Stereotypical Terrorist Essay

The emphasis of counterterrorism policy in the United States since Al Qaeda’s attacks of September 11, 2001 has been on jihadist terrorism. However, in the last decade, domestic terrorists have killed American citizens and damaged property across the country. Not all of these criminals have been prosecuted under terrorism charges. This is not meant to imply that domestic terrorists should be taken any less seriously than other terrorists.

Although much of the blame for the Troubles in Northern Ireland has fallen on the IRA as a terrorist group, the British government was responsible for numerous acts of state terrorism in the period. As a result of their frustration towards the situation in the North and their desperation to stop the IRA from wreaking havoc, the British Army and police acted in ways that one would not expect from the representatives of a world power in the late twentieth century. The British government refused to recognize the legitimacy of the IRA, and instead of combating them as a military enemy, often resorted to acts of terrorism of their own. These instances of state terrorism were often a result of pent up frustration and desperation as

Although terrorist can be labeled into different categories, it is important to remember that even though a group of terrorist may fall under different labels that they have distinct similarities. In McEntire, there are five similarities that are noted. The first similarity is that terrorists see the world simply in the terms of right and wrong. The second similarity is that terrorists are disturbed by their current situation. What this means is that terrorists are saddened with current problems in the society and know what they would like to see differently. The third similarity is that terrorists have a unique image of themselves. McEntire elaborates further on this by stating that terrorist consider themselves to be more entitled than others,

What is a terrorist? According to the F.B.I., terrorists are individuals that meet the following three characteristics: (1) they are involved in “violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law”; (2) intend to intimidate or influence a civilian population or government through methods of mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; (3) reside“outside the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S., or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum” (“Definitions of Terrorism in the U.S. Code”). Terrorists use violence as a tool to strike fear into people that

Terrorism dates to 1605, and the term was coined in the French revolution, Donahoe, H (2006). Whether it be the UK or further a wide, ideologies are set, thus meaning terrorism can exist, because of competing theories of ideologies. This can be better explained by actions of the IRA and IS, and the analysis of their similarities.

As history, has shown us, as time progresses things begin to change. We can take that same aspect and apply it to terrorism. Terrorism has shown that it can change as history progresses as well. Typically, terrorist groups are organized by a hierarchy. Now, terrorist organizations are cell-orientated(McEntire,2009). That means they resemble a network of many groups(McEntire,2009). In the past, terrorism was supported by states; however, terrorist have become more independent when it comes to gaining money to support what they stand for (McEntire,2009). Next, before it was easy to differentiate between crime and terrorism, now it is more difficult since terrorist relay on crime to raise money(McEntire,2009). McEntire, also states, that the

Terrorism has four groups that small groups pursue which are, ideological, ethnic, religious exclusion and persecution. There are also groups of terrorist which is the left wing, right wing, ethnonationality and sacred. All of these groups relate to a historical phoneme, left wing intertwines with communist theories, right wing relates to fascism, ethnonationality goes back to the wave of decolonization and sacred is the most significant group in modern times because it relates

The terrorists do not perceive themselves as terrorists. They simultaneously refuse to be bound by rules of warfare and codes of conducting a conflict. They are also a fundamental altruists who believe that they serve a "good" cause designed to achieve greater good for a wider constituency - whether real or imagined - which the terrorist and his organization purport to represent, This is true because "a terrorist without a cause is not a terrorist", as Konrad Kellen said.

138, 2012). These long-term separatists are different from the religious group as are the ethnic and nationalistic groups. They usually have a clear mission. The Basque Nation and Liberty (ETA) fought against Spain for a long time and just ended its fight in 2011. Ethnic terrorism is as its name states that it’s a fight between different ethnic groups within a region. Examples of these are the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA). They want to make a statement of the identity, and be recognized as such. Unfortunately this can take on a violent nature and become terrorism as it has in the past. “Modern terrorism is associated with the 1916 Easter Black Rising, the Black and Tan War of 1919 to 1921” (White, pg. 139, 2012). Sri Lanka has suffered terrorism in the form of this type by groups of the Sinhalese, and the Tamils. Ireland had been occupied by the British for an extremely long time and this has caused terrorism in Ireland. “Irish nationalists, long angered by the colonial rule of England, incorporated terrorist techniques into their revolt against British rule, and their experiences evolved as weapons technology improved” (White, pg. 139, 2012). “Ethnic Terrorism in separatist movements ranges through many parts of the world.

