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Defining Terrorism The History of Terrorism as a Strategy of Political Insurgency Section 1 SubmitAndPray.com. It takes one to know one!. US Government Definitions. The United States Department of Defense
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Defining TerrorismThe History of Terrorism as a Strategy of Political InsurgencySection 1SubmitAndPray.com It takes one to know one! SubmitAndPray.com
US Government Definitions The United States Department of Defense • “the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.” The FBI • "Terrorism is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." The U.S. Department of State • "premeditated politically-motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience. Violence, Fear, Intimidation, unlawful, non-combatants or victims It would appear the US Government is against it… SubmitAndPray.com
Terrorism Defined (or not) by non-US Agencies and Governments 1992 UN • "An anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-) clandestine individual, group or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby - in contrast to assassination - the direct targets of violence are not the main targets." 1974 British Government • "…the use of violence for political ends, and includes any use of violence for the purpose of putting the public, or any section of the public, in fear." These definitions also seem to be not in favor of it These and preceding thoughts were basically ripped off from… http://www.terrorism-research.com/ SubmitAndPray.com
Common Terms Common components of definitions • Use of violence (or implied use) • Political objectives • Fear • Propaganda • Victims • Illegal (only state sanctioned violence is legitimate) Missing is a component that recognizes the Terrorist lacks power to directly confront the sate, so resorts to indirect confrontation. SubmitAndPray.com
Alex Schmidt and Albert Jongman looked at 109 definitions Common repeated elements of definitions • Violence 83.5% • Political Goals 65% • Fear/Terror 51% • Indiscriminate 21% • Victimization (of Civilians) 17.5% Alex Schmidt and Albert Jongman, University of Leiden SubmitAndPray.com
Terrorism & Peoples War Mao Zedong saw terrorism as a strategy of Political Insurgency, and that Revolutionary conflicts pass through phases When weak, use terror, as you strengthen guerilla war, and then conventional war may follow • Different provinces can be at different stages • You can move both forward and backwards along the continuum • Primary goal is to not lose militarily, and wear down the enemy • The victory is fundamentally political, not military Which way are we going? Terrorism Guerilla Warfare Conventional War SubmitAndPray.com