The overall ineffective and illegitimate result of the war on terror means that the costs have thus far outweighed the successes . Counter-terrorism efforts such as Targeted killing and drone strikes have backfired and are not proven to work , and have even perpetuated the number of terrorist attacks , including suicide bombings . While counter-terrorism may deter some attacks , it can not prevent all , and often has the result of provoking rather than reducing terrorism . The Iraq War was not productive in countering terrorism . Upward of 60 examples of terrorist incidents in America are proven consequences of United States foreign policy and military intervention . Still , no academic scholar in orthodox terrorism studies has considered American military intervention as the primary problem . It is noted that at Faisal Shahzad 's trial – following his failed 2010 Times Square car bombing attempt – he cited the drones that were killing the people of his community as the reason for his vengeance . Unmanned drone attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan tend to target public places and gatherings , such as weddings and funerals , and are increasing the threat of terrorism . Violence emanates and results from counterinsurgency/terrorism . What America calls preventative war , the Middle East calls state terrorism
2010 Times Square car bombing attempt
2010 Times Square car bombing attempt
Critical terrorism studies