Developing the Concept of Cumulative Extremism Via Politics, Policies and Publicity in the War Against Islamic Terrorism

Beyond 9/11: Developing the concept of cumulative extremism via politics, policies and publicity in the war against Islamic terrorism David Colin Sadler A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social Sciences Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences January 2019 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: Sadler First name: David Other name/s: Colin Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: School of Social Sciences Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Title: Beyond 9/11: Developing the concept of cumulative extremism via politics, policies and publicity in the war against Islamic terrorism Abstract 360 words This thesis develops the concept of “cumulative extremism” to inform political and academic debates on apportioning responsibility for post-9/11 Islamic terrorism. Since 2006 cumulative extremism has been used to refer to how one form of extremism feeds off and magnifies other forms. The original concept is expanded via interdisciplinary analyses of post-9/11 US counterterrorism policies and the discourse framing social and media responses to those policies, which this thesis argues become performative themselves in influencing the numbers and extent of perceived terror threats. An examination of US political rhetoric, counterterrorism policy-making, and popular media coverage of terrorist incidents indicates how Western state behaviour on counterterrorism is often at odds with international law, human rights, and moral norms. Since 9/11 the US and supporting Western states have been drawn into an open-ended conflict against Islamic terrorism where the question of what might constitute a resolution has become impossible to answer. As well as suspending a previously held moral authority, the resort by the US to policies of so-called enhanced interrogation and targeted assassination programs designed to counter post-9/11 trends in Islamic terrorism risks other dangerous impacts, notably the “blowback” of radicalisation to extremist positions, seeding further terrorist recruitment. Also at issue is the resignation of society to a state of eternal vigilance at the expense of community and personal freedoms. A more complex view of cumulative extremism facilitates increased recognition of how US political rhetoric plays into narratives of terrorism. This thesis proposes that perceptions of insecurity from post-9/11 Islamic terrorism should be reassessed so as to reduce or prevent radicalisation and increase efficiency in addressing terrorism. Case studies assist analyses of debates on how international law and our understandings of what constitutes moral state behaviour adapt to a changing security environment. Through engaging with questions on wilful abnegations of morality, this thesis draws together interdisciplinary research to become part of a global narrative that seeks to represent our human rights and security positions in the 21st century. The distinctive contribution of this thesis is its development of the concept of cumulative extremism to account for wider cultural, social and political factors as shaping the nature and outcomes of extremist interactions. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). ................................................................. ............................................................... ..................................................................... Signature Witness Signature Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: ii COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed ........................................................................... Date .............................................................................. AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.’ Signed ........................................................................... Date .............................................................................. iii Statement of Originality I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, eXcept where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is eXplicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, eXcept to the eXtent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic eXpression is acknowledged. Signed ………………………………………………………… Date ………………………………………………………… iv Inclusion of Publications Statement This thesis contains no publications, either published or submitted for publication. I declare that I have complied with the Thesis EXamination Procedure. Name David Colin Sadler ………………………………………………………… Signed ………………………………………………………… Date ………………………………………………………… v Abstract This thesis develops the concept of “cumulative eXtremism” to inform political and academic debates on apportioning responsibility for post-9/11 Islamic terrorism. Since 2006 cumulative extremism has been used to refer to how one form of eXtremism feeds off and magnifies other forms. The original concept is expanded via interdisciplinary analyses of post-9/11 US counterterrorism policies and the discourse framing social and media responses to those policies, which this thesis argues become performative themselves in influencing the numbers and eXtent of perceived terror threats. An examination of US political rhetoric, counterterrorism policy-making, and popular media coverage of terrorist incidents indicates how Western state behaviour on counterterrorism is often at odds with international law, human rights, and moral norms. Since 9/11 the US and supporting Western states have been drawn into an open-ended conflict against Islamic terrorism where the question of what might constitute a resolution has become impossible to answer. As well as suspending a previously held moral authority, the resort by the US to policies of so-called enhanced interrogation and targeted assassination programs designed to counter post-9/11 trends in Islamic terrorism risks other dangerous impacts, notably the “blowback” of radicalisation to eXtremist positions, seeding further terrorist recruitment. Also at issue is the resignation of society to a state of eternal vigilance at the eXpense of community and personal freedoms. A more compleX view of cumulative eXtremism facilitates increased recognition of how US political rhetoric plays into narratives of terrorism. This thesis proposes that perceptions of insecurity from post-9/11 Islamic terrorism should be reassessed so as to reduce or prevent radicalisation and increase efficiency in addressing terrorism. Case studies assist analyses of debates on how international law and our understandings of what constitutes moral state behaviour adapt to a changing security environment. Through engaging with questions on wilful abnegations of morality, this thesis draws together interdisciplinary research to become part of a global narrative that seeks to represent our human rights and security positions in the 21st century. The distinctive

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