Terrorism 2 Essay, Research Paper

Terrorism has affected our world throughout history, it has been around for as long as we can remember. From the Boston Tea Party to the The recent Airlines hijacaking. Terrorism is not only located in the middle-east, it can be right under your nose, in your own back yard. We saw evidence of this a few years back in a little town called Oklahoma City. And even more recently in Saudi-Arabia at a U.S. military base where a car bomb injured many soldiers

But how do you define terrorism? Terrorism by nature is difficult to define. Acts of terrorism conjure emotional responses in the victims (those hurt by the violence and those affected by the fear) as well as in the practioners. Even the U.S. government cannot agree on one single definition. Listed below are several definitions of terrorism.

Terrorism is the use or threatened use of force designed to bring about political change.

-Brian Jenkins

Terrorism consitutes the illegitimate use of force to achieve a political objective when innocent people are targeted.

-Walter Laqueur

Terrorism is the premeditated, deliberate, systematic murder, mayhem, and threatening of the innocent to create fear and intimidation in order to gain a political or tactical advantage, usually to influence an audience.

-James M. Poland

Terrorism is the unlawful use or threat of violence against persons or property to further political or social objectives. It is usually intended to intimidate or coerce a government, individuals or groups, or to modify their behavior or politics.

-Vice-President’s Task Force, 1986

Terrorism is the unlawful use of force or 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.

-FBI Definition

Givin all these definitions, I would describe Terrorism as an originazation using Vilolence, force, threating, and what ever else you can think of in order to meet their demands. Usually in political issues.

So how do we stop terrorism? Well the truth of the matter is we never will, there will always be someone who disagrees with someone else. We may not beable to stop terrorism, but we can counter it. Many orginazatioans have developed Counter-Terrorism groups, in order to deal with this mayhem.

One such group is SEAL Team six, From the department of the Navy, this organization has had many successful missions, and is one of the most feared conflicts to terrorists around the world. Below are a few listed occurances where the SEALs, have dealt with terrorism.

1985 – Six deployed to the site of the Achille Lauro hijacking in anticipation of a possible assault on the vessel.

1985 – SEAL Team Six members were also responsible for the rescue and evacuation of Governor Sir Paul Scoon from Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury. Four SEALs were lost to drowning during helicopter insertion offshore. Other aspect of the operation included the securing of a radio transmitter which resulted in heavy contact with Grenadian forces.

1989 – The unit took part in Operation Just Cause as part of Task Force White, which included SEAL Team Two. Their primary task, along with Delta Force, was the location and securing of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega.

1990 – They again operated in Panama as part of a secret operation code-named “Pokeweed” which had as its goal the apprehension of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Although Six was deployed from the US aircraft carrier USS Forrestal offshore, the mission was unsuccessful due to poor pre-assault intelligence.

1991 – SEAL Team Six reportedly recovered Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide under cover of darkness following the coup which deposed him.

1991 – Six was also part of contingency planning for the shooting down Saddam Hussein’s personal helicopter with Stinger missiles, although this operation never got beyond the planning stage.

1996 – The unit reportedly deployed to Atlanta, Georgia as part of a large US counterterrorist contingency plan for the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Most terrorists have similar qualities and target the same thing. A terrorist aims to coerce politicians. A terrorist may have a fair complaint against society, or be a social misfit. He may have an emotional problem, or be a mental case. But is aim is not to explain, protest, find contentment or misbehave. His aim is to force politicalauthority to act as he wants.

A terrorist uses violence. Violence keeps getting more dangerous. Bombs and guns improve. Chemicals, germs and atomic bombs come within reach. Networks and places that enable everyday life–pipes, cables, grids, dams, skyscrapers–supply more and better chances for worry, discomfort, damage and death. As violence keeps getting more dangerous, so does terrorists’ potential power.

A terrorist attacks any person or place. His victim is not his true target. He picks victims as symbols, or for convenience. He picks them to get maximum publicity and to cause maximum alarm.

A terrorist targets an audience. His weapon is not plastic explosive or nerve gas, it is terror. His target is not optic fibers or commuters, it is public will. He claims credit for his crime, or makes sure we learn who did it and why. He wants to force policy his way.

As with violence, so with publicity, technology advances. More of the public gets more terrifying news, faster, with more and clearer pictures and sounds. Terrorists’ potential power grows.

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