Combating Terrorism

By:

Dr. Ali S. Awadh Asseri

(Former Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon)

ROOT CAUSE OF TERRORISM

Islamophobia

     Whether it is the growing tide of Islamophobia in the Western world, or the continuingly unresolved conflicts in the Muslim world and Western duality towards them, they constitute the root causes of terrorism in the twenty-first century. Combating the international terrorist threat requires their urgent political resolution in a fair and equitable manner. While the responsibility to tackle Islamophobia and show fairness vis-à-vis conflicts in the Muslim world lies squarely on the shoulders of the Western governments and societies, the Muslim states and societies are obliged to confront those who adopt terrorist tactics on issues which can only be settled politically. As for other root causes of terrorism such as poverty, while the context varies, these are issues afflicting the entire humanity, and therefore, they require a genuine universalistic solution.