Defining Terrorism

[Kitsune]

What defines a terrorist to you? What groups should you watch out for?

Well, we could always check in with homeland security.

Anti-government groups usually believe:
Gun Control = Enslavement
Constitution has been subverted
The U.S. has lost its sovereignty

A diverse mix of organizations, many target hate groups for often violent counter-protests. Some are focused on issues such as World Trade, International Debt, and military involvement in foreign cultures. Meetings of the World Trade Organization or the International Monetary Fund are guaranteed to attract protests.

The theme is always the same. Big is bad. Rich are using the poor to stay rich. Our government in particular is using its power immorally.

These radical elements are found in many of the following movements:

Environmentalists
Anti-genetic Activists (opposed to genetically altered crops)
Animal Rights
Pro-life
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-War
And Gay Rights Activists

Keep a watchful eye. These people could be anywhere. They could even be members on this forum.

[Rexmons]

i believe it's manipulation via fear *coughs* bush administration *coughs*

[BigV]

The U.S. has lost its sovereignty

Well, that was the whole freakin point, wasn't it?! That's what **defined** us as a nation, cutting loose our former sovereign.

But we've certainly done some considerable backsliding in this administration, sad to say...

[Aliantha]

A terrorist is someone who justifies creating fear in others as a means to an end.

[tw]

Terrorist - a person who does something really quite small. But causes fear to replace logical thought among the population.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by tw

Terrorist - a person who does something really quite small. But causes fear to replace logical thought among the population.

Well that explains much of your thinking process. Maybe you should be so lucky as to have some of your family members be among those who suffer death in the next big one, maybe you would change your tune after that. I know people who were killed in the World Trade Centers. But of course you could give a shit about that, as long as Bush is out of office and Soro's or Hitlery Cliton becomes President. Right?

[piercehawkeye45]

You have to define big or small. Compared to many genocides and wars, 1,000 people dying isn't a lot.

100,000 people dying would be a big attack.

Yet, it doesn't make it any less tragic.

Terrorism is just a tactic. Someone who uses it is a terrorist. The 9/11 attacks and Shock and Awe were both terrorists attacks.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

A widely accepted definition is that it is violence directed at the general population to effect a sociopolitical change.

One thing the terrorists never manage to figure out is that it's a method that never wins, particularly if the targeted population is motivated to resist. That is why the Palestinian blood feud with the Israelis will never make progress: the Israelis are even tougher, and better motivated, than they are.

See also Mike German's Thinking Like A Terrorist for some illuminating study. Terrorist movements and groups are all remarkably similar in their fundamentals.

[DanaC]

A widely accepted definition is that it is violence directed at the general population to effect a sociopolitical change.

That could well describe the Shock and Awe tactic employed against Baghdad.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Terrorism is just a tactic. Someone who uses it is a terrorist. The 9/11 attacks and Shock and Awe were both terrorists attacks.

Originally Posted by DanaC

That could well describe the Shock and Awe tactic employed against Baghdad.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

One thing the terrorists never manage to figure out is that it's a method that never wins, particularly if the targeted population is motivated to resist. That is why the Palestinian blood feud with the Israelis will never make progress: the Israelis are even tougher, and better motivated, than they are.

What about all the Israeli terrorist groups like Lehi and Irgun in the 1930's and 1940's?

You can't call the Israeli's tougher because the Palestinians are in a much worse condition. It is like when one guy can run two miles with no weight on his back while another can't with 200 lbs on his back and then you call the first guy tougher. They are in different postions so don't put them on the level.

[tw]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Well that explains much of your thinking process. Maybe you should be so lucky as to have some of your family members be among those who suffer death in the next big one, maybe you would change your tune after that. I know people who were killed in the World Trade Centers.

I don't care if you knew everyone killed in the WTC? It has zero significance. That proves what? Zero. So a response chock full of personal attacks shows TheMercenary is intelligent - or just petty?

Back to the topic. Terrorist - a person who does something really quite small. But causes fear to replace logical thought among the population.

Since George Jr (an expert?) said 11 September was only terrorism, then TheMercenary never questioned it? 11 September was not terrorism. 11 September was a smoking gun that justified war - that exceeded a definition of terrorism. 11 September was sufficient to justify war. That is not terrorism.

The Atlantic Ocean off NY and NY is full of American ships sunk by German U-boats. And still that was not sufficient for war.

So why does George Jr call 11 September only terrorism? George Jr is only about "The Message". He cannot even provide what the troops need - a Strategic Objective - because "The Message" (also called spin or propaganda) is far more important to extremists. No wonder he labels 11 September as only terrorism.

11 September exceeded terrorism because it justified war - for the same reason that "Pearl Harbor" was not terrorism. Where did more die? On 7 December or on 11 September?

Meanwhile, something under 10 people were killed in my hometown on 11 September. I knew one. For a few weeks, I thought another victim was a friend from school. That first night, estimates from my hometown were about 50 dead. I went to school with some of the women shown on network TV walking Manhattan streets looking for lost ones. But that is only significant to TheMercenary who would post this petty irrelevance.

That is my emotion that you have no right to. I would never be so petty as to use that as a cheap shot - as TheMercenary has just done. But then logical thought has always been a problem for TheMercenary.

Sept. 11 was a terrorist attack. What is with the word games?

[tw]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Sept. 11 was a terrorist attack. What is with the word games?

If it was only terrorism, then it did not justify full scale invasion. More died on 11 September than in Pearl Harbor. Those actions exceeded the domain of terrorism. But George Jr's administration knows, for example, if they can call insurgents Al Qaeda, then we will believe that myth. If he labels six misguided mass murders in Cherry Hill as Al Qaeda, then many here will believe that also.

11 September clearly exceeded the definition of terrorism. You might call it terrorism plus just to feel better. But 11 September met a criteria that justifies full scale war - invasion of a sovereign nation. Terrorism would not justify such a response.

If you like calling it only trivial terrorism, then do it. But when it comes to measuring what justifies a full scale war - terrorism does not qualify. 11 September clearly was a smoking gun that justified war.