in 1953 A. From then on the U.S. has been seen supporting varying regimes as befits their strategic needs – whether it be selling bombs to Israel in for the first time 1966, presumably to gain military ally-ship in the region, or renewed diplomatic ties with Iran during the Iraq-Iran war of 1980A. Even the massive US AID shipments of grain to Egypt in the 60’s had its own set of pros and cons. In recent years, 9/11, the ensuing Iraq War and President’s Obama’s tenuous deal with Iran are more developments of half a century of involvement in the region. The interventions and diplomatic relations, depending on who is asked, have varying justifications. Consolidation of power and monopolization of oil are common refrains, as are peacekeeping and Foreign Aid/ service. This blog post will look into the aftereffects of many of these developments to garner a good sense of what kind of foreign policy has done to influence terrorism at home and abroad.
Sources:
A - http://www.theendofhistory.net/timeline-of-us-policy-intervention
