Terrorism : Terrorism And History

Terrorism is an act that threatens or carries out violence with the intention to disrupt, kill or coerce against a body or nation in order to impose will. This means that a lot of groups use this method to get what they want. The groups use a variety of methods, groups such as:

Terrorism refers to the use of threat and violence to frighten and coarse mainly for political reasons. A group that practises the vice is the Al-Qaeda.

Terrorism is a frightening reality that all people in today’s world must face. While some areas of the world are facing terrorism more than others nearly are regions and all people are facing the violence and devastating effects of terrorism in one form or another.

Terrorism in America tends to be a product of many issues, population as well as conflict that has co-existed within the nation's borders. Uniquely United State has been known for its ability to contain multitudes in relative harmony. According to investigations, majority of terrorism in the history of America is motivated by an extreme distrust of the ideal American democracy that has given opportunity for every individual to claim loyalty to, in addition to benefiting from American system. Nevertheless, the enormous variation in expressing terrorism, domestic terrorism have been explained severally as a violent claim over who or what is authentically American.

•In the 1900s more groups used terrorism than ever before. One reason is that deadly weapons became easier to get. Another reason is that airplane travel gave terrorists new ways to commit violence.

The word terrorism came during the French revolution of the late 1700’s to describe efforts by the revolutionary government to impose its will through widespread violence. It became defined as a “system or rule of terror.” However, the repression of populations by their own governments is usually not included in the modern definition of terrorism. (Homeland Security 260)

The concept of terrorism as defined by Hoffman in his book, Inside Terrorism, is not easily defined. Hoffman indicates that most definitions do not give the word “terrorism” a clear definition for today (Hoffman 2006). However, according to Hoffman, the Oxford English Dictionary does provide a definition that embodies terrorism since its beginnings. “Any one who attempts to further his views by a system of coercive intimidation.” (Hoffman 2006, 3). The views that are typically political or idealogical in nature (Hoffman, 2006, 2-3).

Terrorism; it cannot be defined or determined by one single act of an individual or group. Different areas of the world have specific qualities they look for whenever a violent event happens. Terrorism is an international problem in today’s global community. Despite the efforts to end terroristic events, a terrorist attack can happen at any second. In the Twenty-First Century, Boko Haram and the Boston Bombing are examples reflecting terrorist acts. It is important to research and understand the unlawful use of force and violence against any persons; whether it be through a terrorist or an entire organization.

Question 4: Define terrorism and put it into historical context. What are the principal features of contemporary terrorism and how does it differ from the past? Discuss with reference to processes of integration and fragmentation and post-modern warfare. Using at least one example from the course readings or your independent research, explain the impact of terrorism on contemporary international relation.

What is a terrorist attack? An attack without warning involving the use of violence against civilians. Terrorism has been around for many centuries. It occurs everywhere in the world, and it is used to intentionally create terror among people or to achieve a financial, political, religious or ideological aim. The terms terrorist and terrorism were originated during the French Revolution in the late 19th century.

Terrorism is a word that can be defined in many different ways. Differences in the definition depend upon the entity defining the term, and many times the definition varies based upon who is victorious in a given conflict. Compare the simplistic definition of Walter Laqueur (1987, 1999), who defines terrorism as the illegitimate use of force to achieve a political objective by targeting innocent people, with the definition found in Title 22 of the United States Code, Section 2656f (d), which describes terrorism as “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.” Likewise, Alex Schmid offers a complex definition that conglomerates 13 elements common to most definitions of terrorism.

There is a difficulty in defining terrorism officially due to subjective worldwide views, however the state department in the USA call it “Pre-meditated motivated violence perpetrated against civilians, usually intended to influence an audience”

We define terrorism as using force to influence or change a political decision. Given that there may be an array of situations the U.S. government and the American people are faced with on a daily basis, most would probably agree in saying that terrorism is the most imperative issue we are not only becoming victims to, but are interminably asked to deal with as well as finding a solution for.

Have you ever had a fear for your family, your town, your country, or your world. How about the fear to have everything taken from you, destroyed, and not caring if it has hurt you or not? What about your fear and pain is, and can be someone else’s happiness? The fear of you being terrorized? That is terrorism. Someone else bringing fear and terrorizing you. That is a terrorist’s goal. Terrorism is common and is very difficult to stop. The government promises protection for the people, and their home, but they can not give that protection if they can not stop terrorism. Terrorism needs to stop to protect the live of the people, and their country.

Terrorism is an ancient method of defeating an opponent. Accounts of terrorism existed eons prior to the word itself being conceived. This was established by detailed relics discovered nearly fifty miles south of Mosul in Iraq. Assurnasirpal, the king of Assyria from 884–860 BCE, enforced his law on captured regions by raising stone tributes to his successful conquests. Roux (1966) describes that written on these monuments in cuneiform, is the following: