Responses to terrorism remain a huge priority for police and governments around the world. Recent years have reinforced this painful reality. The Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, underlined both how much harm can be inflicted by terrorists and also how crucial it is to respond effectively to minimize human suffering in the future.

The long history of terrorism and counterterrorism can offer practical insights, which can help prepare public safety for future responses. Based on historical understanding, what should be done to counter terrorist threats and violence most effectively?

Realistic Goals, Consistently Pursued

Though it is not always evident from commentary on the subject, much went right during the post-9/11 War on Terror. In the United Kingdom, for example, during the years 2001–2012, the authorities thwarted 43 terrorist plots or attacks.

But much also went wrong. Much of what went wrong in the War on Terror (especially in Afghanistan and Iraq) arose from an unhelpful mix of unrealistic ambitions and inconsistent approaches. The post-9/11 desire to combat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and to deal with a Taliban regime that had hosted them was utterly reasonable and was, in essence, realistic. The more ambitious goal of nation-building transformation was less so—and a similar problem arose in Iraq from 2003 onward. In Afghanistan, vacillation between the goals of reasonable and realistic counterterrorism and unfeasible nation-building transformation actually undermined the attempt of the United States and its allies to respond to terrorism. In the end, the Taliban’s return to power has been interpreted by some as a major victory for terrorists and their violence.

This problem of setting unrealistic goals can be widespread. The aim of eradicating terrorist threats—too often stated over recent decades—is much less realistic than the goal of limiting terrorist endeavors to the point where they represent a less dangerous challenge. The United Kingdom’s counterterrorism is grounded in the CONTEST strategy that was developed in the aftermath of 9/11. The strategic goal at the heart of CONTEST is not to eradicate terrorism (which would be impossible) but rather to make it possible for normal life to continue (which has largely been achievable).

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