How Societies Respond to Terrorist Attacks

Executive Summary 

This paper focuses on how different societies respond to terror attacks. It seeks to show that the response from different communities is varied and diverse. The paper begins with an introduction which focuses on the growing threat of terrorism today. It then proceeds to offer an examination of the factors that shape how different communities respond to attacks. Next, the paper outlines the various ways in which societies respond. The responses range from panic and fear to political rhetoric and calls for action. Resignation, inaction and display of courage are other common responses. The paper concludes with a call for all stakeholders to work together to keep communities safe against the threat of terrorism.

Introduction 

Terrorism is one of the most daunting challenges of the 21 st century. In the last few years, the world has witnessed devastating terrorist attacks that have left thousand dead and many more injured. Most of these attacks have occurred in the Arab world. For example, in April 2018, Afghanistan suffered a number of suicide bombings which claimed the lives of dozens. While the Arab world has borne the brunt of terrorism, other regions have also suffered terrorist attacks. For example, the United States has suffered attacks that range from mass shootings to the attackers using trucks to ram pedestrians. Europe and Africa are other regions where terrorism has left a trail of destruction and pain. For the most part, the world is speaking with one voice against terrorism. However, a closer scrutiny of how different countries are responding to terrorism reveals stark differences. While certain countries have abandoned all effort to tackle terrorism there are others that have revamped their counter-terrorism strategies.

Factors Shaping Response 

Frequency of Attacks 

In later sections, a detailed analysis of how different societies are responding to terrorist attacks will be offered. However, before providing this analysis, it is vital to begin with an investigation of the factors which influence how different societies respond to the attacks. The frequency with which attacks occur is among these factors. As noted in the introduction above, Arab nations have suffered the greatest number and the most devastating attacks. In such countries as Afghanistan, such attacks as suicide bombings are so common that the security agencies are overwhelmed (Carson & Suppenbach, 2016). In fact, the high frequency of attacks is forcing the citizens in this country to resign themselves to a reality where terrorism is a constant threat. The United Nations recently urged the government of this country to do more to tackle terrorist attacks (United Nations, 2017). The government’s inadequate and ineffective response to terrorism can be blamed on the high number of attacks that the country suffers. The attacks occur with such frequency that security agencies are simply overwhelmed. On the other hand, Western nations have had better success in their fight against terrorism. For example, following various terrorist attacks, the authorities in France instituted robust measures that include arrests and police operations (“French Arrest Nine”, 2017). While terrorism still poses a threat to France’s national security, the measures that this country has adopted seem to be working. The sharp contrast between France and Afghanistan shows that the frequency of attacks shapes how a society responds to terrorist attacks.

Economic Strength and Law Enforcement Preparedness 

How well a society’s economy performance and the preparedness of its law enforcement agencies are other factors which shape response to terrorist attacks. In general, wealthy Western nations are better placed to respond to the attacks and prepare their security agencies to thwart attacks. For example, the US has made huge investments in counter-terrorism initiatives (Bentley & Holland, 2013). It has been able to do this thanks to its healthy economy. Furthermore, in the US and other developed nations, law enforcement agencies are adequately equipped and prepared to deal with attacks. The situation in poor nations is starkly different. Pakistan joins Afghanistan in the list of nations whose security situation continues to deteriorate due to terrorism. In 2014, over 100 students died when terrorists attacked a school in Peshawar. What is most surprising is that the school was operated by the army. That the security agencies were unable to repel an attack on a public school points to how poor countries are disadvantaged in their effort against terrorism. These nations simply lack the capacity to match the success that the Western world has had in its war on terrorism.

Responses to Attacks 

Courage and Sacrifice 

Now that some of the factors which influence how societies respond to terrorist attacks, the stage is set for an examination of the particular responses. Seymour Spilerman and Guy Stecklov (2009) collaborated on an article which explores the measures that different actors have adopted in their response to terrorist attacks. Citizens are among the actors that Spilerman and Stecklov shed light on. They note that ordinary citizens take various measures in an effort to stay safe. Spilerman and Stecklov are not alone in recognizing the efforts that ordinary citizens institute to enhance safety and to tackle terrorism. The editorial team of the Observer also shed light on how ordinary citizens respond. They noted that in a number of attacks, citizens have responded with bravery (“The Observer View”, 2017). There have even been situations where brave citizens place their own lives on the line to keep others safe. For example, in January 2018, two Americans tackled an attacker on a train in Belgium (Ellis et al., 2018). Thanks to the efforts of these Americans, needless death and suffering was prevented. It is encouraging that this incident is not isolated. In March 2018, a police officer offered himself to an attacker linked to the Islamic State terrorist group, in exchange for a hostage (Associated Press, 2018). While this officer died, his courage is celebrated. He is a reminder that even in the face of looming death, there are brave individuals who risk their lives to save others.

