Reacting to Terrorism: Comparing the influence of the perceived threat of international terrorism on policy attitudes before and after September 11, 2001

This paper examines how the threat associated with international terrorism influences American opinion leaders’ policy attitudes to the ‘War on Terror’. Focus is placed on how the perceived international terrorist threat differs in its influence on military policies and actions, as well as support for the spread of democratization, before and after the events of September 11, 2001. The goal is to identify the impact of the 9/11 attacks on these relationships. Results show a higher threat associated with international terrorism in 2002 relative to 1998. There was also an increase in support for military policies and actions and the spread of democracy in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. As well, an increased threat associated with international terrorism predicted increased support for military policies and actions, as well as support for democratization, in both 1998 and 2002. Moreover, the positive relationship between an increased threat associated with international terrorism and support for military policies and actions was significantly stronger in the post-9/11 era, though this was not the case in regards to support for democratization. Results from this project go a long way in explaining the military response to the 9/11 attacks conducted under the ‘War on Terror’.