Terrorism

Question 1

important to recognise the social discursive implications of the term

Answer 1

• value laden and subjectively contested ( cannot be explained without reference to specific contexts and notions of morality
• e.g. Robespierre ‘terror is nothing other than justice: prompt, severe, inflexible’ (1974)

Question 2

how does Brian Jenkins define describe terrorism?

Answer 2

• the use or threatened use of force designed to bring about political change

Question 3

how does walter Laquer define terrorism?

Answer 3

• the illegitimate use of force to achieve a political objective when innocent people are target

Question 4

how does Bruce Hoffman define terrorism?

Answer 4

• the creation or exploitation of fear through violence or the thereat of violence in the pursuit of political change

Question 5

how does the US department of state define terrorism in 2001?

Answer 5

• pre-meditated
• politically motivated
• perpetrated against non combatant targets sub national groups or clandestine agents

Question 6

what is the EU definition of terrorism (much larger and more comprehensive than US)

Answer 6

• offences against persons and property
• constitutional, economic or social structures of a country or an international organisation

(compared to USA it is more to do with influencing audience rather than pre meditation)

Question 7

when was Charlie Hebdo?

Answer 7

January 2015

Question 8

how can the state act in relation to terrorism?

Answer 8

• state can be perpetrator (USSR police state or Nazi state)
• state can be protector (USA, post 9/11)
• Sub state and state actors can be terrorists, sub state actors currently dominate security agenda

Question 9

describe war on terror since 2000`

Answer 9

Two regimes been terminated (Iraq, Afghanistan)

- US military budget has risen to the levels it had at the peak of the cold war

Question 10

what are possible explanations for the centrality of the war on terror to international security?

Answer 10

• deep shock of 9/11 and asymmetric warfare, complete surprise
• George Bush and his pursuit of a new american century, the neoconservative
• state centred security to regain control of middle east, energy resources and ties to the state of israel

Question 11

what does the 2002 national security strategy say?

Answer 11

• we must deter and defend against the threat before it is unleashed … even if uncertainty remains as to time and place of the enemy’s attack… The USA will if necessary, act pre-emptively

Question 12

while terrorism remains a key threat to international security …

Answer 12

• it remains a minor issue in terms of global human security
• 33,842 times more likely to die of cancer than a terrorist attack as an American

Question 13

What are David Rapoport’s four waves of modern terrorism?

Answer 13

1. Anarchist wave (1880s to 1920s)
2. Anti Colonial wave (IRA, FLN, Irgun) (1920s)
3. New Left wave (PLO, ETA) 60s - 80s
4. Religious wave 1979

Question 14

Define sub state terrorism:

Answer 14

• advocating international change based on left / right ideology / religion
• within state and internationally
• Italy and Gy experience this in 70s
• Britage Rosse

Question 15

what challenges does terrorism bring to liberalism?

Answer 15

1. effective counter terrorism V key democratic principles
2. liberal values values facilitate terrorism (free movement, speech, association
3. democratic pluralism V consensus on effective counter terrorism strategy

Question 16

how does liberalism respond the the threat of terrorism?

Answer 16

• prevention, deterrence, pre emption, protection, pursuit
• Hard V soft responses
• over reaction versus under reaction

Question 17

Quote from Bush on war on terror and Al Qaeda

Answer 17

• “our war on terror begins with Al - Qaeda, but it does not end there … It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been stopped and defeated”