The Center for American Progress released its'Terrorism Index yesterday. It is available in pdf format on its website. It was released and discussed in a panel discussion including Dr. Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA's Bin Laden Unit, and Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Colin Powell and professor at the College of William & Mary. David Bosco, senior editor of Foreign Policy magazine and moderated by Joseph Cirincione, Senior Vice President for National Security, Center for American Progress.
The survey polled 116 foreign policy experts in the first installment of what is intended as a twice-yearly Terrorism Index. Survey participants came from a range of professional and ideological backgrounds, and the results were balanced to give equal weight to those who self-identified as conservative, liberal, and moderate.
The results of the survey provide surprising insights into how experts are viewing the war on terror's progress. Most experts believe the U.S. is losing the war on terror and that the American people are becoming less safe. Establishing democratic governments in the Muslim world is not widely regarded as a key element in winning the war on terror, and there is a general dissatisfaction with the current effectiveness of government agencies in fighting terrorism.The Q&A which is also available in a quick time video was really interesting. Dr Scheuer in response to a question said he "didn't care if Israel Palestine disappeared tomorrow or Bolivia for that matter" He said in response to what should we do "we should get back to the point where national interest are defined accurately as issues of life and death " and Israel- Palestine, Darfur and certainly Iraq before the invasion are not life and death issues for the US. We have enough problems in the world naturally through trade, immigration and military problems we don't need to be going looking for problems, human rights are important in so far as they are protected and flourish in the US. We can be all the vocal supporter of these things around the world that we want and we should be. We should not be the installer and the enforcer"
The panel members beleive that home grown terrorism is a greater threat to the US rather than international terrorism.