Assess whether the militarization of the US response to 9/11 (the creation of the so-called 'Global War on Terror') was and remains a fundamental strategic error

Essay from the year 2009 in the subject Politics - Region: USA, grade: 1,7, University of Wales, Aberystwyth (Department of International Politics), language: English, abstract: In his address to the congress on 20.09.2001 George W. Bush described the terrorist attacks of September, 11 as 'an act of war' and promptly proclaimed the 'war on terror' with 'a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them' being the enemy. (Bush, 2001). In the subsequent years the United States have started wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that are today, eight respectively, roughly seven years later, not yet decisively won. The terrorists? capacity to execute devastating attacks has apparently not sustainably diminished given the numerous devastating attacks on US allies. At least the Bali (2002) and London (2005) bombings were directly attributed to Al Qaeda by President Obama (2009). The militarization of the US response to 9/11 has in several aspects proven not only to be inappropriate but even counterproductive in the struggle against international terrorism.