Deradicalization Programs: A Counterterrorism Tool
Author(s):
An increase in extreme weather events, a global pandemic, and a particularly potent digital climate all lend to a global rise in resource scarcity, social isolation, and misinformation; conditions which sometimes contribute to an increase in radicalization and extremist recruitment. While the focus of U.S. counterterrorism (CT) strategy continues to follow hard-nosed power projections, U.S. allies have begun placing more focus on the integration of deradicalization programs. This shift highlights the realization that extremist ideology cannot be defeated simply by exterminating or subduing terrorists. Instead, focus must be given to understanding the underlying conditions of extremism as it pertains to radicalization.