Terrorism and the Threat to Democracy Daniel Byman
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POLICY BRIEF Terrorism and the threat to democracy Daniel Byman In mitigating the threat that terrorism poses to liberal democracies, governments should not only take on jihadist terrorists overseas, but right-wing terrorists at home as well. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY State’s safe haven account for much of the decline.2 U.S. and European governments should Terrorism does more than kill the innocent: It step up efforts to penetrate right-wing terrorist undermines democratic governments, even in movements, arrest their members, and devote mature democracies like those in the United States more resources to this problem. Given the recent and much of Europe. The fear terrorism generates decline in jihadist violence, transferring some can distort public debates, discredit moderates, resources is appropriate. In the United States, empower political extremes, and polarize societies. Congress should authorize more resources for An array of actors, including governments, this problem. Improving social services to Muslim international institutions, and civil society can communities is vital, especially in new areas with decrease the scale and scope of terrorist violence many recent refugees. This involves governments, and mitigate its most dangerous political effects.1 civil society organizations, and the international aid To mitigate the danger terrorism poses to community. The United States and Europe should democracies, the United States and its allies cooperate on standards for internet companies, should continue to emphasize intelligence-sharing and the companies should also work together and expand such efforts when possible. This is true to create standards for right-wing hate groups. In even though in 2018 the number of successful foreign policy, U.S. and European diplomats should jihadist attacks fell dramatically in the United try to decrease the intensity of wars in the Middle States and Europe. Although the Islamic State East by pressing outside powers like Saudi Arabia continued to plot terrorist attacks, aggressive law and Iran to end their interventions, and in general, enforcement and the disruption of the Islamic try to prevent and resolve wars in the region. 1 DEMOCRACY & DISORDER TERRORISM AND THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY Finally, political leaders should emphasize societal Such an overreaction discredits political moderates resilience in order to decrease the psychological in the minority community. In addition, it hinders impact of terrorism. integration, creating an “us versus them” mentality that becomes self-reinforcing. TERRORISM AND THE RISK OF POLARIZATION Leaders are thus in a dilemma. From a policy Terrorism can undermine political moderation in point of view, they should seek a well-balanced a democracy, paving the way for more extreme “Goldilocks” position between reassurance and elements to gain footholds.3 The death toll of a action on the one hand and respect for civil rights terrorist attack, often inflicted in a spectacular way and minority communities on the other, with foreign that draws media attention and leads to political policy favoring a moderate direction. Politically, criticism, can undermine faith in government. however, the payoff is often in playing to the fears Indeed, perhaps the basic function of any of the majority, trumpeting a terrorism threat even government is to ensure the security of its citizens, beyond the danger posed.4 and while some attacks foster a “rally around the flag” mentality, repeated terrorist attacks lead DRIVERS OF TERRORISM citizens to question their leadership. This lack of faith, in turn, can convince citizens to favor more Many factors contribute to jihadist terrorism in extreme voices that promise law and order or, if Western countries, and this is true as well for the they do not see any hope in government, turn to factors that link terrorism and its impact on political nongovernmental actors such as gangs or militias extremism. In addition, there is tremendous for security. Particularly after 9/11 (and, in Europe, variation within “the West,” with the problem following significant attacks by al-Qaida on public in the United States profoundly different from transportation in Madrid in 2004, London in 2005, that in Australia, Canada, and many European and the Islamic State attack in Paris in 2015), even countries. small terrorist attacks are seen in the context of Muslims in Europe complain, correctly, that they a threat that is perceived as massive. This is true are systematically profiled or otherwise face even though the number of terrorist attacks in discrimination.5 Scholars William McCants and Europe is roughly comparable between the post- Chris Meserole found a strong connection between and pre-9/11 eras, and in the United States the a veil ban (and the hostility it displayed toward number of deaths from jihadist terrorism is far Muslims) and the later prevalence of terrorist less than officials anticipated in the years after the recruits in a country—indicating that such hostile 9/11 attacks. Political leaders must act—and must moves