Beyond Terror: The Truth About the Real Threats to Our World-New Study Released

From the Oxford Research Group

Is international terrorism really the single greatest threat to world security?

Since the 9/11 attacks, many Western governments assume terrorism to be the greatest threat we face. In response, their dangerous policies attempt to maintain control and keep the status quo by using overwhelming military force. This important book shows why this approach has been such a failure, and how it distracts us from other, much greater, threats:

—Climate change
—Competition over resources
—Marginalisation of the majority world
—Global militarisation

Beyond Terror concludes that not only are the four trends identified still the greatest threats to world security, but that the ongoing ‘war on terror’ and, in particular, the war in Iraq are actually increasing, rather than decreasing, the likelihood of future terrorist attacks on the scale of 9/11.

The study argues that even when judged by its own standards the current US/UK-led approach to global security and the ‘war on terror’ is clearly failing. As evidence of this, the authors – Chris Abbott, Paul Rogers and John Sloboda – highlight that:

—Support for political Islam is increasing worldwide. —The number of significant terrorist attacks is on the rise.
—Peace and democracy are elusive in the Middle East.
—The price of oil remains volatile and increases with every new crisis.
—Iraq is in a state of bloody chaos nearing civil war.
—The Taliban is a re-emerging force in Afghanistan.
—Iran, Syria and North Korea are increasingly emboldened.
—US strategic influence is waning, especially in Africa and the Middle East.
—The United States is increasingly viewed as the greatest threat to world peace.

This failing is because the current approach – what the authors refer to as the “control paradigm” – is premised on an attempt to maintain the status quo through military means and “keeping the lid on” insecurity without addressing the root causes.

Unless urgent, coordinated action is taken in the next 5-10 years on all these issues it will be almost impossible to avoid the earth becoming a highly unstable place by the middle years of this century. Beyond Terror offers an alternative path for politicians, journalists and concerned citizens alike.

“This incisive study is radical in the proper sense; it penetrates beneath the surface of the debate in the West over its security to demonstrate that the real threat to global peace and stability lies in our failure to recognise our interdependence – that the well-being of the privileged depends on the well-being of the marginalised.” Archbishop Desmond Tutu

“An important document… At every level of decision-making, all policy-makers should have a copy of this study on their desk.” HRH Prince Hassan bin Talal

“Outstanding… it will change the way you look at the world.” Dame Anita Roddick

“The single most important contribution to understanding and coping with the future that I have ever read.” Brian Eno