Terrorism

Question 0

Can terrorists be deterred?

Answer 0

Davis and Jervis said that you can use a portfolio of incentives.

Terrorist groups are systems, parts can be influenced/engaged.

Financiers, logisticians, etc

Question 1

What are some basic assumptions about terrorism?

Answer 1

Does not exist in a vacuum, reflects society, modern Information Age best suited for “propaganda by the deed”

Terrorists–>guerrilla fighters–>insurgency

Question 2

What are they ways terrorists can be deterred?

Answer 2

All groups vary. Some have return addresses/tied to ppl/land

Variations on rationality

Destruction is an option

Can defend against terrorism

Question 4

What are the four waves of terrorism?

Answer 4

David C. Rapoport said they were:

• anarchist (1880-1920)
• anti-colonial (1920-1960)
• new left/anti-western (1960-1990)
• religious inspiration (1975– )

Question 5

What was al-Qaeda’s pre-9/11 three stages of development?

Answer 5

• motivating the afghan jihad
• expanding the jihad to Muslim gov’ts
• defining US as enemy #1

Question 6

Why is it hard to deter terrorists?

Answer 6

1) strongly motivated
2) no return address
3) decentralization
4) compromise goes against their organizational essence
5) they want to provoke you
6) scale of rationality
7) difficulty of exchange
8) hard to convey credibility
9) gives them legitimacy