US diplomacy and the fight against terrorism

It is a mistake to assume that diplomacy can always settle international disputes if there is "good faith" and "willingness to come to an agreement".

Henry A. Kissinger

Introduction

Contemporary diplomacy, whose traditional understanding proposes to apprehend "the manner of conducting the external affairs of a subject of international law through peaceful means and primarily through negotiation"[1]In addition to multilateral organisations, it is characterised by a broad conception of the conduct of state affairs that includes a multitude of non-state actors - also called non-governmental organisations. Given its complexity, this instrument remains one of the major components of a country's power. Consequently, diplomatic practices are subject to continuous readjustment[2]The European Union has a long history of working with the private sector, requiring innovative approaches to effectively defend national interests.

The fight against terrorism remains one of the priorities of the current US administration. As President Obama stressed at the recent White House Summit on Countering Violent ExtremismTerrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State pose an "urgent" threat[3] to the security of the United States as well as that of American allies and partners. Although there is a certain continuity in US counter-terrorism policy, it is inevitable that we agree with Tina Kaidanow, Coordinator of the State Department's Office of Counter-Terrorism, that the nature of the terrorist threat is varied and continues to evolve, requiring a constant adaptation of the US approach[4].

The global dimension of the terrorist threat makes diplomacy a central institution in US government counter-terrorism efforts, with close links to foreign diplomatic detachments. Indeed, as Haris Pesto notes, " the fight against a terrorist network such as the one including Al Qaeda requires the cooperation of numerous countries, since the network is active around the world. Efficient anti-terrorist diplomacy consolidates all these activities into a coherent whole "[5].

Colin Powell said: " diplomacy constitutes this nation's first line of defence and also one of our most potent offensive weapons in the war on terrorism "[6]. Therefore, in order to discern the weight of modern diplomacy in the US counter-terrorism strategy, the question to be asked is: "What are the main US characteristics in the fight against the threats posed by these terrorist groups?         
 
In order to answer this question, it is necessary to examine the methods used by US diplomacy to build coalitions and cooperation with its international partners. These methods, which include direct diplomacy, the diplomacy of international organisations, so-called 'expeditionary diplomacy', as well as public diplomacy, will be the focus of this analysis.

I. DIRECT DIPLOMACY

II. THE DIPLOMACY OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

III. EXPEDITIONARY DIPLOMACY

IV. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

CONCLUSION

Diplomacy is still an essential part of the United States' overall strategy in the fight against international terrorism. At the same time, terrorism is an ever more topical and, in some parts of the world, urgent threat. This danger, whose nature is constantly evolving over time, tends to focus, according to the coordinator of the State Department's Office of Counterterrorism, Tina Kaidanow, on local objectives[62]. Thus, US diplomacy engages directly with the actors of this cooperation at all levels - international, national, regional and local[63]. 63] Moreover, in an increasingly complex environment, this arrangement encompasses a multitude of non-state actors. A key aspect of US diplomacy negotiations is to support the effort to develop the counter-terrorism capabilities of US partners. US assistance and coordination with allied and partner countries is provided primarily through multiple bilateral meetings. Secretary of State Kerry plays a key role in this respect. However, multilateral cooperation - such as the Global Counter-terrorism Forum (GCTF) or the recent White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism - remains a key factor in American diplomatic strategy. The same is true of international and regional organisations, which allow the United States to limit, to a certain extent, the financial costs of various external operations, as well as to acquire greater legitimacy in the fight against terrorism. It is important to emphasise that the fight against terrorism is, for the US administration, above other international issues, which means that the US does not exclude extending an allied hand to countries whose political characteristics are only marginally, if at all, compatible with those of the US[64]. 64] Since the primary objective of US diplomacy is to ensure that terrorists have no place that can be characterised as a 'safe haven', expeditionary diplomacy is an indispensable component of this overall diplomatic strategy. Indeed, its task is to provide effective access to information on the ground and to ensure constant communication with international partners. The role of public diplomacy in the fight against terrorism is also crucial to the success of the US global diplomatic strategy. International partners' understanding of objectives is fundamental to building international coalitions and cooperation. The usefulness of public diplomacy is further enhanced by the fact that its spectrum of influence extends beyond political representatives to publics in countries affected by terrorism, as well as to activists themselves. The effectiveness of this approach is enhanced by the increased use of cyber technologies, which have become a key aspect of the efforts. In fineThe primary characteristic of US diplomacy is the desire to bring together as many actors as possible to join forces against the threat of international terrorism.

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