Episode 143: "Can Democracy Stop Terrorism?"

“Democracy must be our answer to terrorism.” — Angela Merkel “Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism” — Benazir Bhutto “But this begs a fundamental question: Is it true that the more democratic a country becomes, the less likely it us to produce terrorists and terrorist groups?” — F. Gregory Gause III in Foreign Affairs magazine, September/October 2005 issue.Since the September 11th terror attacks, the United States has continued to wage a "war on terror". It has been the catalyst for numerous political and ideological shifts around the globe over the past sixteen years and reflects a turning point of sorts. It is important to examine, given attacks in recent years, how democracy plays into the topic of terrorism. This week we're joined by Sam Whipple to look at a 2005 article by F. Gregory Gause III entitled "Can Democracy Stop Terrorism?" and to explore the role democracies play in combating 21st century terrorism. How are democracies organized in ways that prove especially vulnerable to terrorist aims? How does terrorism take advantages of the freedoms permitted under democracy?Talk to us on Twitter, Facebook and leave us a review on iTunes! We would love to hear your thoughts! Further Reading:Foreign Affairs, "Can Democracy Stop Terrorism?"