...Are the media the “terrorists’ best friends”? (Laqueur, 1976) This essay will propose that the media coverage of acts of terror occurs for the main purpose of reporting on the news, it heightens the public’s awareness of such incidents and aids in counterterrorism, thus having a detrimental effect on the terrorists and their cause. Laqueur’s statement that the media are the terrorists’ best friends implies that their coverage of terrorism aids the terrorists. We will examine and disprove the hypotheses that coverage of terrorism in the media, and the publicity and attention terrorists gain through media reporting of their acts of terror are beneficial to their cause. For the purposes of this essay media will be used as a “…generic term meaning all the methods or channels of information and entertainment” (P.Wilkinson, 1997:51) and as found within majority of the theories and concepts discussed, the term terrorism, and therefore terrorist, is used to describe violence carried out in the name of a political, ideological or racial cause by a person who wishes to influence the government and, or, intimidate the public. (www.mi5.gov.uk) Terrorism is a psychological weapon (P.Wilkinson, 1997:54), which is dependent upon communication of its threat. The easiest way terrorists can disseminate their messages of threat is through the manipulation of the media. When using the media, the terrorists’ have four core objectives; communicate propaganda; mobilise support from the public...
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...Courtney Friedman Term Paper: International Terrorism (Due Week 10) Professor Smith 5/23/14 CRJ 440 Terrorism, it is a well-known term, every person has all heard of it, but yet do we really know what it is. Terrorism is in the eyes of most, a meaningless hate crime, which has no true reason behind it. The terrorism mindset is people who want to create terror among civilization. They are trained to disturb peace, and to break social harmony. Terrorism is also a horrible threat to the modern world and modern society. It has become a problem around the world, not just in the United States. Many innocent people are killed by terrorist and their acts of terrorism. An individual can see terrorism in multiple forms, but not limited to: Bombing, hijacking, cross border terrorist activities and massacres on a massive scale, in addition to many others not listed. Its consequences are very frightening. Though much effort is put into eliminating terrorism, it is impossible to get rid of it until some strict laws are devised. Whenever and wherever society is victim to brutality, injustice, wrongs and intolerance, terrorism cannot be eradicated. There are many terrorist groups out there, of many different origins and sects. The group that will be discussed is Al Qaeda, which is the most well-known out of the groups listed. The questions and statements that will be answered and debated are: 1.) A brief explanation of Al Qaeda and the summarization of its origins, 2.) Al Qaeda's major...
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...Islam and Human Rights Course Islam and Terrorism April 2016 Introduction: Terrorism has become one of the outstanding features that marked the twenty-first century, as its acts and threats have been in existence for millennia, and because it acts as a real danger facing the human existence. Terrorists have widened their activities and increased their practices in many regions of the world in recent times, such as Turkey, France and Belgium. Terrorist groups have used violence as a mean to achieve their goals and they did not adhere to any religious principles or moral, and they have showed us how they have used advanced weapons and equipment’s in their attacks. The core principle of terrorists is that the aims justify the means, which carries with it the destruction of human civilizations. Muslims are being exposed by campaigns of slander and distortion, waged by western countries, politicians and media, and these campaigns have seen an increase of ferocity after the emergence of the (ISIS) terrorist group in the Arab countries, and specially after the terrorist attacks on some Western countries. Some Arab and Islamic countries participated in awareness campaigns about the thought of the new emerged terrorist group (ISIS) extremist on the Islamic religion, but violence and extremism is no longer mentioned in Western countries, but they became attributed to Muslims, Arabs. Extremism and terrorism has become Islamist, and all this is linked to Islamist groups. I...
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...SECURITY RESEARCH PAPER A PERSPECTIVE ON TERRORISM Piers Hutt piershutt@hotmail.com 1 March 2015 A PERSPECTIVE ON TERRORISM ABSTRACT Purpose: To critically examine the threat of modern terrorism to Western society. Design/methodology: An assessment was made of publically available documentation. The paper is then divided into a number of sections. It initially deals with the difficulties of defining terrorism, followed by its symbiotic relationship with the media. The next section looks at the modern Islamic Fundamentalist threat and the primarily neocon response since 9/11. Whilst the US has withdrawn combat forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, a bipartisan approach has been maintained to counterterrorism. The dangers of such an approach are examined along with emerging threats. Table of Contents * Abstract * Introduction * Define * Role of the Media * Psychology * Modern Terrorism * The Response * Counterview – The Dangers * Looking Ahead – The Next Potential Threats * Another Approach * Conclusion INTRODUCTION “Terrorism has become part of our daily news diet. Hardly a day goes by without news of an assassination, political kidnapping, hijacking or bombing somewhere in the world. As such, incidents of terrorism have increased in the past decade, the phenomenon of terrorism has become one of increasing concern to governments....” Introduction. With the recent high profile terrorist attacks in Sydney...
