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Contemporary terrorism research paper topics for college students

The study of contemporary terrorism and research paper topics has altered radically since 9/11 2001 and the attack on the World Trade Center. Prior to this terrorism centered round the IRA in Northern Island, ETA in the Basque country of Spain and the Sinahlese and Tamil population in Sri Lanka. Indeed it was the Tamil Tigers of Elaam who used the suicide bomb as a weapon of choice. Since the first Gulf war in 1991 the scene has changed and as the old terrorism conflicts have died out Islamic fundamentalism has become the main threat facing America and its allies. Even the domestic terrorism, which occasioned the Oklahoma bombing, and anthrax attacks have died away.

Research Paper topics for college students concerned with United States security could include:

Homeland security and efficient surveillance of the Islamist threat.
How to conduct surveillance without offending America’s Muslims.
There is an increased threat of bombs on board US flights and how to defeat this with technical innovations.
How to establish efficient surveillance without curtailing civil liberties
Terrorists use mosques and schools and the internet to proselytize students for jihad : what counter measures can be taken?

Moving away from the United States internal security situation the question of United States involvement in preventing the spread of terrorism abroad.

The case for and against military intervention to defeat terrorist forces like Isis (now the Islamic State) in Iraq and Syria and Al Quaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in North Africa and the Sahel.
The consequences of failing to defeat Islamist terrorism and the war weariness of the American public: how to find effective allies.
The need to prevent nuclear terrorism Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
How to forge effective security alliances with Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia.
The security implications in the fight against rising Islamist –terrorism of United States bases and forces in the Middle East.
Is President Obama’s current policy as regards terrorism working?

President Obama successfully disengaged from Iraq and is seeking troop withdrawals from Afghanistan at the end of this year thus keeping his promise to American voters. With the disintegration of Iraq what chance has Afghanistan of avoiding the same fate? Can America pursue isolationism in the face of the terrorism threat?