This article introduces current situation, characteristic, and logic of Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism and analyzes controver- sies on the Closure of Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and remotely piloted aircraft referred to as Drones. It also...
This article introduces current situation, characteristic, and logic of Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism and analyzes controver- sies on the Closure of Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and remotely piloted aircraft referred to as Drones. It also determines that Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism strategies are composed of Retren- chment, partial succession of the policies of his predecessor Bush Administration’s one, and forming America’s State Security.
Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism performs tasks: First, the reduce of scope of War on Terror; Second, recovery of America’s Ethical Leadership; and Third, effective outcomes of War on Terror. Obama Administration has used Retrenchment strategy. Therefore, Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism has been against regional terrorism group and its network, not against Afghanistan and Iraq. This retrenchment strategy has used Disrupt-Dismantle-Defeat.
Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism has succeed American Exceptionalism, which has been based on predecessor Bush Adminis- tration. It means that America is ‘virtue’, ‘justice’, ‘special nations’. However, Obama Administration also has succeed American values, such as the rule of law and American Democracy. Therefore, the primary goal of Obama Administration has been protecting American Security and its values. Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and its controversy mean the limitation of predecessor Bush Administration. Obama pushed ahead with the closure of Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp for protecting American values.
Meanwhile, Obama Administration has attempted America’s State Security after War on Terror. Obama’s speech on the end of Counterterrorism proves it. Obama insists that Drones would be used if such terrorist group or individual terrorist threats continuing and imminent to Homeland or American. Obama thinks someone will threat America beyond War on terror.
Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp takes a person in custody suspected terrorists after 9/11 terror. It symbolizes that damage of America’s rule of law and Human Rights. Obama argues that closing of Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp protects American values and considers economic effectiveness. However, U.S. Congress disapproves of Obama’s plan because of Protecting American Security. They put on the brakes the Closure of Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp through rejecting budgets, which means U.S. Congress’ powerful actions.
Drones, called ‘Obama’s War’ also has provoked controversy. Obama Administration has used Drones as the strategy of Counter- terrorism because Drones has have economic and strategic effective- ness. However, Drones have three controversial issues: First, Legal issues. It means that Drones violate U.S. Constitution; Second, Democratic issues. Drones operate in secret, only knows Obama Administration. This is the demage of American Democracy; Third, Strategic issues. Drones trigger civilians due to wrong information. The bigger civilian casualties occurs, the greater anti-American appears.
This article understands Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism composes Retrenchment, partial succession of formal Bush Admini- stration’s one, and forming America’s State Security. It also reviews and analyzes two cases: Controversies of the Closure of Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and Drones, which are the important element of Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism. They show the truth of Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism clearly. This research will contribute to understanding characteristic on progress of Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism and predicts the future.Key words: Obama Administration’s Counterterrorism, The Retrenchment Strategy of Counterterrorism, American Exceptionalism, State Security, Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, Drones, The National Security Strategy of the Obama Administration.