Military's Role in Counter Terrorism

The Military’s Role in Counterterrorism: Examples and Implications for Liberal Democracies

Strategic Studies Institute U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, PA

In the early 18th century, James Letort, an explorer and fur trader, was instrumental in opening up the Cumberland Valley to settlement. By 1752, there was a garrison on Letort Creek at what is today Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. In those days, Carlisle Barracks lay at the western edge of the American colonies. It was a bastion for the protection of settlers and a departure point for further exploration. Today, as was the case over two centuries ago, Carlisle Barracks, as the home of the U.S. Army War College, is a place of transition and transformation. In the same spirit of bold curiosity that compelled the men and women who, like Letort, settled the American West, the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) presents The Letort Papers. This series allows SSI to publish papers, retrospectives, speeches, or essays of interest to the defense academic community which may not correspond with our mainstream policy-oriented publications. If you think you may have a subject amenable to publication in our Letort Paper series, or if you wish to comment on a particular paper, please contact Dr. Antulio J. Echevarria II, Director of Research, U.S. Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, 632 Wright Ave, Carlisle, PA 17013-5046. The phone number is (717) 2454058; e-mail address is antulio.echevarria@us.army.mil. We look forward to hearing from you.

Letort Paper

THE MILITARY’S ROLE IN COUNTERTERRORISM: EXAMPLES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES

Geraint Hughes

May 2011

The views expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Joint Services Command and Staff College, the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence, or any other UK government agency, the U.S. Department of the Army, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the...