The 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks was marked this week. In the aftermath of 9/11, America launched its “War on Terror,” invading Afghanistan and Iraq and overthrowing their regimes. Yet, more than two decades on, terrorism remains an ongoing global threat and questions about how best to confront and combat it continue to surface.

While some politicians, policy analysts and scholars believe that military actions have played a significant role in combating terrorism, the complexities of this issue make it clear that no single approach can effectively eradicate it. Terrorism is a multifaceted problem, influenced by political, social, economic and ideological factors.

As a result, addressing these elements in isolation is insufficient. What is really needed is a comprehensive, multifaceted approach that integrates various strategies and resources to deal with terrorism’s root causes, prevent its spread and manage its long-term impacts.

Military interventions have limitations. For example, following the Sept. 11 attacks, the US government swiftly initiated military operations in Afghanistan, targeting the Taliban regime that it accused of providing safe haven to Al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the attacks. The operation, dubbed “Enduring Freedom,” was initially successful in dislodging the Taliban from power and dismantling key elements of Al-Qaeda’s network. However, the Taliban have now returned to power and the resurgence of both groups has cast doubt on the long-term effectiveness of military solutions.

The subsequent invasion of Iraq in 2003, justified by the perceived threat of weapons of mass destruction and the connection to terrorism, further underscored the challenges of using military might to fight terrorism. Although Saddam Hussein’s regime was toppled, the political and economic instability........

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