COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COUNTERTERRORIST STRATEGIES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

Abstract

U ovom radu ispitana je teza o različitim načinima na koje se Sjedinjene Američke Države i Europska unija suprotstavljaju suvremenom terorizmu. Od 11. rujna 2001. borbi protiv terorizma se općenito pristupa korištenjem novih i drugačijih instrumenata. Najvažniji akteri borbe protiv terorizma na svjetskoj pozornici su SAD i EU, a nova, ratna paradigma borbe protiv terorizma stvorena je u Americi. Europska unija je najvažniji američki partner, međutim, za borbu protiv terorizma izabrala je instrumente različite od američkih. Komparativnom analizom je utvrđeno da tip političke zajednice bitno utječe na donošenje strategija za suzbijanje terorizma i protuterorističko postupanje uopće. Analiza je pokazala da SAD i EU imaju prilično različite sustave društvenih vrijednosti. SAD vodi rat protiv terorizma kao egzistencijalne opasnosti, dok Europska unija terorizam ne doživljava kao egzistencijalnu prijetnju i suprotstavlja mu se uglavnom preventivno i u pravilu civilnim sredstvima. Osim što na sličan način definiraju terorizam, i donekle slično pokušavaju utjecati na uzroke terorizma, SAD i EU zbog brojnih objašnjenih razloga imaju značajno različite pristupe suzbijanju terorizma, modele i instrumente za borbu te postignute rezultate u borbi protiv terorizma. SAD i EU i dalje imaju velikih problema s terorizmom pa se postavlja pitanje efikasnosti njihovih strategija.In this article we have examined the basic thesis about the different ways of countering the issue of modern terrorism by the United States of America and the European Union. Since September 11, 2001, the combat against terrorism has generally been approached in a different manner, using new and different instruments. The most important players in the combat against terrorism on the world stage are the US and the EU and the new, war paradigm of the fight against terrorism was created in America. The European Union is America’s most important partner, but it has chosen different instruments for combating terrorism. Comparative analysis has confirmed beyond a doubt that the type of political system significantly influences counter-terrorist policy making and counter-terrorist activity in general. Analysis has also shown that the US and the EU have rather different systems of social values. The US is fighting a war against terrorism as an existential danger. The European Union does not look at terrorism as an existential threat and counters it in the main through prevention and using civilian instruments. Other than having similar definitions of terrorism and somewhat similar ways of trying to influence the causes of terrorism, the US and the EU, due to numerous explained reasons, differ greatly when it comes to their counter-terrorism approaches, chosen combat models and instruments, and the results achieved in the combat against terrorism. The United States and the European Union are still faced with great problems related to terrorism, which brings into question the efficiency of their strategies