Terrorism’s Cultural Victory

Beyond killing and destruction, terrorism can succeed by inducing long‑run national self‑doubt and inwardness that erodes civic confidence and foreign‑policy resolve. Cultural shifts (intellectual trends, identity narratives, institutional retrenchment) may be a primary strategic target and outcome of successful terror campaigns. — If true, defense and resilience policy must address narratives and civic confidence as much as physical security, changing how policymakers think about counterterrorism and social recovery.