The presumed involvement of extreme Islamist groups (seefundamental-
ism) in the attacks perpetrated on the USA in September 2001, together with
the role of Islamist organizations in theArab-Israeli conflictand the often-
misunderstood Islamic concept ofJihadled many in the West to believe Islam
to be particularly susceptible to exploitation by those seeking to useterrorism
as a political tool. While this is a misrepresentation of the religion (mainstream
Muslim opinion repeatedly condemns such violent acts as ‘11 September’) it
can be stated that strict adherence to Islamic beliefs clashes more resonantly
with Western political and cultural norms than would similar commitments to
other major world religions.
Isolationism
Isolationism is a foreign policy strategy in which a nation announces that it has
absolutely no interest in international affairs, nor in the affairs of other nations,
as long as they do not affect any vital interest of its own; this implies a neutrality
in most possible conflicts. The most famous example is the foreign policy of the
USA during much of the 19th century and in the inter-war period of the 20th
century, where isolationism as regards any part of the globe other than the
western hemisphere was a corollary of theMonroe Doctrineenunciated in
1823.
In practice the USA only followed isolationism when it was in its interest,
and became heavily involved in Asian affairs, as well as finding the definition of
‘western hemisphere’ extensive enough to include both Hawaii and the
Philippines. Isolationism was at its most effective in the USA during the
inter-war years, keeping the country out of the League of Nations and
preventing it from becoming involved in the Second World War until attacked
by Japan at the end of 1941. Whatever the balance of advantages to the USA
may have been, the policy was disastrous for Europe, where the rise of the
dictators was helped by their confidence in American neutrality. Although
isolationism is still attractive to many Americans, the Truman Doctrine of
1947, when the USA pledged to help all peoples fighting for freedom against
‘armed minorities or outside pressure’, spelled the end even to a pretence of
isolationism, which would, in any case, be incompatible with its obligations
under theUnited Nations (UN)Charter. Certainly isolationist tendencies,
though still present, have not stopped presidents from the first to the second
Bush administrations involving the US closely with European affairs.
In effect, of course, isolationism is practised by most small powers most of
the time, and only becomes an obviously deliberate strategy where a real
choice is available. When Britain was still powerful there sometimes existed a
strong isolationist element under the title of ‘little Englanders’, who wished to
give up imperial responsibilities and concentrate effort on protecting the direct
Isolationism