Use of Force in Countering Terrorism collects the lectures delivered at an Advanced Training Course (ATC) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 8-12 September 2008. The ATC was planned and organized by the Centre of Excellence–Defence Against Terrorism (COE–DAT) in Ankara, Turkey. COE–DAT organizes numerous workshops and courses, bringing academic rigor and institutional expertise on the subject of terrorism to interested parties in NATO, Partnership for Peace (PfP), Mediterranean Dialogue countries, and others.

COE-DAT was officially inaugurated on 28 June 2005 and was certified as a NATO-accredited COE on 14 August 2006 by the NATO Council. COE-DAT is a unique defence against terrorism centre in NATO which provides DAT training and education at the strategic and operational levels and contributes to research efforts. As part of its education and training activities, COE-DAT provides training to selected neighbouring countries by conducting Advanced Training Courses within the framework of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme. It was along these lines that the Advanced Training Course “Use of Force in Countering Terrorism,” the fourth ATC offered by COE-DAT, was conducted.

The ultimate goal of the five-day program was to enhance international cooperation efforts against terrorism through providing necessary direction and guidance to promote standard training and basic skills for Partner Nations’ officials. The strategic aims of this advanced training course were twofold: first, to provide a forum for exchanging views on the latest developments in the terrorist threat, their critical impact on the national/regional/global security environment, and ways to prevent, deter, counter, and respond to it; and second, to promote a wide-ranging partnership of cooperation and dialogue in the fight against terrorism in order to boost transparency, mutual confidence and the capacity for common and concerted actions/measures. The objectives were to inform participants about the concept and parameters of the Use of Force in combating terrorism; to introduce the practice of the Use of Force IAW relevant international laws; to examine in detail the international legal contracts and treaties related to countering terrorism; and to explain the law of armed conflict, rules of engagement, crowd psychology, public relations, and United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.

This volume presents 10 papers drawn from the lectures and case studies delivered at the ATC to give readers a complete picture of the concept and various aspects of the use of force in countering terrorism. The authors include both academics and professionals selected for their expertise.

In the opening address of the Bishkek ATC, Colonel Mete Tahmisoğlu argues that terrorism is one of the world’s most serious security challenges. Terrorism tries to exploit ethnic and religious conflicts, ideological differences within societies, and instability no matter its form, he says. He contends that the most important path to success in combating terrorism is the effective use of international relations and pooling global counter-terrorism efforts.

The course’s first paper, by Çınar Özen and Itır Bağdadi, looks at the importance of asymmetrical war, the role of the media, the leverage effect used by terrorist organizations, and the phases in their evolution. The paper stresses that counter-terrorism strategies aimed at only military capabilities and tactics are bound to be unsuccessful in asymmetrical war.

The second paper, written by Dr. Christopher C. Harmon, considers past and present ideas about terrorism and the application of force as a countermeasure. It also introduces five areas for discussion regarding public concerns about the use of force.

Dominika Švarc’s contribution examines the relationship between International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and military counter-terrorist activities. It looks at issues of IHL applicability as well as specific issues of proportional response and discrimination concerning civilians.

In two separate presentations, Osman Aytaç first addresses the laws and conventions that regulate armed conflict and the growing complexity of the documents, and then looks at rules of engagement (ROE), the guidelines specifying under what conditions or circumstances force may be used to satisfy political and /or military demands.

Olcay Yeşilkaya’s paper looks at International Rights Law and terrorism, arguing that any act of terrorism should be treated as a crime against humanity. It explains that state measures against terrorism should meet the requirements of international human rights law, both for innocent civilians as well as terrorism’s perpetrators. The paper concludes that minimum human rights standards should be provided and that states must strike a balance between liberties and security in every area.

The seventh piece, written by Major J.P.I.A.G. Charvat, looks at the responses to terrorism in the Criminal Justice and War Models. Specifically, the Troubles in Northern Ireland (1969-2007) and the UK’s use of force in dealing with the terrorist threat are examined.

Jolene Jerard’s paper looks at the strategic role of leadership and the cases of Afghanistan and the Philippines as examples of effective leadership. It discusses how the strategic force employed included multiple strategies with a focus on involving local peoples and maintaining local public support.

The penultimate paper, by Dr. Robyn Mace, examines organizational communication and how organizations are responsible for public safety. It considers the importance of such communications in normal operations as well as in times of public crisis such as amid terrorist activities, natural disasters, and social and civil unrest.

The final paper, written by the present author, discusses current global problems that might affect both terrorism and counter-terrorist efforts. In addition, it tells of advances in terrorism, including cyber-terrorism and access to Weapons of Mass Destruction, as well as the role of the media.

In short, this book contains wide-ranging papers that cover the use of force and many other aspects of terrorism. In the current globalizing world, the reach of terrorism has grown wider. No nation or culture can achieve peace and security at home while ignoring terrorist threats to other countries. Therefore, it is our hope that training activities such as the one in Kyrgyzstan and similar collaborative projects will assist in multinational efforts to combat the threat of global terrorism.

M. Uğur Ersen

ATC Director