Fear And Terror Attempt example essay topic

Sean O'Hara Pols 2100-02 K. Alexander International Security We have been asked to discuss the article at hand by Audrey Kurth Cronin and his ideas behind International Security. It also shows his views on how it had evolved throughout the centuries. Terrorism can be defined in many different shapes and forms. One can attempt to make a terrorist out of someone who is acting in a way contrary to your belief system. Some people might even consider words or a speech as a form to terrorism. But for our intents and purposes we will look at terrorism as something more concrete.

Webster's defines terror as "extreme fear; one who or that which excites dread; a period of great fear, as the Terror in the French Revolution". Even in just the simple definition of terror, terrorism as we are looking at it is mentioned. So the purpose of terrorism is to cause extreme fear and dread amongst a general population which is your intended target. It is never meant to directly challenge the state, for those who resort to such tactics are usually swiftly dealt with in a harsh matter. No they resort to guerilla warfare, of which one of the most used tactics in is terrorism.

Why does one succumb to using terroristic tactics? First we will establish that those who do are not happy for one reason or another. Wither it be unfair suppression of the poor or land disputes between ethnic groups. These people are so unhappy about their current circumstance that they are willing to take extreme measures to achieve that which they desire. Second we have established that they lack the military might to stand up to the established norms. So now we have a people who are unhappy about a given situation and desire to change it but are unable to achieve change in public forums and unable to force change by military means they sulk in the shadows and by fear and terror attempt to force a decision.

Instead of terrorism being a battle of bodies, it is the battle of the minds. A terrorist attacks a persons psyche and peaceful surroundings. He makes him question every time they go to the market if this will be the time their luck will run out. Paranoia runs rampant as these terrorists could be your neighbors anyone could be the victim and anyone can be the terrorist. As attacks increase you lose trust in the established social order as their inability to protect you is becoming more and more apparent.

In your own fear you place pressure on the government to crack down on those who shattered your peaceful world. But in a strange way this is what the terrorists want, they need martyrs to their cause. As the established order begins to crack down it forces those people who were neutral or middling into one camp or another. And if in the crack down civilians are killed in the attempt to eradicate the terrorists, then even better. PLO is a wonderful example of using this tactic to the fullest advantage. This brings us to one of the terrorist's great weapons, the media.

The point of terrorism is to attract attention. Through graphic images of the bomb scenes with their mangled dead and images of captured hostages, beaten and bloodied, they strike fear into the hearts of people. Not on just a local level but on a worldwide level. This is what they are seeking. They are much like little children seeking attention to be heard. Terrorism is just a violent attempt to be heard and make change.

Terrorism has gone through some transitions over the centuries. We have gone from religious, to decolonization (those nations which were under control of another which sought to break the yoke of the mother nation), over to anti-globalization (as globalization occurs and peoples and nations are being brought closer and closer together, conflict is caused through differing belief systems and ideals. Which if incoming culture is "harmful" to people, they are likely to try and keep it out by any means possible. ), back to a religious based terrorism. We have entered into a new era of international politics in which terrorism plays a large factor. While the states are the main actors, terrorists also have become actors on the international scene just by their sheer presence and the uncertainty of what actions they will next take. The nation states of the world have to take notice and react accordingly to counter this these new players on the international scene.