A Decade of Exaggerated Danger

Hannah Fletcher, The Times December 31, 2009

Ten years ago, as the countdown to a new millennium reached its final stages, some people believed that we were hours away from Armageddon. In fact we had a reprieve. Armageddon came 18 months later.

When two planes, hijacked by terrorists from a strange-sounding Islamist group called al-Qaeda, crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York, the world as we knew it ended. The twin towers crumbled along with our sense of security within our own borders.

It will remain one of the defining moments of the 21st century but September 11, 2001, remains too immediate to be wholly comprehensible and there is no end in sight to the mayhem that it has engendered. It has led the West into two intractable wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in which hundreds of soldiers and thousands of civilians continue to die.

It has ushered in an age of surveillance and invasive “security”, diminishing civil liberties. It has brought down governments, turned airports into fortresses and divided communities.

And in Britain fifty-six people, including the four British Muslim bombers, died in suicide attacks on the London transport system on July 7 2005. We have become suspicious of compatriots with beards or burkhas.

Islamist extremists are not the only bogeymen. The news from far corners of the globe has done little to dispel the notion of a strange, unsettled world. In Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe has all but destroyed his own people, while Iran and North Korea are ten years nearer to having nuclear weapons.

Violent uprisings in the provinces of China have rattled the Han hegemony. Russia is reverting to authoritarianism, nuclear-armed Pakistan teeters on the brink and Somalia has become the ultimate failed state — vying with Yemen to be the next wellspring of global jihadism.

But away from the glare of these eruptions, much of the rest of the world seems to have been quietly putting itself back together. (Graphic: the decade in international conflict)

In 2000 there were 41 armed conflicts that caused more than 1,000 deaths apiece; this year the number was 28.

Perhaps then, viewed from Sierra Leone, Rwanda or the former Yugoslav republics, this decade does not look so dire after all. Maybe there is even hope for the next one.

Order By:

Would you like to post a comment? Please register or log in

function blogURL(bUrls) { window.location=bUrls; } fieldset { float:left; width:165px; border:0px; margin:0px; padding:0px; } OUR COLUMNISTS

Columnists

Select David Aaronovitch Simon Barnes Camilla Cavendish Jeremy Clarkson Giles Coren Robert Crampton Daniel Finkelstein Michael Gove Anatole Kaletsky India Knight Dominic Lawson Leo Lewis Rod Liddle Magnus Linklater Ben MacIntyre Bronwen Maddox Minette Marrin Carol Midgley Caitlin Moran Richard Morrison Matthew Parris Michael Portillo Libby Purves William Rees-Mogg Melanie Reid Peter Riddell Hugo Rifkind Sathnam Sanghera Frank Skinner Graham Stewart Andrew Sullivan Rachel Sylvester Janice Turner Guest contributors

Blogs

Select Alpha Mummy Archive Blog David Aaronovitch Asia Exile Baby Barista Blockbuster Buzz Gerard Baker Charles Bremner Big Brother Mary Beard Comment Central Consumer Central Cricket Blog Eco Worrier Faith Central Fashion Formula One Ruth Gledhill Inside Iraq Ariel Leve India Knight Money Rafael Nadal News Blog William Rees-Mogg Rugby Sinofile Mick Smith Sports Commentary Irwin Stelzer Peter Stothard Surf Nation Technology Travel Urban dirt Video Wimbledon

Cartoon More cartoons Peter Stothard

The Editor of the TLS writes on books, people and politics

A Don's Life

Mary Beard of Cambridge and the TLS on culture ancient and modern

A Christmas card to Times readers, from President Obama Comment Central MOST READ MOST COMMENTED MOST CURIOUS Most Read Skip Most Read Today The 50 Biggest Movies of 2009 US 'stopped Dutch installation of full body... Vladimir Putin calls for more weapons to... 'Hundreds of al-Qaeda militants planning... MOST COMMENTED Skip Editor's Pick Today if(isArticle == "true" && articleHeadlines.length!=0){ for(var j=0; j=45){ headline = articleHeadlines[j].substring(0,44)+"..."; } document.write(""+headline +""); } }else{ fSubmitMostCommented('http://community.timesonline.co.uk/ver1.0/Direct/Process'); } MOST CURIOUS Skip Most Curious Today New estate bans cats and dogs to protect... Found: the clue to van Gogh’s ear Barack the secret swinger drops basketball... Booker prize-winner Wolf Hall a howling... Focus Zone Need to Know:

Industry sectors news at a glance. Interactive heatmap, video and podcast

Business Travel:

Everything the Business Traveller needs to know to make a better trip

Winter Sports:

Get ready for the winter sports season, with our resort guides and snow reports

Mapping Business:

We are backing British business, what is the confidence of the nation and what businesses are succeeding?

The Future of Energy:

Growing demand for energy, oil that is harder to reach and the rise of carbon dioxide emissions. We examine the energy challenge

Europe by Train:

With rail travel in Europe on the rise, we review the benefits of travelling by train

My Dinner Party:

In this special section we explore new food trends to help improve your dinner party and impress guests

More reports:

Enjoy further reading from Travel to Fashion, Business to Sport, discover more

Need to Know Business Travel Winter Sports Mapping Business The Future of Energy Europe by Train My Dinner Party More reports Births, deaths, marriages

Place your announcement

Encounters Dating

We'd love to find you someone special

Crossword Club

Free CV Review

Sell yourself! Have your CV reviewed by experts

Announcements

Search The Times Births, Marriages & Deaths

Online Sudoku with daily prizes Find a Lawyer

Cut your legal costs

Classifieds Cars Jobs Property Travel Cars Skip Cars of the Week Ferrari F355 F1

1998 £47,955

Lamborghini Gallardo

2004 £56,950 Essex

Apply for car finance?

Check your free Experian credit report before applying

Great car insurance deals online

Car Insurance

Search for more cars and bikes Jobs Skip Jobs of the Week Commercial Director

c. £70,000 The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Windsor

Law Commissioner for England and Wales

£123,460 pa The Law Commission London

General Finance Roles

Southwark County Council

Chief Executive

£100,000 Home Office Liverpool

Search more Jobs Properties Luxury development in the heart of Battersea.

Moments from Battersea Park.

Double-fronted 4 bed, 4 reception house near Eltham Palace.

For sale with Winkworth

Eager to get on the property ladder?

Find out about shared ownership.

Looking for a Mortgage?

See your free Experian credit report beforehand

Search for more properties Holidays Skip Travel of the Week Hong Kong, Bangkok, Phuket & Dubai from only £1199!

Includes flights, accommodation with room upgrades, transfers city tours in Hong Kong and Bangkok. PremierHolidays.co.uk

Ski Weekend Specialists since 1986

For your�ultimate tailor-made ski holiday, click here

Great Travel Insurance

Get covered on your travels with a superb range of policies at great prices. Visit InsureandGo.com

Hawaii�free nights,�breakfasts, upgrades & more!

Choose from the beautiful landscape and tranquil beaches of Oahu, Kauai, Maui & Big Island.

Search for more holidays Place your advert now

Search Ad Reference:

Where am I?

Home Comment Columnists Guest contributors Contact us Back to top NewsCommentBusinessMoneySportLife & StyleTravelDrivingArts & EntsArchive Times Online Times Archive Google TLS Archive

Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times, or place your advertisement.

News International associated websites: Globrix Property Search | Milkround

This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.