Democracies Against Terror: The Western Response to State-Supported Terrorism

By Geoffrey M. Levitt

Levitt, whose background includes degrees in political science and law and who has worked as a legal advisor in the Department of State, concentrates on the phenomenon of state-supported terrorism. . . . Excellent study on both the legalities and political hesitations in counterterrorism. Choice

In Democracies against Terror, Geoffrey Levitt displays the skills of a practicing international lawyer as well as the insights of a thoughtful scholar. Expecially impressive are his discussion of the thorny problems of defining terrorism and his sensible prescriptions for policymakers. A major contribution to the literature.
John F. Murphy, Villanova University

This timely monography examines one of the most ambitious and potentially powerful efforts to achieve effective international cooperation against terrorism--that of the Summit Seven states. It is based on documentary, press, and secondary sources, interviews with relevant officials of the governments involved, as well as the author's experience as legal counsel to the U.S. State Department Office for Combatting Terrorism (1983-1986). Policy professionals and students of international politics and law will welcome this scholarly treatment of the interaction among policy, politics, and law in a sensitive area of international activity.

The study traces Summit Seven initiatives on terrorism since the beginning of the group's attention to the issue in 1978. Summit declarations on various forms of terrorism are discussed and the political and technical follow-up to these declarations by the involved governments are described. Subsequent chapters analyze the actual responses of the Seven governments -- jointly and individually -- to six selected terrorist incidents. The book also describes major international frameworks outside the Summit where counterterrorism cooperation has been pursued, and discusses their relationship to Summit Seven efforts. Finally, conclusions are drawn about whether -- and how -- governments might cooperate more realistically and effectively against international terrorism.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 027593022X
• ISBN13: 9780275930226
• Release Date: July 1988
• Publisher: Praeger
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.2"