Political violence violence or the threat of violence especially bombing kidnapping and assassination carried out for political purposes the experience of terror or fear as the proximate aim of that violence ID: 626536
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Terrorism - Ethics What is terrorism?" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Terrorism - Ethics
What is terrorism?
Political
violence
violence or the threat of violence, especially bombing, kidnapping, and assassination, carried out for political purposes, the experience of terror or fear as the proximate aim of that violence
The moral question
:
Can terrorism ever be morally justified?
Slide2
What is Terror?
Definition: Terror is an emotional state of intense fear caused by specific acts of violence or threats of violence.
It (deliberately or otherwise) inhibits or destroys the ability of individuals to function in a society and possibly the societies ability to function as a whole.
It refers to a “physical” or “physiological” reaction.
2Slide3
History of Terrorism
Jewish Zealots -
1
st Century against Roman
occupiers
11th c. Middle Eastern Assassins
French Revolution-”Reign of Terror’- guillotine.
Irish Republic Army (
1867)
1968: PLO carries out first hijackingSlide4
History of Terrorism
Russia-1881-Assasination of Tsar Alexander & his family.
1893-Macedonian
Revolutionaries 1934-assasination of AlexanderMunich Massacre -1972; Lockerbie –Pan Am -1988; Olympic Park bombing-1996Bali bombing-2002/5;Madrid-July 7, 2005; NY Trade Center -September 11, 2001Slide5
State Terrorism?
“Killing of innocents to
affect
morale.” Attacks on London, on Berlin, Dresden & on Hiroshima (WW II)
Genocide:
Turkey- Armenians; Holocaust, Bosnia, Somalia; RwandaSlide6
Different Motives
Stop “peace”
processes
Demonstrate opposition to U.S. government or
others
Punish advancing science and
technology -
“Unabomber”
Seeking independence-BasqueSlide7
Civil Disobedience
“The
active refusal to obey certain laws, demands, & commands of government or of an occupying power without resorting to physical violence
.”Gandhi, South Africa, M.L. King, Henry David ThoreauSlide8
Bio-Terrorism
Biological Weapons Convention-1972
“The parties undertake not to develop, produce, stockpile, or acquire biological agents or toxins -
that have no justification for prophylactic, protective, and other peaceful purposes, as well as weapons and means of delivery.”Slide9
Bio-Terrorism
Joint
Statement – 2005:
“We
reaffirm our support for the Convention. We will continue to work to strengthen it by a work plan and to press for full implementation and compliance in 2006
.”
(US
, UK
& Russian Federation)Slide10
Defining Terrorism:State Department
Terrorism is
"premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience."Slide11
Defining Terrorism:Department of Defense
Terrorism is
“the calculated use of violence or the threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate government or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.”Slide12
Defining Terrorism:Walter
Laqueur
(terrorism scholar)
“Terrorism constitutes the illegitimate use of force to achieve a political objective when innocent people are targeted.”Slide13
Defining Terrorism:CJM Drake
(terrorism scholar)
“Terrorism is defined here as the recurrent use of threatened use of politically motivated and clandestinely organized violence, by a group whose aim is to influence a psychological target in order to make it behave in a way which the group desires.”Slide14
Defining Terrorism:FBI
“The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”Slide15
Defining Terrorism:Former Deputy Chief,
CIA Counterterrorist Center
“It is premeditated—planned in advance, rather than an impulsive act of rage. It is political—not criminal, like the violence that groups such as the mafia use to get money, but designed to change the existing political order. It is aimed at civilians—not at military targets or combat-ready troops. It is carried out by subnational groups—not by the army of a country.”Slide16
Defining Terrorism:Govt
of India Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002
Violence with
“intent to threaten the unity, integrity, security or sovereignty of India or to strike terror in the people or any section of the people”Slide17
Defining Terrorism:Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism, 1998
“Any act or threat of violence, whatever its motives or purposes, that occurs in the advancement of an individual or collective criminal agenda and seeking to sow panic among people, causing fear by harming them, or placing their lives, liberty or security in danger, or seeking to cause damage to the environment or to public or private installations or property or to occupying or seizing them, or seeking to jeopardize a national resources.”Slide18
Elements of Terrorism
• Not impulsive
• Political• Non-state• Targets civilians
• Aimed at an audience
• Weapon of the
weak (?)Slide19
Conclusions
What do difficulties in defining terrorism mean for our ability to counter terrorism?
If terrorism has been with us for centuries, can we defeat it now?
How does understanding the nature of terrorism help us deal with it?Is “The War of Terror” an appropriate term to describe counter-terrorist efforts? Why or why not?What is an appropriate and effective reaction to terrorism?Slide20
Does the US fit Definition?
20Slide21
There is possibly only 1 way to
enforce a definition of terrorism.
It is this Those who violate the definition of terrorism forfeit their right to have rights.
The
Geneva Convention on Human Rights
should not apply to terrorists because they do not respect the rules themselves.
21Slide22
Ideology Definition
An ideology is a conception of the ideal social order.
Ideologies are born of crisis and feed on conflict.
People seeking to comprehend and cope with turbulent times and confusing circumstances turn to ideologies for explanations and for programs of action to end “misery”.
22Slide23
The 3 “Basic” Categories of Ideology
Political and Policy Ideologies
Religious Ideologies
“Cashism
” (Greed)
23Slide24
Political / Policy Based Ideologies
Marxist-Leninist/Communism
Stalinist Communism
Maoist CommunismCastro and Guevarist
Communism
Socialism
Anti-Globalization
Environmentalism
Animal Rights
Fascism/Neo-Fascism (National Socialism)
European Neo-Nazism
American Neo-Nazism
Anarchist/Nihilist
Ethnic & National Independence Movements
24Slide25
Religious & Extremist Ideologies
Islamic Extremism (
Wahabi
)Militant ZionismChristian ExtremismAnti-Abortion/Right to Life
Hindu Extremism
Sikh Extremism
Messianic Salvation/Apocalyptic Cultism
Occultism
Paganism/Animism
25Slide26
Continuing Criminal Enterprises (CCE)
[Cold Hard “
Cashism
”] Narco
-Terrorism (e.g., Drug Cartels)
Politically Active CCE
Non-Political CCE
Mercenaries
26
Pablo EscobarSlide27
Common Characteristics of Terrorists
1. Terrorists use violence.
2. Terrorists operate in all environments.
3. Terrorists operate covertly.
4. Terrorists are well organized
5. Terrorists act deliberately.
6. Terrorists are highly mobile.
7. Terrorists use short-duration tactics.
8. Terrorists are media dependent.
9. Terrorists engage in “Guilt Transference”.
27Slide28
The subgroups within a terror group
Senior Leaders
Field Leaders
Active Operatives
Active Supporters
Passive Supporters
28