Should We Ignore Terrorists?

Terrorism kills people. But how much should we really care about it?

Takeaway Points

1. If you live in America, you are much more likely to die from mundane things (a heart attack, drowning, a police officer) than a terrorist attack. In fact, thousands of people died after 9/11 because of additional traffic fatalities caused by more Americans driving and fewer Americans flying.
2. Fully rooting out terrorism is incredibly expensive.
3. The process of fighting can upset moderates in target countries, leading them to provide assistance to the terrorist organization.