Panic and Fear 

The courage that some citizens have demonstrated in response to terrorist attacks is very uncommon. In most situations, the public responds with fear and panic. In their article, Anne Aly and Lella Green (2008) contend that one of the goals that terrorist groups aim to attain is to inspire fear and cause citizens to lose faith in their government. In presenting this argument, Aly and Green must have witnessed the fear and worry that grips the public when a terrorist attack occurs. Brian Resnick (2017) penned an article which sheds light on how fear terrorizes the American people. In the article, Resnick observes that after a terrorist attack, many Americans fear that members of their families could become victims. Following the 9/11 attacks, 58% of Americans expressed concern that they could be caught up in an attack (Resnick, 2017). Despite the level of the terrorist threat having declined, the number of Americans who are still afraid remains high. For example, in 2016, over 45% of Americans were still afraid (Resnick, 2017). These numbers shows that terrorist attacks have the power to kill the spirit and confidence of an entire nation. Seymour and Stecklov confirm this in their article. They note that in addition to leading to death, terrorist attacks also have psychological effects. It should be noted that terrorist attacks go beyond merely causing citizens to become fearful. The attacks also affect their daily lives. For example, after a terrorist attack, people tend to avoid public spaces (Dalgaard-Nielsen, Laisen & Wandorf, 2014). There is no doubt that terrorist attacks have the power to strike crippling fear into a nation.

Rhetoric 

When a terrorist attack occurs, the citizens of a nation look to their leaders for action and assurance. Many political leaders understand that they need to restore calm and rebuild the confidence of their people. However, there are many leaders who respond to terrorist attacks with unhelpful rhetoric. Such leaders are the subject of an article that Krista De Castella, Craig McGarty and Luke Musgrove (2009) authored. Focusing on the poor leadership of former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the article describes how such leaders as Howard rely on rhetoric to promote fear and hate. In most of his speeches, Howard warned that Australia was inadequately prepared to face the threat of terrorism. Nowhere is the political rhetoric in response to terrorist attacks louder than in the United States. Jeet Heer (2017) accuses Republican politicians of exploiting terrorist attacks to promote their anti-Muslim agenda. He singles out President Trump who argued that the attack that occurred in New York could have been avoided had the country instituted tighter immigration controls (Heer, 2017). There are other political leaders who vow to pursue the perpetrators of attacks and ensure that justice is served. For the most part, the rhetoric from political leaders does little to promote the war against terrorism. If anything, the rhetoric only serves to compound anxiety and fear.

The political rhetoric in the US and other Western nations that have suffered terror attacks has mostly been unhelpful. However, some of the statements that political leaders help to shed light on the causes of the attacks and the actions that can be taken to keep communities safer. It is understood that such terrorist groups as the Islamic State are using social media to recruit and spread propaganda. The companies that own the social media platforms have faced criticism for their failure to take action. For example, in 2017, London suffered an attack that was blamed on Khalid Masood (Bond, 2017). Investigations revealed that Masood had sent encrypted messages using the WhatsApp messaging platform. The encryption technologies embedded onto such platforms as WhatsApp make it extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to monitor terrorists and thwart attacks. Therefore, the angry rhetoric from political leaders in the UK is justified. This response suggests that faced with public anger in the wake of terrorist attacks, political leaders dodge responsibility and seek other parties to blame.

Counterterrorism 

It is true that the empty rhetoric from political leaders does little to discourage terrorist attacks. It is also true that political leaders across the globe have instituted concrete measures in response to counterterrorism. The US has led the world in the war on terrorism. Since the 9/11 attacks, the country’s leaders have adopted a wide range of counterterrorism initiatives. For example, following the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration launched an invasion of Iraq. Under President Obama, the US has continued to pursue terrorists and their sponsors (Jackson, 2011). The range of measures that Obama’s government instituted includes the imposition of sanctions and military operations in terrorist havens. Whether these measures have been effective is debatable. However, there is no doubt that successive US governments have historically taken action. The governments of such other countries have also developed their own measures aimed at keeping their countries safe. For example, in 2017, Burkina Faso suffered a terrorist attack that left 18 people dead (Akwei, 2017). In response to this attack, the country’s government entered into a partnership with Germany. Through the partnership Burkina Faso military personnel are set to receive training from Germany. It is hoped that the training will enhance the preparedness of the military to address the challenge of terrorism. Countries from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas have all instituted some measures to tackle terrorism. The global response is clear indication that terrorism is a serious problem that requires collective effort.

