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RICHARDENGLISH
Introduction
Itisarguablethatterrorismresearchhasbeentransformedevenmorethanterrorismitselfduringthe
yearssincetheatrocityof9/11.Thisexcellentcollectionofpapersreflectsonsomeofthemoreexciting
trendsthathavedeveloped,interrogatessomeofthemoreangularproblemsthatpersist,anddraws
deeplyoncase-studyexpertiseinordertomovenumerousdebatesonterrorismandcounter-terrorism
veryhelpfullyforward.
Thesubjectscoveredherearenotallonesthatwillappealtothesqueamish.Does“decapitation”
ofterroristleadershipswork?Ifso,why,andunderwhatcircumstances,andatwhatcost?Isthe
integrationofterroristsintostatenetworksandstructuresjustifiedandeffectiveasacounter-terrorist
tactic?Howfarshouldweconcentrateonterroristleadersanyway?ThecasestudiesrangefromEgypt
toAlgeriatoSpaintoFrancetoDenmark.Suchimpressivebalancehelpsavoidsomeoftheproblemsthat
havehinderedterrorismresearchinrecentyears,suchasanoveremphasisonAlQaeda(thereare
probablynowmorepeoplestudyingAlQaedathanareactuallyinit),orthelackofscrutinyofthose
policieswhichhaveinpracticeworkedratherwellagainstnon-stateterroristgroups.
Historically,terrorismhaschangedworldpoliticsmuchmorepowerfullythroughtheprovocation
oflarge-scalestatereactionsthanithasthroughitsown(admittedlyperniciousandblood-spattered)
directlyviolenteffects.Boththe20thand21stcenturiesbeganwithincidentsofterroristviolence,state
reactionstowhichtransformedpoliticsandinternationalrelations.Thiswasclearlyfarmoredeleterious
inthecaseoftheFirstWorldWarthanthatoftheWaronTerror,butthebroadandunavoidablepoint
remains:itisstateresponsestoterroristatrocitiesthatprovidethemostimportantvariableinthis
antiphonalrelationshipasitchangesworldhistoryinvariousways.
Andtheconnectionbetweenterroristsandcounter-terroristsisindeedrelational,mutuallyshaping,and
evenintimate.Allscholarsofterrorismwhohaveworkedclose-uptotheirsubjectsandwhohavealso
dealtwithcounter-terroristactorsrecognisethemutualyethostileunderstandingthatcandevelop
betweenterroristsandcounter-terroristsduringperiodsofcat-and-mouseconflict.Thechallengefor
scholarsistotrytodrawoutfromsuchattritionalpatternsofengagementhistoricallessonsthatwill
allowustofast-forwardtowardseffectivepoliciesandtowardslimitinghumandamage;thiswillavoidour
stumblingbloodilytowardsanswersforwhichwealreadyhadtheinformationtograspamidthe
emergentcrisesthemselves.
Theseimpressivepapers,authoredbyparticipantsoftheNATOAdvancedResearchWorkshop(NATO,
ARW9884495:“ThePerseveranceofTerrorism:FocusonLeaders”)andgatheredtogetherherebytheco-
directoroftheWorkshop,themanagingeditorof
ThePolishQuarterlyofInternationalAffairs
and
apioneeringyoungPolishscholar,Dr.KacperRękawek,makeasignificantandvaluablecontribution
tothatprocessofunderstanding.