Democracy, Al Qaeda, and the Causes of Terrorism

A Strategic Analysis of U.S. Policy

Bibliographic Data

ID12407290
AuthorsMichael D Freeman (0000-0003-0228-3158, Naval Postgraduate School, corresponding author), Michael Freeman (0000-0002-9350-7227, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume31
Issue1
Pages40-59
Publication date2008-01-04
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueStudies in Conflict and Terrorism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1057-610X • E-ISSN: 1521-0731
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10576100701759996
OpenAlexW1973109881
LanguageEN
Citations received10

How will the strategy of spreading democracy affect the threat of terrorism from Al Qaeda and likeminded Islamic extremist groups? This article analyzes how spreading democracy would impact four different sets of underlying motivations that lead to this kind of terrorism. It will show that the widespread belief in the power of democracy is likely misplaced because democracy will be unlikely to change perceptions of occupation, will itself threaten Islamic identity and culture, will be unlikely to mitigate economic grievances, and will be unlikely to provide a more legitimate government than one based on religious law

Al qaeda · Collective identity · Democracy · Geography · Government (linguistics · Identity (music · Islam · Law and economics · Perception · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Sociology · Terrorism · Law · Psychology · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

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