"US policy - number one driver of terrorism in the Mideast, around the world" - RT Op-Edge Afghanistan, CIA, Conflict, Crime, Iraq, Middle East, Military, Obama, Politics, Security, Syria, Terrorism, USA, Violence, War If the US was serious about re-evaluating not only how it fights terrorism but how terrorism is spread, it would begin by looking in the mirror as its counter-terrorism strategy that foments terrorism abroad, geopolitical analyst Eric Draitser told RT. RT: US President Obama has ordered a review of the US hostage policy after the latest beheading of an American citizen by ISIS. Can we expect some serious changes? Eric Draitser: There is going to be a review of some of the policies, protocols and procedures, but of course this is yet another hollow review, yet another hollow investigation or probe or whatever the new term they are going to be using. We have a very clear precedent for this - a few months ago President Obama ordered the CIA to conduct an internal investigation into their protocols and procedures with regard to arming so-called "freedom fighters" around the world. The CIA came back with the result showing that in their study they concluded that such a policy is almost always a failure, that it almost always leads to continued problems. Now pass forward three months later with the results of such an investigation what does Obama do? He announces the policy to expand the arming of rebels in Syria. So again, these sorts of investigation, such as the one that is being suggested now, are really for domestic political consumption, they are to give an illusion that the Obama Administration is responsive to the anger and frustration that it feels from a variety of corners, when in reality it is utterly disingenuous. The Obama Administration really has reached new heights of disingenuousness. RT: Would the situation with taking hostages change for the better? Will there be fewer of them or more actions taken by the US government aimed at freeing hostages? ED: Likely it will not change, however we should be cautious to remember that the hostages that have been taken - that is not like we have a wave, an epidemic of people coming into the US and taking hostages. These hostages are taken in places where the US is actively aggressive against other nations, be it Iraq, and be it Syria, Afghanistan or what have you. Really what the US should be examining are its own policies - its foreign policy, its political agenda - and how those policies fill into hostage taking, kidnapping, other forms of terrorism. If the US were serious about trying to not only put a stop on hostage taking but in re-evaluating all of its policies, it would begin with its foreign policy. RT: The beheaded hostages had no connection to military service - they were journalists, aid workers. Who is to blame for their deaths? Is there a direct connection with US-led coalition anti-ISIS strategy? ED: Absolutely, because of course the US counter-terrorism strategy is to create terrorism, it is to foment terrorism abroad as we have seen this in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It is also to feed into terror hysteria at home and to use terrorism as yet another tool by which the US can promote and further its agenda, be it political, economic or social agenda. We just saw this week the defeat of the overhaul bill for NSA. The only reason of such a bill to be possibly defeated is fear, fear stoked by the so-called counter-terrorism policy that the US enacts. Again, if the US was serious about re-evaluating not only how it fights terrorism but how terrorism is spread, the US would begin by looking in the mirror because of course it is Washington, it is US policy that is the number one driver of terrorism in the Middle East and around the world.