The title of this book reflects an examination of the facts, while the subtitle expresses a wish. The former refers to the increasingly close correlation between ubiquitous terrorism and the phenomena associated with globalization. This correlation is self-evident, yet it is rarely questioned from a historical perspective. Hence our wish: to establish terrorism as a distinct subject within the history of international relations. Some familiar ideas become so ingrained that they cease to be subject to inquiry or questioning due to their frequent repetition. Among these ideas is the significance of terrorism and its connection to what is termed "globalization." Since September 11, 2001, terrorism has not only impacted the history of the United States but has also permeated our lives, directly or through its numerous secondary effects. Although terrorism kills far more outside the Western world than within it, contrary to popular belief, it is undoubtedly a global phenomenon. Terrorism, or the threat of terrorism, has led to wars and even partially altered the nature of conflicts: a fact that the field of international relations history directly questions. While information is scarce, as it doesn't flow as easily as in more open societies, terrorism also strikes authoritarian regimes, even though the questions that terrorism and counterterrorism raise regarding human rights and the functioning of the state are of particular concern to our democracies. Terrorists themselves appear to have transformed. It's as if there has been a transition from a somewhat romantic era, with the anarchists of the 19th century, to a globalized terrorism waging a real war with new means. Yet, despite its pervasiveness in international relations, its precise contours remain difficult to define.