Have global efforts to reduce terrorism and political violence been effective in the past decade?

The ‘War on Terrorism’ did not occur in a vacuum and those environmental factors prevalent at the time largely determined the reaction. It was understandable that the response, which Walt (2001-2) deemed to be the most rapid and dramatic change in United States’ foreign policy, would attempt to make those considered responsible accountable for their acts. This was unsurprising, as to many in the United States, the concept of terrorism did not exist prior to 9/11, despite events such as the first New York City World Trade Center attack in 1993 and the Alfred Murrah federal building bombing in Oklahoma City in 1995.