We live in an unsettled world. Turn the radio on or flick through the newspapers, and you can’t escape bad news. It’s no wonder many of us feel deluded at the state of the modern world. There are all kinds of dreadful and terrifying things going on in the world. Here, we examine some of the most significant political threats to the US right now.
Terrorism: America’s biggest fear
Surveys carried out in the USA have revealed that terrorism is America’s biggest fear. Recent attacks in France, Belgium and Egypt have got people thinking, and made it impossible to ignore the threat of terror attacks. The reality of the situation is that organized attacks have taken place all over the world in recent years. There’s also no hiding from the fact that there are several groups to be wary of out there.
ISIS has dominated headlines in Europe, the US and the Middle East recently. In the last few months alone, the group has admitted responsibility for hundreds of deaths related to a series of incidents. If you look a little further back, there are countless examples of terrorist activity. It’s no wonder Americans list terrorism their main concern. The London bombings, 9/11 and terrorist attacks in Africa and the Middle East have made all us anxious.
Political unrest affects all of us. Rumblings in the Middle East, division in Europe and the US and unease in Africa, are likely to take their toll.
The question of Iran
Iran is another pressing issue. Just last year, world leaders reached an agreement with Iran regarding its nuclear program. The crux of the deal is Iran scaling back its nuclear program in return for access to frozen assets and lifted economic sanctions. But is this enough? For many, the deal represents a major step forward towards global peace and safety. But for others, it’s a short-term solution, which isn’t robust enough. Executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Mark Dubowitz, is skeptical. He believes that President Obama hasn’t gone far enough. Iran has been granted access to funds, but there’s no real way of reversing this situation if Iran steps out of line. The trouble is that we don’t really know what Iran will use its newfound wealth for. And we could end up at the beginning, with a major threat of nuclear attacks.
With so much attention on terror attacks of late, it’s no surprise that anxiety is rife. Nobody wants to live in a world where there’s a constant risk of terrorism. Sadly, the threat is ever-present, as recent attacks confirm. Terrorism is an entity, which is incredibly difficult to control and quash. Some, like Mark Dubowitz, will argue that more can be done. It remains to be seen how the Iran nuclear deal will pan out in the future. For now, world leaders will be hoping that it brings stability and reduces the threat of terrorism in the US and the rest of the world.