The document discusses terrorism and whether it can ever be eradicated. It notes that terrorism is a brutal form of political violence that uses fear as a weapon and is often a response to political suppression. While counter-terrorist measures can curb organized terrorist groups, they may also fuel further radicalization and fail to address the underlying political grievances that drive terrorism. The proliferation of new media also allows terrorist groups to more easily spread their messages and radicalize others. The document concludes that due to its complex and varied causes, terrorism cannot be viewed simplistically and eliminating it fully may not be possible.
The document discusses terrorism and whether it can ever be eradicated. It notes that terrorism is a brutal form of political violence that uses fear as a weapon and is often a response to political suppression. While counter-terrorist measures can curb organized terrorist groups, they may also fuel further radicalization and fail to address the underlying political grievances that drive terrorism. The proliferation of new media also allows terrorist groups to more easily spread their messages and radicalize others. The document concludes that due to its complex and varied causes, terrorism cannot be viewed simplistically and eliminating it fully may not be possible.
The document discusses terrorism and whether it can ever be eradicated. It notes that terrorism is a brutal form of political violence that uses fear as a weapon and is often a response to political suppression. While counter-terrorist measures can curb organized terrorist groups, they may also fuel further radicalization and fail to address the underlying political grievances that drive terrorism. The proliferation of new media also allows terrorist groups to more easily spread their messages and radicalize others. The document concludes that due to its complex and varied causes, terrorism cannot be viewed simplistically and eliminating it fully may not be possible.
Intro: September 11 2001 was indubitably an epochal day in the lives of our generation. People all around the globe were glued to their television screens, shaking with fear as they watched the tragic fates of the World Trade Centre and thousands of innocent people unfold before their very eyes Merely marked the start of a series of similarly unforgiving attacks Terrorism greatest threats plaguing the international community Brutal, relentless form of political violence that uses fear as a key weapon Asymmetrical warfare often born out of political aims that have been constantly suppressed or denied by governments, forcing many disillusioned citizens to take up arms and seek to deliberately create violence and fear, disrupting the delicate harmony and social fabric of society so that their demands will be heard Counter-terrorist measures effective at quelling terrorists, doubleedged sword that fuel and further radicalize many to become terrorists Counter-terrorist measures crack down on terrorists and terrorist organizations Increase in information sharing and intelligence both within and between countries Patriot Act in USA: government passed legislation allowing wire tapping on phone conversations UN member countries agreed to freeze the bank accounts of suspected terrorists in their country to deny these terrorists a safehaven Success of mutual cooperation is exemplified in the way the multiintelligence sharing among Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia enabled the Indonesian government to find and arrest key leaders of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) Overpower using military might Hillary Clinton: imperative that we refuse to legimitise terrorists Obamas support for General McChrystals counterinsurgency measures in Afghanistan: reinforce domestic security force, employ state-of-the-art military weapons and air drones Taliban and Al Qaeda key leaders have been killed To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war Negotiations between the government and terrorist groups are instrumental in successfully weeding out terrorism Terrorist groups, such as the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland, are disenfranchised groups that seek political freedoms of equality in treatment or an autonomous region and have only resorted to terrorism because the government has constantly refused to acceded to their requests and marginalized them Grant political consensus less need to adopt violence
ONLY CURB ORGANIZED TERRORISM, not self-radicalised terrorists and
state-sponsored terrorism by rogue states or autocratic dictators Terrorism is about wining the hearts and minds of the people Harsh counter-terrorist measures often serve to create breeding grounds for further radicalization Nietzsche in dealing with a monster, be careful lest you turn into a monster yourself Patriot Act: Highly contentious as it infringes upon a persons right to privacy which is enshrined in the American Constitution Atrocities committed in Guantanamo Bay and the Abu Graib prison in Iraq go against Geneva Conventions, provide further fuel for terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda to characterize the USA as a power-hungry and hypocritical. Shifting moderate Muslims towards radicalization Fail to address the political grievances and aims of terrorist organizations Creating situations termed negative peace Simmering tensions still brew and threaten to erupt, destroying the fragile peace Sri Lanka governments vicious destruction of the LTTE not only violated international human rights, but led to growing discontent and protest from the Tamil diaspora worldwide that would provide a fertile ground for the LTTE to regroup and re-emerge. Rajapaksas government refuse to acknowledge the political marginalization and deprivations of these groups Some are politically-driven, others are purely terror driven Rise of Islamic fundamentalist terrorist groups such as the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF)in Kashmir and Hamas in the Palestinian Israeli conflict Fundamental nature: fervently believe they are fighting a holy war, or Jihad, against foreign influences in their land, based on a distorted interpretation of the Quran State-sponsored terrorism While most countries have recognized international cooperation as paramount to achieving their political self-interest Some radical dictators continually fund militant terrorist groups in fulfillment of realism Al Qaeda, product of Saudi Arabia and the USAs funding of the mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghanistan War Pakistan funds the Laksha-e-Tobia (LeT) responsible for the Mumbai bombings in Nov 2008 Proliferation of new media: New platforms for terrorist groups to send their message to other users Inciting many to be influenced by such subversive messages and self-radicalising Easy instructions on creating bombs
Few thousand Americans perished in Sept 11 attacks, effects of
attacks were transmitted globally by media coverage of the events, inciting fear in the entire global community Death count not biggest weapon. Rather, harrowing and dramatic images of destruction Use fear and propaganda as main weapon: presence and influence even more pervasive than before
Conclusion: Terrorists are a multifaceted, complex group of people supported by states or groundswells of disenfranchised people and cannot be viewed simplistically as homogenous groups.