What Is the Right Response to Terrorism?

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Terrorism response, like any issue concerning domestic politics and international affairs, can be faced analyzing either causes or effects. Terrorists are usually motivated by political beliefs. Even if terrorists can take advantage of other particular situations such as economic difficulties and religious beliefs, the main purposes are always political. That being said, the right response to terrorism is prevention. Solving the problem at the root cause is achievable through stable political regimes and open and functioning democracies. As long as terrorists do not need to resort to violence because they have other means to make their voices heard, they do not represent a threat anymore. Since this process might be quite long lasting, an effective strategy to counter attack terrorism has to be ready to react to any tragic event. Deterrence could nullify terrorists’ interests as well as they could be discouraged by the guarantee of a severe punishment.
Torture is one of the most tremendous techniques that some countries have adopted, explicitly claiming that it is essential to guarantee national security. On the contrary, it does not assure successful results, while inflicting such unbearable sufferance. Besides, states have been abusing of their power to spy upon citizens. Honestly, such powerful entities like states are totally allowed to make use of their authority when leading to evident benefits, whereas any abuse has to be strongly condemned and punished.
Torture
Torture has been used for many centuries worldwide, and today it is still supported by many philosophers and politicians. Any serious analysis of torture has to take into account both emotional and rational aspects. Supporters of torture, who know this dichotomy ver...

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...up part of our private lives in order to guarantee national security. Going through several cases, it turns out that spying is a good solution to fight terrorism if it is used in the right way. Especially, it remains a better tool than torture.

Works Cited

• Alan Dershowitz, ‘When Torture is the Least Evil of Terrible Options’, Times Higher Education Supplement, 11 June 2004, pp. 20-21
• ‘Dershowitz: Torture Could be Justified’ (Alan Dershowitz in discussion with Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch), CNN.com, March 4, 2003
• Link TV, Torture on Trial, 2010
• ‘Secret “Kill List” Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will’, NY Times, May 29, 2012
• Tom Sorell, Discussion of surveillance, Philosophy Bites, January 25, 2013
• Daniel J. Solove, ‘Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have “Nothing to Hide”’, Chronicle of Higher Education, May 15, 2011

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