With original contributions from some of the most prominent academics and professionals on terrorism and counterterrorism, Stuart Gottlieb’s debate-style reader will compel your students to wrestle with the conflicting perspectives that define the field. Unlike other volumes in which readings talk past one another, Debating Terrorism and Counterterrorism features brief paired “pro” and “con” essays written specifically for the book that directly address the urgent questions surrounding terrorism.

The essays address both theoretical questions and pragmatic concerns including:

• How significant a threat is nuclear terrorism? 
• Is poverty a root cause of terrorism? 
• Is suicide terrorism an effective tactic?
• Does Islam play a unique role in religious terrorism?
• Can the spread of democracy defeat terrorism? 
• Must security come at the expense of civil liberties?

An incisive introduction and useful chapter headnotes from the editor provide students with necessary context and prepare them to read each argument critically, allowing them to understand the past, present, and future of terrorism and counterterrorism.

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Foreword, Graham Allison

Part I. Debating Terorism

1. Is the “New Terrorism” Really New?
No The “new” terrorism of Al-Qaeda is not so new.
Alexander Spencer, Ludwig-Maximilians University

Yes Al-Qaeda is an example of a “new” terrorism.
Rohan Gunaratna, Nanyang Technological University

2. Does Poverty Serve as a Root Cause of Terrorism?
No Poverty is a weak causal link.
James A. Piazza, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Yes Poverty is an important cause.
Karin von Hippel, Center for Strategic and International Studies

3. Can Terrorism Ever Be Justified?
No Terrorist violence is never justified.
Tamar Meisels, Tel Aviv University

Yes Terrorism is a just tool of the weak.
Ted Honderich, University College London

4. Does Islam Play a Unique Role in Modern Religious Terrorism?
Yes Islam has a unique impact on modern terrorism.
Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review

No Islam itself is not the problem in the current wave of global terrorism.
Fawaz Gerges, Sarah Lawrence College

5. Is Suicide Terrorism an Effective Tactic?
Yes Suicide terrorism can be pragmatic and limited.
Gordon McCormick, Naval Postgraduate School and Lindsay Fritz, Department of Defense Analysis

No Suicide terrorism rarely achieves its goals.
Max Abrahms, University of California, Los Angeles

6. Is Nuclear Terrorism a Real Threat?
Yes The threat is very real.
Matthew Bunn, Harvard University

No The threat is overblown.
Susan Martin, King’s College London Part

II. Debating Counterterorism

7. Counterterrorism Strategies: Do We Need Bombs over Bridges?
No There is a need to focus more on building bridges.
Brigitte Nacos, Columbia University

Yes More creative military strategies are needed.
Michael Rubin, American Enterprise Institute

8. Can Spreading Democracy Help Defeat Terrorism?
No Democracy promotion is problematic as a counterterrorism priority.
F. Gregory Gause III, University of Vermont

Yes Promoting democracy can combat terrorism.
Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House

9. Can the United Nations Make a Difference in Fighting Terrorism?
No The UN is limited in its ability to play a role.
Zachary C. Shirkey, St. John Fisher College

Yes The UN has vital roles to play in countering terrorism.
Eric Rosand, Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation

10. Is an Outright Ban the Best Way to Eliminate or Constrain Torture?
Yes Torture violates U.S. and international law and should never be allowed.
Michael Posner, Human Rights First

No We need to bring an unfortunate practice within the bounds of law
Alan M. Dershowitz, Harvard University Law School

11. Counterterrorism and the Constitution: Does Providing Security Require a Trade-off with Civil Liberties?
Yes We need to reasonably limit civil liberties and bolster executive powers.
John Yoo, University of California at Berkeley Law School

No We need to maximize civil liberties and prevent executive overreach.
David Cole, Georgetown University Law School

12. Conclusions: Is the Threat of Terrorism Being Overstated?
Yes The threat of terrorism is overblown and more manageable than we suspect.
John Mueller, Ohio State University

No The threat remains profound, and will for some time to come.
Walter Laqueur, Center for Strategic and International Studies

"At a time when too many Americans are becoming complacent about the clear and present danger of terrorism, this book is a necessary wake up call. Too often experts talk past each other to score political points, but this volume brings together an impressive group of counter-terrorism experts to calmly and respectfully debate the real issues. It is a must-read for anyone interested in an honest, accurate and insightful analysis of America's number one national security threat."

“This volume is an intellectual antidote to one of the great obstacles to our ongoing efforts against terrorism: complacency. It asks some of the most challenging questions about the origins of and responses to terrorism, offering competing answers that leave the reader in a far better position to evaluate the choices we face as a country.”

“Stuart Gottlieb has enlisted top-tier of authors to debate the most challenging analytical, political, and philosophical issues of contemporary terrorism. Provocative and provoking, this volume is a starting point for readers not put off by the requirement to think.”

"Finally, a volume that succinctly and accessibly articulates the core policy debates on terrorism and counterterrorism! Stuart Gottlieb should be commended for bringing together an illustrious cast of authors, all leaders in the field, who exhaustively defend and critique the major assumptions driving different policy positions today. This book will provide students of international security a comprehensive understanding of the key trade-offs that governments and societies face when dealing with terrorism. It is an essential read for anyone interested in moving beyond the conventional wisdom on this topic."

"Debating Terrorism is a must read for anyone interested in terrorism. The format of debating each important issue in the field by known authorities brings these topics to life. The authors cover the whole range of opinions in the field, and I found new insights in this wonderful contribution to the terrorism research."

Stuart Gottlieb is director of policy studies at the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University, where he teaches advanced courses on American foreign policy and counterterrorism. He formerly served as a senior foreign policy advisor and speechwriter in the United States Senate (1999–2003), and continues to advise political and business leaders on issues relating to foreign policy and terrorism. Gottlieb received his Ph.D. in international relations from Columbia University, and is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.