Blog Post
Six months after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the war on terror remains the dominant paradigm for U.S. foreign policy. As policymakers make their way through uncharted territory, BCSIA scholars made it their highest priority to better understand terrorism and how it can be effectively combated.
An intense series of discussions with top policymakers included UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan who affirmed the UN''s crucial role in the fight against global terrorism and Sir Jeremy Greenstock of Great Britain, Chair of the UN Counterterrorism Committee, who explained the benefits and the limitations of the UN''s activities with respect to terrorism.
On the military front, General Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided an update on U.S. military activities and warned that although there have been successes in the war in Afghanistan, "this is going to be a long effort and it''s going to require all institutions of our national power."
Former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin suggested a link between poverty and terrorism— an assertion that drew sharp questions from his large audience. Former Senator George McGovern also urged that the international community address the root causes of terrorism. "Instead of adding $48 billion to the Pentagon budget," McGovern asked, "wouldn''t we make the world a more stable, secure place if we invested half of that sum in reducing poverty, ignorance, hunger and disease in the world?"
Former Senator Sam Nunn and New York Times Columnist Tom Friedman engaged senior BCSIA researchers in discussions about ways to fashion strategies to prevent terrorism with weapons of mass destruction. In a March column for the Times, Friedman quoted Center Director Graham Allison: "We can''t change [terrorists''] intentions overnight, but we can make sure that the materials that can transform their rage into something that threatens us all are locked away in places as secure as Fort Knox."
Richard Falkenrath returned to the Center for meetings with former colleagues to brainstorm about initiatives at the Office of Homeland Security. Falkenrath, on leave as Assistant Professor at the Kennedy School and former Executive Director of BCSIA, is now Senior Director for Policy and Plans in Tom Ridge''s office.
State Department Director of Policy Planning Richard Haass drew senior BCSIA members into discussions about Bush''s counterterrorism strategy. As one of the key architects of the Administration''s foreign policy, Haass sought input on a variety of topics including the effort to eliminate Al Qaeda and the recent Nuclear Posture Review.
Economist Editor Bill Emmott asked BCSIA members to help him craft his upcoming feature on the changed international landscape after 9/11. Washington Post Foreign Editor David Hoffman shared his own experience writing about Russia''s nuclear program and sought advice about how best to keep "loose nukes" in the spotlight.
A BCSIA delegation led by Graham Allison counseled Senator Bob Graham (D-FL), chair of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, and other Congressional leaders about the investigation of the U.S. intelligence community''s failure to predict and prevent the attacks on 9/11.
Much of the Belfer Center''s work on terrorism was showcased at a recent school-wide symposium for the Dean''s Council and other friends of the school. The causes of and responses to terrorism were explored by Joseph Nye, Jessica Stern, Graham Allison, Monica Toft, Robert Rotberg, Stephen Walt, Dennis Ross, Matthew Meselson, Steven Miller, John White, John Ruggie, Juliette Kayyem, Arnold Howitt, Ashton Carter, and many others.