New Terrorism By Walter Laqueur example essay topic

16 April 2002 THE NEW TERRORISM BY WALTER LAQUEUR Walter Laqueur's book, "The New Terrorism: Fanaticism and the Arms of Mass Destruction", is empowering readers with the entire spectrum of terrorism. The reasons behind terrorism are not easy to understand, but Laqueur goes into great detail to try and bring the reader to an understanding of what the terrorist is thinking in order to justify the means to the end. Laqueur sheds enlightenment into a new arena for terrorism: Arms of Mass Destruction. The chemical and biological weapons of yesterday are available and relatively cheap on today's open market. Mr. Laqueur goes into depth on previous usages by terrorist organizations using these types of weapons as well as the possibility of further use. One frightening point that Laqueur makes is that the use of nuclear devices could very well have a possible future in terrorism.

With nuclear devices as a possible method for inflicting terrorism, there will be no safe place for any citizen of any nation. The United States has recently been the object of terrorist harassment and more than likely the will continue to be a target of the new form of terrorism greatly threatening American security. The author's main thesis focuses around this new type of nuclear terrorism, and he gives many different types of examples of groups that have already used biological and chemical methods to achieve favorable results for their cause. Twenty years ago these types of biological and chemical actions were unheard of, due mostly to the unavailability of the different types of chemical agents.

The Aum Supreme Truth, an Armageddon ist cult in Japan, is an example of a group that used a chemical agent to give the illusion that the world was nearing the end. The purpose for the use of sar in gas in the Tokyo subway system was to fulfill the prophecy of the cult leader Shoo A sahara. Despite the motives of a terrorist organization, the access to weapons of mass destruction is just around the corner. With the breakdown of Russia and the outburst of technology, it will not be to long before the weapons of mass destruction fall into the wrong hands. This leads to Laqueur's main concern for the 21st century. If in another twenty years, nuclear weapons and the technology to build such devices is as available as biological and chemical weapons are now, the terrorist will achieve a weapon that will have to be dealt with very delicately.

Another terrorist weapon that is still in the infancy stages is. Currently the computer threat is minimal with only a few viruses here and there, but with the evolution process, Laqueur foresees a greater threat through the use of the computer. With a global society quickly becoming dependent on the use of the computer, the attacks could lead to total country disorientation. One of the strongest points that Laqueur makes in this text is about the true nature of Islam. To the uneducated person, Islamic views are linked with terrorism, but the author explains that the exact opposite is true. Laqueur goes into great detail to explain that the Muslim follower of Islam seeks to live a life of peace in the world, not physical fight of jihad.

Laqueur goes on to explain that jihad, in the Islamic faith, is actually a war for the individual's soul and not an actual call to battle against another way of life. With the way that the future could be heading, there may seem to little hope, and Laqueur recognizes this. While not giving any kind of protective measures, the author does express a counter to terrorists that are seeking to use the new form of mega terrorism. In the author's opinion, the terrorist that uses or threatens the use of weapons of mass destruction will not have a bright future. These mega terrorist will be hunted down and dealt with, using extreme measures in return, by those that are attacked. There will no place to run and hid, and the terrorist will be considered "an enemy of mankind, and thus outside the law".

I found "The New Terrorism" by Walter Laqueur to be a very informative text. There were many fresh ideas about the possibility of future events that are quite feasible. I especially learned a great deal about the Islamic faith and how the true Muslim does not endorse the idea of terrorism. I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone seeking information about the past, present, and possible future of terrorism and the social issues of the terrorist.