Resignation and Inaction 

In the discussion, terrorism has been presented a global challenge that affects all nations. Given the global scale of terrorism, one would expect that all countries would join the global effort to eradicate terrorism. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. There are some nations which are either not taking any action or have adopted measures which essentially sabotage the war on terrorism. For example, recently, Qatar was subjected to a blockade and a freeze of diplomatic relations by other Arab countries. These countries accused Qatar of being an active supporter of terrorism (Ellyatt, 2017). Assuming that this accusation is true, it would be fair to conclude that some countries are responding to terrorist attacks with inaction.

Afghanistan was identified in an earlier section as among the nations where terrorists have wreaked havoc and devastation. The United Nations was also cited as urging the security agencies in Afghanistan to revamp their counter-terrorism and security operations. The call from the United Nations suggests that Afghanistan is not doing enough. Essentially, Afghanistan is among the nations which have resigned themselves to the reality of terrorism. Afghanistan is not the only nation whose efforts to tackle terrorism seem to be ineffective. In Somali, terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge. As opposed to the situation in Western nations where the citizens and their governments are actively involved in the counter-terrorism efforts, the people of Somali have somewhat abandoned the war on terrorism. In its report on the security situation in Somali, the Crisis Group notes that the citizens of Somali refuse to come to terms with the situation confronting their country. This group observes that Somalis feel that terrorism is not a serious problem that requires urgent intervention (“Counter-Terrorism in Somalia”, 2005). Moreover, they regard the interventions that the international community has implemented as a violation of their religious freedom and sovereignty. Somali is one of the countries that have been worst ravaged by terrorism. For example, in 2017, a terrorist attack that claimed the lives of an estimated 500 people occurred in Somali (Burke, 2017). This is just one of the dozens of deadly attacks that the country has suffered. There is no question that terrorism is a real and serious challenge for Somali. It is unfortunate that the people of this country do not recognize the need for action. Essentially, as is the case with the citizens of Afghanistan, Somalis have accepted that terrorism is part of their life.

Business Community Response 

As they discuss how different communities respond to terrorist attacks, Seymour and Stecklov identify the business community as among the stakeholders whose response to the attacks requires special focus. Declaring unity with victims and demonstrating their resilience are the main approaches that businesses in such countries as the United Kingdom have used to respond to terror attacks. For example, following an attack in London, the city’s business community came together to urge residents to resume their normal lives (Bourke & Hutchinson, 2017). Moreover, the London business community expressed confidence that the diversity of the city’s people would facilitate its efforts to heal and promote unity. Essentially, the London business community understood that fear and panic would threaten their commercial interests. To protect these interests, businesses sought to renew confidence and issue assurances.

The Role of Religion 

In an earlier discussion, note was made of the fact that terrorist attacks inspire fear and panic. Following these attacks, individuals seek comfort and assurances. Many turn to their governments for assurances that action is being taken to restore security. There are some who look to religion for hope and confidence. The role that religion plays in restoring calm and confidence is the main theme that Jeremy Uecker explored in his article. The article investigates how religion shaped the responses of the American people to the 9/11 attacks. Uecker notes that “in the wake of this national tragedy (9/11), many people exhibited renewed religious commitment” (Uecker, 2008, p. 477). The observation that Uecker makes suggests that religion continues to play a critical role in bringing members of particular faiths together.

For the most part, religion allows victims of terror attacks to understand that eventually, all will be well. However, religion has also been blamed for encouraging hate and enmity. This is particularly true for the US where religious tensions tend to erupt in the wake of terrorist attacks. In his exploration of the suffering that Muslims in the US endure following terrorist attacks, Chris Fuchs (2017) notes that Americans tend to blame the entire Muslim population for terrorist attacks perpetrated by individual Muslims. Fuchs’ concerns that Muslims would suffer blame for terrorist attacks are indeed valid. It has been established that the US often witnesses an increase in anti-Muslim sentiment after terrorist attacks. For example, Jeffrey Kaplan (2015) observed that in the weeks following the 9/11 attacks, Muslims and those perceived to be Muslims faced attacks. The rise in anti-Muslim sentiment is not confined to the United States. In such other countries as the UK and France, Muslims have been the subject of attacks and hate (“Islamophobia in Paris”, 2018). For instance, after the Charlie Hebdo attacks, Muslims in France reported increased violence and other forms of attack.

Conclusion 

Terrorism has caused thousands of death. This scourge has also left many with wounds, both physical and psychological. The different responses that different communities display after terrorist attacks highlight the dangers and devastation that the attacks cause. While some communities respond with anger and panic, other societies display courage and selflessness. The political leadership often responds with empty and unhelpful rhetoric. However, it is important to recognize that there are some effective leaders who have implemented a raft of counterterrorism measures. Other responses to terrorism include Islamophobia and turning to religion for comfort. The various responses are coping mechanisms that different societies use to deal with the devastation of terrorism. If the world is to completely eradicate terrorism, all stakeholders must come together and launch a unified effort.

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