ABSTRACT
The United States (US) — with our open society and huge borders — may seem vulnerable. Terrorism is a very old established part of American life. In fact, the volume of activity is a striking rebuttal of the familiar view of terrorism as something either new or foreign to the US. The political uses of terrorism also have a long history. For well over a century, the idea of terrorism has proved to be potent weapon in partisan debates in the US. In no case, of course, has one party actually used terrorism against its rival, but on several occasions both parties and the administrations have used the image of terrorism to attract support for themselves, while discrediting the enemies. Sometimes, concerns about terrorism have been so intense and widespread as if to justify the title of social panic. By attempting to set off a panic over external enemies, the National Commission on Terrorism is serving those inside-the-Beltway policy goals.
