Transition and crisis in the War on Terror in Southeast Asia

• Main Author: De Castro, Renato Cruz
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2005
• Subjects: War on Terrorism, 2001-2009; Terrorism—Southeast Asia > Prevention; Military assistance, American—Southeast Asia; United States—Foreign relations—2001-2009; International Relations
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/2417
• Institution: De La Salle University

This article analyzes the American-led global campaign against international terrorism in Southeast Asia. It noted that during the initial stage of the campaign, the United States has been very pragmatic and circumspect as Washington cooperated with its Asian allies in neutralizing terrorist groups and other transnational criminals. The campaign generated a positive trend towards cooperative security as Washington provided military and intelligence assistance to several countries threatened by homegrown and international terrorist movements. However, this paper argues that the Bush Administration's new national security strategy in September 2002 has radically transformed the war on terror in Southeast Asia and might create a major problem in America's efforts to foster cooperative security since states in the region seem averse to the strategy of preemptive defense. It contends that the best way to counter terrorist organizations in Southeast Asia is through the cooperative security or functionalist approach rather than the strategic/military mode, which tends to generate conflicts among state actors who are faced with a common security challenge - international terrorism.