Security, Terrorism and the U.K.

In response to mounting concerns about terrorism, as well as the attacks of July 7, Chatham House, an independent think-tank, has commissioned a report on counter-terrorism and security policy options for the UK as part of its New Security Challenges program. Frank Gregory and Paul Wilkinson discuss the need for a change in thinking about what constitutes the greatest threat to Britain’s national security, and a new awareness about how the UK’s close cooperation with the US in the “war on terror” puts British interests at risk. Bill Durodie calls for policy-makers to include the phenomenon of “community resilience” and civilian help in their emergency planning, while Adrian Guelke discusses the gradual disintegration of the Good Friday Agreement and the likelihood of increased restiveness from IRA hardliners. Finally, Sarah Oates examines the prominence of discussions about terrorism in elections in Russia, the US and the UK, concluding that “the politics of fear can often overshadow a more informed discussion about the causes and potential policy prescriptions for dealing with the issue.” – YaleGlobal