The U.S.'s global war on terror: Can the U.S. simultaneously fight terror and safeguard democracy? The case of the Philippines

Abstract

Scholars commonly agree that terrorism, fundamentalism and fanaticism today pose the gravest threat both to the system of states as a whole, and to groups and individuals within the state.1 The actions of these groups are not always confined to a specific state, and even where it appears to be, the possibility exists that the group will extend its actions beyond the borders of the state and destabilise the region in the process. Groups have a global reach, consequently states will have to cooperate to counter this threat. The challenge to the international community in this context is to find a way to employ counter-terrorist strategies without undermining the
sovereignty of individual states. This article will discuss the counter-terrorist cooperation between two states, the Philippines and the United States of America (U.S.), within the boundaries of the Philippines, and assess the impact that cooperation will have on Philippine democracy.