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...especially in recent years, those geopolitical cycles have intersected with changes in the way the tactic of terrorism is employed and in the actors employing it. The Arab terrorism that began in the 1960s resulted from the Cold War and the Soviet decision to fund, train and otherwise encourage groups in the Middle East. The Soviet Union and its Middle Eastern proxies also sponsored Marxist terrorist groups in Europe and Latin America. They even backed the Japanese Red Army terrorist group. Places like South Yemen and Libya became havens where Marxist militants of many different nationalities gathered to learn terrorist tradecraft, often instructed by personnel from the Soviet KGB or the East German Stasi and from other militants. The Cold War also spawned al Qaeda and the broader global jihadist movement as militants flocking to fight the Soviet troops who had invaded Afghanistan were trained in camps in northern Pakistan by instructors from the CIA's Office of Technical Services and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate. Emboldened by the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, and claiming credit for the subsequent Soviet collapse, these militants decided to expand their efforts to other parts of the world. The connection between state-sponsored terrorism and the Cold War ran so deep that when the Cold War ended with the Soviet Union's collapse, many declared that terrorism had ended as well. I witnessed this phenomenon while serving in the Counterterrorism Investigations...
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...Richard Harrington Summer 2012 GOVERNMENT CRIME Human rights are rights unequivocally inherent to all human beings, whatever our basic nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, or any other status. We are all entitled to our human rights without discrimination. Government exposure of political crimes and human rights violations have been in the forefront of the media in the last half-century, and the United States has always assisted itself in its own interests. For the past decade the United States has been a global power and presence and most other countries are not. We are often called upon to engage in conflict situations like preventing violations of Human Rights and Genocide. It seems the United States only intervenes when our nations interests is concerned, and only brings negative reactions which severely undermines our effectiveness and especially our international credibility.“ American leadership must be commensurate with U.S. interests and the nature of the challenges facing the county. The United States should not take the lead on every issue or assume that every problem in the world demands a U.S. response. In the majority of cases, the United States should “lead from behind” or from the side, or sitting in front but rarely by itself”. (Foreign Affairs, Zenko & Cohen, Vol. 91 No. 2.) Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the legal forms of treaties, customary international law, general principles...
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...the ideals of social and political activism maintained a common sense. Today, terrorists around the world are willing to kill and die for causes that seem unclear and often contradictory. This new method of violence reflects the politics of the anti-abortionist movement that is willing to kill to save lives or willing to die to become enshrined as a martyr. Terrorism is defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as "...a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, in violation of the criminal laws of the United States, or of any state, to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives" ("Terrorism 2000/2001"). The violent faction of the anti-abortion movement certainly fits this description. It is a form of war that is being waged against the domestic social structure with wide ranging implications. The violent anti-abortion groups are a contradiction of values and the extremist motivations behind them make it a dangerous and terrorizing movement. Literature Review Understanding the motivation behind the anti-abortion terrorism is an important step in curtailing the violence. The movement is an oxymoron where killing takes place to save lives. The anti-abortion movement is a shadowy group © 2009 ResearchPaperWriter.net ResearchPaperWriter.net 2 with no central leadership, which makes it difficult for law enforcement to track (Stern 150). In addition, the movement has begun...
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...of social and political activism maintained a common sense. Today, terrorists around the world are willing to kill and die for causes that seem unclear and often contradictory. This new method of violence reflects the politics of the anti-abortionist movement that is willing to kill to save lives or willing to die to become enshrined as a martyr. Terrorism is defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as "...a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, in violation of the criminal laws of the United States, or of any state, to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives" ("Terrorism 2000/2001"). The violent faction of the anti-abortion movement certainly fits this description. It is a form of war that is being waged against the domestic social structure with wide ranging implications. The violent anti-abortion groups are a contradiction of values and the extremist motivations behind them make it a dangerous and terrorizing movement. Literature Review Understanding the motivation behind the anti-abortion terrorism is an important step in curtailing the violence. The movement is an oxymoron where killing takes place to save lives. The anti-abortion movement is a shadowy group with no central leadership, which makes it difficult for law enforcement to track (Stern 150). In addition, the movement has begun to spill across our borders of bias during the last...
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...Since the early 1990s, the internet has grown technologically faster and with more capabilities than any other type of technology in the world, leaving the United State with a sense of fear with this type of network being a risk to our national security. While most of us find the internet to be a great tool of information, and unlimited capabilities, it can devastate us personally and financially. The internet can increase the risk of theft, fraud and even the possibility to suffer from a cyber-attack or even worse a cyber-terrorism, leaving our country at risk especially for those who work in the government defense agencies and private corporations. In 2003, the conflict with Iraq created a round of speculations that the United States was going to experience cyber-attacks in revenge (Clarke). But, since 1995 there haven’t been any reports of cyber-attacks that would produce panic or damage to U.S. infrastructure or that affects our military operations. By any means this is not a result of idleness by terrorist groups. Between 1996 and the end of 2001 there was 1,813 international terrorist attacks performed. To mention a few that involved citizen targets, there is the Khobar Tower Bombing in June 1996, the Embassy Bombing in East Africa in August 1998, and the USS Cole attack in October 2000. Between 1996 and 2003, to compare between terrorist attacks around 1,813, computer security incidents around 217,394 and cyber-attacks on infrastructure which they were 0, reporters have...
