Terry Waite is a humanitarian and author. In the 1980s he was the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs when he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John McCarthy. He was taken hostage himself, and was held for four years and ten months, from 1987 to 1991.
Is the world going to become more or less stable in the coming year?
It is very unlikely that the world will become more stable in the coming year. The Middle East is a major destabilising factor. It is highly likely that there will be a gradual retreat from Iraq by the Western powers but it will be nothing short of a miracle if that action results in greater stability in the region.
Which area(s) present the greatest threat to geopolitical security?
In a world where so many factors are interconnected it is difficult to answer where the 'greatest' threat is posed. The grave danger of nuclear materials falling into the hands of extremist groups is a real possibility. One only has to look at the instability currently seen in Pakistan to appreciate this particular danger.
The world is in the early stages of a significant change in the exercise of global power. The thirst for ever diminishing stocks of oil will continue for some years and will also produce in its wake constant tensions and conflicts.
In what way is the terrorism threat changing/emerging right now?
There is no doubt that terrorism is a threat but the way the West has dealt with the problem has been crude in the extreme. Much terrorism is symptomatic of a deep disorder within the societies or cultures from which the terrorist springs, coupled with a profound distaste for Western culture. Major effort has gone into dealing with symptoms rather than examining and dealing with root issues.
Britain – of all countries – ought to recognise, as a result of grappling with the problem of Northern Ireland, that terrorism is not defeated by warfare. Although it is a truism, it is correct to say that one must win 'hearts and minds' and thus alienate the terrorist from his or her base of support. It is likely that more and more impressionable young people who are dismayed by the inadequacies of their own societies and repelled by what they understand of Western culture will prove to be willing fodder for those who would advocate extremist positions.
Can business make a contribution to a more stable world?
It is clear to me that where business follows the highest ethical standards in relation to both its employees and their customers and where it also has a serious regard for the welfare of the environment then it does make a vital contribution to stability.
What is the chance of another terrorist attack on the scale of September 11th?
I would say that there is a very real possibility of another major attack, even though millions of dollars have gone into measures designed to prevent such an event. As we have witnessed, determined terrorists with very limited resources can eventually cause panic and havoc. The constant threat of terrorism creates exactly what it sets out to do and that is to induce a state of terror within the individual and within society generally. It also tends to create an overreaction by the authorities which borders on the hysterical.
In some instances, the State has used the threat of terrorism to restrict individual liberty and to sidestep long established principles of justice. Where this has happened the terrorist has won because he has succeeded in depriving individuals of their liberty. Sensible foreign policies, able statesmen and women, effective intelligence, ethical business behaviour, and a respect and understanding of cultures and creeds different from our own are some of the ways by which terrorism might be dealt with.
