Review: Cutting the Fuse By Greg Chaffin

Review: Cutting the Fuse

By Greg Chaffin, January 13, 2011

In Cutting the Fuse, Robert A. Pape and James K. Feldman build on Pape’s earlier work on suicide terrorism to explain the tremendous surge in attacks between 2004 and 2009. In these six years there have been a total of 1,833 suicide attacks around the world compared with a total of 350 during the period of 1980 through 2003.  Perhaps most dramatic is the comparative rise in the percentage of attacks aimed at American interests. Of the 350 attacks carried out between 1980 and 2003, fewer than 15 percent were aimed at America. Between 2004 and 2009, 92 percent of attacks can be seen as anti-American. This startling jump seems clearly attributable to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, and in particular, the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan where most of the attacks have taken place. This statistic also further strengthens Pape's earlier argument that the primary cause of suicide terrorism is foreign occupation. More at link.

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