Thoughts on the 2016 State of the Union Address

While The Counterterrorism Institute remains a strictly nonpartisan organization, the upcoming State of the Union Address provides an excellent opportunity to highlight some of the overarching issues and underlying obstacles at work in the larger world of counterterrorism. To be clear, the positions presented herein are not intended to support nor deride any individual politician or political party. As you will see, the information presented applies across the widest spectrum and seeks to address far greater issues than those involving a specific person or political movement.

Perhaps one of the saddest – though somehow not shocking – aspects is that as I sit here writing this commentary several hours before the speech begins, we can already estimate – with a reasonably high degree of certainty – exactly how it will go. Now don’t get me wrong, we will be just as shocked as you if the President begins his address by telling the world that he has just gotten off the phone with Vladimir Putin and other world leaders who have all agreed to work together as a global direct action force against the many evils and voids in society wherein radicalizations and violent ideology thrive. But, it’s a fairly safe bet that we have a better chance of hitting that elusive Powerball jackpot.

Again, this isn’t about Republicans vs Democrats, nor is it about Labour vs Conservatives, nor even the random assortment of third-parties running around in our various political systems. Instead, it is about the political machine…party politics…and blind nationalism standing in the way of carrying out a global response to find a global solution for a global problem.

This isn’t to say that politicians and the political system aren’t important components in the war against evil; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. In a perfect world, the political system would work to find the inevitable balance between the often at-odds forces of idealism and reality in order to advance positive, meaningful, and worthwhile objectives for the benefit of the widest possible audience.

Unfortunately, this is a far from perfect world…though it’s the best we’ve got, so we had best learn to make the most of it as a team…because we’re all in this together, and – SPOILER ALERT –  as far as I know, nobody gets out alive. With that in mind, it is perhaps a bit easier to look at the political system and its role in counterterrorism a bit like those super awkward high school or middle school dances many of us “suffered” through way back in varying degrees of “a long time ago.”

Before you think I’ve lost my mind, stick with me for a minute. You remember the times; guys on one side, girls on the other…every now and again someone would build up the nerve to cross the great divide – the kind that seemed to make trench warfare look like a walk in the park – to finally make it out onto the dance floor for perhaps the most awkward experience of one’s young life. Things improved slightly, but it was fairly clear that everybody was faking it to disguise the fact that nobody really knew what they were doing. See where we’re going with this?

The lesson learned from those youthful experiences way back then, was that there was only so much time one could spend awkwardly dancing with someone before it was time to either kiss or walk away. Politics is one of many manifestations of those seemingly strange dance rituals. Doing the dance is ok…it’s healthy…and it cultivates debate and discussion. But, at some point the dancing needs to give way to decisive and rational action.

Terrorism is – both thankfully and unfortunately – a wide and nearly all-encompassing issue that involves both an immediate and more underlying response strategy. While the worlds’ various political systems continue to work to find a balanced and reasonable response to the military and more global aspects of counterterrorism, you and I can make a very tangible and positive impact by working to address society’s voids – such as ignorance, lack of understanding and awareness, lack of opportunity, hopelessness, poverty, failing education systems, and many more – wherein radicalization and violent ideology continue to thrive and infest the next generations of terrorists.

So, as we listen to the State of the Union Address, keep what we discussed in mind, pray and work for the balance necessary to tackle this evil with conviction and meaning, and be thankful that a great deal of our future counterterrorism success remains very much within our control; in faraway lands, in our communities, and right in our own homes.

Thank You, Goodnight, and God Bless Us All.

Frank Spano & The Counterterrorism Institute Team