Through applying the sociological viewpoint toward the war on terrorism, do you think we have been successful in waging this war? Why or why not?

To answer this question, we first have to define what the “sociological viewpoint” is. This is often called the sociological perspective.  The relevant part of this perspective encourages us to look at things more broadly than we might be inclined to.  Instead of simply looking at how something affects us, for example, we should look at how it affects our entire society.  We have to do this because we have to realize that the rest...

To answer this question, we first have to define what the “sociological viewpoint” is. This is often called the sociological perspective.  The relevant part of this perspective encourages us to look at things more broadly than we might be inclined to.  Instead of simply looking at how something affects us, for example, we should look at how it affects our entire society.  We have to do this because we have to realize that the rest of society affects us as well.  Therefore, to look at the war on terror through the sociological viewpoint, we have to ask how it has affected our entire country and also other countries or even the entire world.

Looking at the war on terror, we can argue that it has succeeded, but we can also argue that it has failed.  I will make both arguments and allow you to decide which one you find more persuasive.

From one perspective, the war on terror has succeeded.  From this perspective, we can say that it has been successful because the United States has prevented and further major terrorist attacks on American soil after 9/11/2001.  Since then, the US has severely weakened Al Qaeda.  It has not allowed major terror attacks on our homeland or on our property or interests abroad.  It has been so successful that we are left to criticize the government for failing to prevent the Benghazi attack that killed four people or the California terrorist shooting that killed 14 people.  These are tragic, but they are very small scale things.  The war on terror has prevented truly major attacks.

From another perspective, however, you can argue that it has failed.  You can argue that it has created more problems around the world.  You can argue that ISIS exists because of our war on terror.  You can argue that the war on terror has lessened sympathy for America among the countries of the world.  You can argue that it has radicalized many Muslims, meaning that there are more people who are willing to engage in terrorism against us now than before we started the war on terror.  Thus, by looking at the question somewhat more broadly, we get a different answer.  Which of these arguments do you agree with more?