The most common form of terrorism used by the paramilitaries groups was bombings, which in the case of Irish Republican Army (IRA) was a respond to the presence of the British and British actions in Northern Ireland. The reason why the nationalist paramilitary groups and the IRA used bombings was because the extremist nationalists did not what the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland and thus resorted to bombings to get the British army withdrawn . The bombings sought to create a climate of fear over a long period of time especially in places such as London that would not expect nor prepare for such violence . The bombing campaign committed by the IRA was also attracted to the idea of a unified Ireland under the rule of a Republic

There are many reasons why terrorism has become such an important issue over the last 40 years. In this paper I will be exploring the answers to this question through three related topics; 1) the threat from terrorism; 2) why people join terrorist groups and; 3) dealing with terrorism. I will be using the sources provided and historical facts related to three groups; the IRA, the PLO and Al-Qaeda.

In recent events in our society, terrorism has been relevant and obvious in everyday life. It floods through the media, splashing headlines, and is a common topic being debated. There is much debate on whether religion is the cause of the wars we are fighting in this modern day. The most current terrorist group today is ISIS or The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. They are oppressing and destroying their fellow Syrian’s and Iraqi’s and they are spreading alarm and panic across the world with their violence and destruction. ISIS is a Muslim society, which paints a negative picture on the religion, but they are extremists. ISIS does not speak for the Muslim society and people; in fact most Muslims detest them. In these circumstances it is important to not get lost in the big picture, but realize that groups like these are radical and not a fair representation of these religions. Extremism, politics, and interpretation are the face of wars; Religion does not cause war, people do.

When discussing terrorism from a realism point a view, many do not believe realists have much to say on the topic since realists concerns focuses on state interaction and terrorists as some believe are transnational actors. While it may be easier to pick any other international theory, there are some aspects of realism that can explain terrorism and will be explained throughout this section. One, terrorism is not only a weapon used by non-state actors, regimes and governments use it against their own citizens, which end up involving other countries in the end. Two, policies that are enacted to counter terrorism affect how states interact within their countries and with each other. Three, while terrorist organizations may not have a physical state to operate from, they do many times have governments and justice systems set up as a service to the people, they create armies, they form allies, and they engage in warfare with legitimate states. There have been numerous times when a state has declared war on a terrorist organization. Terrorism like security demands a struggle for power. This makes terrorist organizations a serious threat to states and their security. Like states have struggled to for self- determination, gaining, and maintaining power, so does modern terrorists with the goal to establish their own state or replace one. This is true of Hamas a terrorist organization that has struggled for years to not only gain power but to establish a Palestinian State and holds

The line defining the difference between freedom fighter and terrorist is incredibly hard to mark. This is because there is no line, they are the same. A freedom fighter to one individual, is a terrorist to another. How an action is defined is dependent upon the social position of the receiver. Historical examples include the atrocities committed by the likes of Hitler, Churchill and Stalin in WW2, which at the time were not ‘atrocities. Some would describe these heinous acts as terrorist in nature and others as freedom fighters doing what they had to, but history determines which is right and history is written by the victor. Or more specifically, the propaganda spread in the future history books is written by the victor.

As far as terrorism and these terrorists extensive plots against other countries, a more in depth look should go towards the social aspect of these individuals. This is a big part in the cause of terrorism. Some of the findings, through brief research, may suggest oppression is related with terrorism. Another term that could be used and may be more appropriate in this case would be the term totalism. A totalistic individual is one who sees themselves as being oppressed, and basically will justify his or her actions through their own self-pity. This perhaps may be a cynical definition, but the average person who is picked on by a tall muscular bully may not always resent tall muscular people. On the other hand, another individual as opposed to a totalistic individual will not forgive nor forget this type of person. They may also be extremely prone to making horrific attacks against these types of people.