ABSTRACT
In June 2000 the National Commission on Terrorism issued its report which stated that there was a growing threat from terrorism and that increased efforts were required to meet this danger. It listed a number of steps that the government should undertake, including “firmly targeting” all states that support terrorism (report available at www.access.gpo.gov/nct). It left unmentioned, however, the foreign complications of executing counter-terrorist policy. The foreign policy consequences of countering the terrorist threat received equally short attention during the debate on the 1996 Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. Essentially US counter-terrorist policy is based on four tenets;
– bring terrorists to justice for their crimes – pressure on state sponsors of terrorism – seek support and assist allies in fighting terrorism – no concessions to terrorists and no deals.
