Civil Liberties & Homeland Security
 
Since September 11, 2001, the LWVUS has worked to engage our Leagues and the public in addressing civil liberties and security concerns. We are committed to the notion that informed discussions nationwide promote an understanding of the issues and what the U.S. needs to do to protect civil liberties as well as what it can and cannot do to assure security at home and abroad.
 
Strategies for a Secure World
This series of papers is part of the League’s efforts to assure the protection of American civil liberties in the face of the current terrorist threat. They were developed to help local Leagues engage their communities in understanding why the United States is threatened by external forces today and in considering what it will take to overcome that threat.
 
The Middle East: A Brief Historical Sketch
This paper focuses on the events and circumstances that fostered terrorism after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. It addresses the founding of the modern Arab states and the emergence of Islamic fundamentalism, the growing dependence on oil in the West, the creation of the State of Israel, and the changing perceptions of the United States in the region.
 
Terrorism Past and Present
This paper addresses why terrorism is a threat to the U.S. today. It defines terrorism and considers its goals as well as the implications of its link to a fundamentalist religious faith. This paper assesses the effect of evolving technologies and how terrorism has changed organizationally and ideologically. It also reviews recent trends.

Strategies for a Secure World
This paper presents four distinct approaches to overcoming terrorism, while asking questions about the underlying assumptions. The premise is that public policy should engage the public and informed nationwide discussions will promote a broader understanding of the issue and a better understanding of what the U.S. can and cannot do to defeat terrorism.