Soft power: term first used by Joseph S. He defines it as "the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments. It arises from the attractiveness of a country"s culture, political ideas and policies."1.

             Examples of the use of soft power include strategies used during the Cold War and include not only propaganda such as Radio Free Europe but also films, popular music, and even advertisements for things citizens in target countries wanted, such as jeans. .

             Based on the idea that the U. S. is so strong that we will win virtually any dispute. Nye acknowledges that there may be times when a country has not choice but to use a pre-emptive military strike. However, even in the current war on terrorism, soft power could play an important role by drawing other countries as allies to our cause2. We were able to do this when Iraq invaded Kuwait, but have been markedly less successful using this strategy in the current war with Iraq. Soft power is the most effective means for the United States to combat foreign terrorism.

             DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY.

             There is no doubt that nature of the events of September 11, 2001, played a critical role in determining both our immediate and our more long-term responses. There was no country to fight this time: we had been attacked not by a country but by an organization. While some acts of terrorism may be against groups of people (for example, hate crimes), this was an attack on our country. Our major financial institutions and a major military facility were attacked, and it seems likely that the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania had a political target, probably either the White House or Congress. Such an unusual attack, executed on a country inexperienced with major terrorist attacks, would certainly engender new kinds of responses.

             However, those who argue we have made ineffective and inadequate use of soft power argue that we have relied too heavily on military options3.