Terrorism is one of the main problems faced by humanity in the 21st century and, despite considerable countermeasures, it remains topical. Islamic terrorism is one of the most prominent forms of the radicalism of the past decades, which manifested itself in several tragic events. The movement began when Osama Bin Laden formed al Qaeda in 1989, which conducted its first attack in Yemen by placing a bomb in a hotel housing American troops (“Osama bin Laden,” 2020). Osama Bin Laden espoused the idea of worldwide Jihad, a holy war of Muslims against the infidels and especially the United States. The main terrorist attack of al Qaeda was the 9/11 Bombing of the World Trade Centers, claiming the lives of thousands of people and leading to the beginning of the War on Terror (“Osama bin Laden,” 2020). Eventually, the United States Military located Osama bin Laden and killed him, yet it did not stop other Islamic radicals from carrying out attacks. One of them was the Boston Marathon Bombings event which were orchestrated by followers of Osama bin Laden (Breuninger, 2021).
The continuing terrorist attacks cause numerous concerns to emerge over the effectiveness of the United States War on Terror. Yet, it is still one of the responsibilities of the country to act as the world’s “policeman” since the United States is the only global superpower capable of establishing control overseas. Essentially, by ensuring its military presence in problematic regions, the United States manages to contain the existing threats to global peace. The Middle East is one such region, and its stability is vital to the U.S. economy and national security. The United States suppresses the influence and growth of radical movements in the region, which, if left unchecked, can continue building support networks worldwide, including in the United States. Such a development can lead to new terrorist attacks, as well as the rise of Islamist governments in the Middle East, which will be hostile to western nations. As a result, the terrorist threat in the world would only increase if the United States completely left the Middle East. In such an event, local terrorist groups would seize power and gain access to more resources allowing them to further incite violence and destruction. Moreover, there is also a threat of Islamist groups gaining control over nuclear weapons, thus putting the safety of the entire world at risk.