generate extremism.6 A European terrorism be seen as acting—to fight terrorism. analyst described the 2005 riots in Paris as involving 7 This pressure and desire to act, however, can lead “the older brothers of today’s foreign fighters.” The to a harsh overreaction. This can range from overly jihadists offer European Muslims an explanation aggressive foreign policies that involve foolish for the discrimination against them and provide a 8 interventions and unnecessary crackdowns on course of action to respond. entire communities, to rhetorical demonization that The discrimination and restrictive citizenship laws further polarizes already divided societies. At times, in many European countries, which in some cases this may be a power grab by government leaders, prohibit even the children of migrant workers who with terrorism as a justification, but more frequently have lived in a country from gaining citizenship, it represents a genuine if flawed understanding of fuel a lack of integration, thereby facilitating the threat and a response to strong public pressure. the spread of militant Islam. Even in the United 2 DEMOCRACY & DISORDER TERRORISM AND THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY Kingdom, which does not have a veil ban or similar while making many Muslims feel unwelcome. This measures, Muslim households are more likely to controversy continued for a decade, and 10 years speak a language other than English at home, live later terrorists in Paris attacked Charlie Hebdo, a in cloistered neighborhoods, and marry within their satirical magazine that regularly mocked Islam, faith and country of origin. (Part of the reason the along with other religions, as a way to score points United States has a far lesser problem with Islamic with Muslims angry about the controversy and militancy than Europe is the successful integration portray their violence as defending their community of most American Muslims, who on average are from insult. better educated and wealthier than their non- Muslim neighbors.) To non-Muslim Europeans, Many Islamic organizations in Europe are funded however, violence seems like proof of the by Saudi Arabia, and their teachings create a more 11 community’s hostility, and opportunistic politicians radical community. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf play this up. This creates two terrorism problems. states built mosques and religious schools and First, radicals find it easier to recruit terrorists. funded extremist clerics and organizations. In the Second, the population as a whole, even if not Balkans, one Saudi-funded preacher would disrupt sympathetic to the terrorists, is also less likely to more moderate rivals while issuing bloodcurdling cooperate with a government they regard as hostile rhetoric calling for all Muslims to join the jihad: “The 12 and thus are less likely to inform security services blood of infidels is the best drink for us Muslims.” of suspected terrorists. The linkage is not always direct. As the head of Kosovo’s counterterrorism police noted, the foreign The problem also exists, albeit to a far lesser organizations did not directly fund travel to Syria. degree, in the United States, where the Muslim Instead, “they supported thinkers who promote community is far better integrated and regularly violence and jihad in the name of protecting cooperates with law enforcement.9 Politicians have Islam.”13 Converts to Islam, an important source of successfully linked economic and social status future terrorists, are especially likely to be attracted concerns about immigration with terrorism, giving to these extreme interpretations of their new faith. a national security dimension to this problem and reversing decades of pro-immigrant policies. Wars overseas inspire young Muslims to go abroad Nowhere is this more apparent than in the rhetoric and become foreign fighters, picking up dangerous and policies of President Donald Trump himself, skills and becoming more radical as they do so. In who frequently portrays foreign Muslims seeking addition, groups active in the war zone at times to enter the United States as a terrorism threat, seek to conduct international terrorist attacks, conflates refugees and immigrants, and otherwise using these foreign fighters or inspiring home- uses terrorism as a springboard for a nativist grown radicals to conduct attacks. They use the agenda. Many of his advisors push the same internet to issue propaganda, recruit, and provide 14 message, describing Islam itself as dangerous.10 command and control from overseas. The drivers are external as well as internal. A The wars also produce refugees—in the cases of problem in one country can be picked up by Afghanistan and Syria, these are massive flows, radicals in another and used as a rallying point with millions fleeing the violence. Hundreds of or to create wedge issue. The 2005 publication thousands have sought to go to Europe, roiling in Denmark of cartoons mocking the Prophet politics there and increasing Islamophobia. Even Muhammad, for example, spread controversy to the the small numbers trying to find a haven in America 15 rest of Europe about whether or not newspapers unleashed a political storm, dividing Americans.