Country Reports on Terrorism Released

Posted by DipNote Bloggers
April 30, 2009
Candle Outside Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai


The Country Reports on Terrorism 2008's"Strategic Assessment"chapter highlights terrorism trends and ongoing issues in 2008. This chapter sets the scene for the detailed analysis that follows. Significant achievements in border security, information sharing, transportation security, financial controls, and the killing or capture of numerous terrorist leaders have reduced the threat. But the threat remains, and state sponsorship, improved terrorist propaganda capabilities, the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction by some terrorist groups and state sponsors of terrorism, and terrorist exploitation of grievances represent ongoing challenges.


Significant achievements in this area were made this year against terrorist leadership targets, notably the capturing or killing of key terrorist leaders in Pakistan, Iraq, and Colombia. These efforts buy us time to carry out the non-lethal and longer term elements of a comprehensive counterterrorist strategy: disrupting terrorist operations, communications, propaganda, subversion efforts, planning and fundraising, and preventing radicalization before it takes root by addressing the grievances that terrorists exploit and discrediting the ideology that provides their legitimacy. Actions that advance these strategic objectives include building and strengthening networks among governments, multilateral cooperation, business organizations, and working within civil society. It is crucial to empower credible voices and provide alternatives to joining extremist organizations.

Working with allies and partners across the world, we have created a less permissive operating environment for terrorists, keeping terrorist leaders on the move or in hiding, and degrading their ability to plan and mount attacks. Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Jordan, the Philippines, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and many other partners played major roles in this success. Dozens of countries have continued to pass counterterrorism legislation or strengthen pre-existing laws that provide their law enforcement and judicial authorities with new tools to bring terrorists to justice. The United States has expanded the number of foreign partners with which it shares terrorist screening information. This information serves as an important tool for disrupting and tracking travel of known and suspected terrorists.

Read the full report.



Virginia, USA
May 3, 2009

Donald in Virginia writes:


1. We know there are good people in this world, then their are EVIL people trying to do harm against humanity.

2. What we do know is in the King James Bible GOOD will always Defeat the EVIL DOERS!

3. God created this world and he will have the final say about Judgement of the evil. I believe there is a place called, "HELL" down in the pit. Where the heat is so intense the spirits are burning up. No doubt they would like a glass of ice water. The Devil says, "NO Water"! Which is interesting how in life, water is the power of life! Everything that man or woman makes, it always requires water in the mix.

4. Signs comes to people who have wisdom to know what they mean and what will happen next.

5. Terrorism isn't always just about Usama bin laden, it has many forms which the Devil has used to destroy mankind. It can be plagues, diseases, famine, chemical agents, biological, nuclear, Alfa, Beta, and Gama Particals and rays. It could be poison, or un-identified agents, Our own water resources could be a threat, or even power sources.

6. The bottom line is we all should have emergency supplies on hand for any type of event that could unfold in future. Can you plan for everything, doubtful, but you can stock up on water, food, have an emergency plan in your home in case of a fire, flood or even a chemical attack. I'm not saying run out to your hardware stores and start buying up the store, just have enough supplies on hand to take care of you and your family. Have a Medical Kit, keep important emergency phone numbers by your phone.

7. Ask the what if's... before you start to panic when a situation happens. An old saying, "Have your ducks in a row" which means have a plan, have supplies, be prepared in future, this kind of advise might save your life.

Note: Common Sense goes a long ways, faith is great, but it's a combination of the two that leads to success.

Best Regards,


June 24, 2009

John in Greece writes:

@ Donald in Virginia -- No intention to begin a religious conversation. After all, this is not the point of the topic. However, I was lost in the Bible's "translation"?

Attempting to learn inspired by your post- what the the King James Bible is, really confused me. The most LOL thing I discovered, was that as a Christian Orthodox, in my forties, I thought till today (honestly) that we (Christians) have only ONE bible (let's call it poor religion education of mine).

I understood that various translators translated and then they were translated by others. So, how we can now be sure about the way each one "interpreted" his translation, without adding his own "spiritual analysis", based on personal views, level of understanding or "interest"?

All of which made me even more confused, concerning the -let me say: Lost- translation's circle. I mean, Jesus!? too many perspectives of comparative translation, moreover of the interpretation. Of course, someone could say me: Oh come on John, it's anyway too complicated. Just think that Orthodox Churches cannot have a common calendar. They would be right to tell me so?

Don't mention Crusades? From this point of view, we Christians- were terrorists back then?
Anyway, this is not the point! (Just some thoughts of mine, and thank you that you gave me the chance to search and evaluate some things, I really didn't know).

I believe that TERRORISM is something else (I mean deeper), regularly having to do with religion (especially with fanatic Muslims), but not always. I think that terrorists can also be JUST idiots, anarchists without a religious ignition (ex. The Greek 17N), people out of law who want to make money under a so-called ideological protection they create, etc. Unfortunately, there are too many different terrorist group profiles globally.

Now, concerning the EVIL comparison you connect to terrorism, you remind me of an Eric's in NM advice we should have in mind for such description?: calling them "the Devil" (EVIL in many of their cultures means Satan) are giving them way too much credit. They are just terrorists! Nothing more! They are gangs out of law, who think that they can rule the world their way, or make money out of their actions.

If we start explaining what Good vs Bad is will give terrorists the absolute argumentation amenity to continue their actions. They will reply that, what we think as Good is their perception of bad and vise versa. And then we (westerns) lost the game. According to me: Terrorism is Terrorism/Period.

You see, if we keep on watching the FOLLOW ME Religious good/bad yellow vehicle, before landing, we will lose vital time for Taxing maneuvers and then the yellow vehicle, because we will end up crashed and burned. (CHUCKLE!)

Note: I really like your post. You inspired me to write some simple thoughts. Please don't misunderstand my fears. It has nothing to do with your thesis.

Concerning the ducks in a row saying, I absolutely agree with you, as long as we do not panic people and create a "The Day After" nightmare, or a Terrorist-Armageddon theory.
After all, in other words you are right:
- When did Noah build the Ark?
- Before the rain, before the rain.

That's why I wish you are wrong about the coming rain. But you made me think of buying an umbrella.

Best Regards Sir!

United States
May 4, 2009

Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:

The problem with terrorism is that everyone wants to use their own definition. Congress had made that too easy.

What might be called "terrorism" in America would be "free speech" in another country, as our own Department of Homeland Security bulletins illustrate that church groups, book authors, documentary film makers, and others who wish to protest some law or government action are included under an ever-expanding DHS definition of "extremists" and even "potential terrorists".

Returning veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq have been targetted by DHS as "extremist", possibly because they once fired a weapon in defense of America and took an oath to defend the constitution?

In foreign countries, we have governments defining their opponents as "extremists", or "terrorists", merely because they have followers who oppose the policies of existing government.

The term "suspected terrorists" means one thing to us, and something completely different to other foreign leaders, as a muslim "extremist" in Indonesia may be a very respectable and devout guy, while in America, the same guy would be on an FBI watch list.

The terms used above to define insurgents, "propaganda campaigns, grass roots support, transnational ideology, and political and territorial ambitions" fit our own government precisely.

However, true terrorism involves murdering people for political gain, as had been done in dozens of countries, such as Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and elsewhere.

Real terrorism has nothing to do with mere political opposition , dissent against government policies, or whether people attend church, own guns, or believe in our constitution as the supreme law of the our land, as our own "Homeland Security" claims today.

So the terrorism bandwagon has lost a wheel or two and is now running out of control. We set this in motion and it is up to us to fix it, beginning with the Department of Homeland Security.


Latest Stories