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...Instructions for authors, permissions and subscription information: E-mail: bilgi@uidergisi.com Web: www.uidergisi.com Is Terrorism Still a Democratic Phenomenon? Erica CHENOWETH Assist. Prof. Dr., The University of Denver, The Josef Korbel School of International Studies To cite this article: Chenoweth, Erica, “Is Terrorism Still a Democratic Phenomenon?", Uluslararası İlişkiler, Volume 8, No 32 (Winter 2012), p. 85-99. Copyright @ International Relations Council of Turkey (UİK-IRCT). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, transmitted, or disseminated, in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from UİK, to whom all requests to reproduce copyright material should be directed, in writing. References for academic and media coverages are boyond this rule. Statements and opinions expressed in Uluslararası İlişkiler are the responsibility of the authors alone unless otherwise stated and do not imply the endorsement by the other authors, the Editors and the Editorial Board as well as the International Relations Council of Turkey. Uluslararası İlişkiler Konseyi Derneği | Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi Web: www.uidergisi.com | E- Mail: bilgi@uidergisi.com Is Terrorism Still a Democratic Phenomenon? Erica CHENOWETH* ABSTRACT In recent years, multiple studies have confirmed that terrorism occurs in democracies more often than in nondemocratic regimes. There are five primary groups of explanations for this phenomenon...
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...Relativism and Morality: The Truth of Universal Morality SOC 120 Monica Jones August 13, 2012 Relativism and Morality: The Truth of Universal Morality Lenn Goodman explains in Some Moral Minima that there are many norms in terms of morals. Such subjects that Goodman mentions is slavery, polygamy, rape, incest, clitoridectomy, terrorism, hostages, child warriors, genocide, famine, and germ warfare. These topics send a shiver down the spine of most people. There is a deep moral understanding of right and wrong when it comes to such things as Goodman mentions. These topics expand past any country or culture boundaries. This is a matter of being human and understanding what penetrates the core of our humanity. Things such as slavery, hostages, and forced famine are all things that strike at the very heart of humanity. Humanity is the basic connection between all races, cultures, and connects our overall existence as a whole. Once our humanity is chipped away at by another we can see where the wrong doing lays. The preservation of life and the freedom to live life is what is most wrong to take away. Essentially a moral norm is things that our universal human morality should prevent that rob others of life, dignity, survival, and one’s own will. The targeting of one culture for mass murder is universally wrong for robs others of life for something completely out of their control. Genocide is a destruction of a race or culture past, present, and future generations. Morally, this...
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...TERRORISM AND GLOBALIZATION “Terrorism has rarely been absent from history, and over centuries has appeared in many guises”1. Referring to Walter Laqueur, no state or international system has been exempted from this form of non-state violence. However, the major shifts carried by globalization, that is to say the transformation from a state-centric world to a global system, seem to have perturbed the way violent non-state actors act, claim, interfere, and wage war in the new international system. If we follow the vision of Carpenter, we can talk about a “new world disorder”2 because of the multiplicity of new actors supported by international markets and transnational links. But, should we use the adjective “new” to describe nowadays’ terrorist organizations and attacks? Since 9/11 attacks, world seem to have toggled in major insecurity and fear of those modern organization that can act wherever and whenever they want at any place in the world. Undeniably, terrorists’ forms of violence have evolved by taking advantage of criminal organizations’ and illegal trades’ favourable trends. But this method, more than a political doctrine, represents a non-state use of violence or threat of violence to spread fear and bring political reform or revolution. Therefore, it should be reconsidered with the former violent actors and the disintegration of states. Moreover, the subject comprehension have to be reinforced in order - for great power or American superpower - to prevent those...
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...World Religions Report Denise Flythe HUM/130 March 3, 2013 Andrew Stein Islam Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions of the world today. One attributing factor for this misunderstanding has much to do with the fact that in recent years, Islam has been in the spotlight because of heightened tensions in parts of the Middle East. This tension serves to put its culture under the microscope of world attention; and although it is a major part of the Middle Eastern culture, it happens to be so much more. Like Christianity, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions today and it is rapidly spreading for several reasons. Islam has a strong political and cultural base because it happens to be the state religion of Moslem countries. Its simple creed and tenets gives it a universal appeal, and the fact that it has no racial barriers and it embraces universal unity also helps it to spread rapidly in both African and American communities. Furthermore, easy communication and practicality of its Five Pillars also helps it to spread even more swiftly in the Western Hemisphere. Many sources are available that provide information for extensive research on the topic of Islam; however, personal communication as a source, provides a more unique perspective on this topic. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to highlight as well as to summarize a recent interview with an Islamic adherent as he gives his opinion on this topic. This summary will provide an in-depth report...
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...TERRORISM AND THE MILITARY ROLE CRISIS MANAGEMENT Terrorism and the Military’s Role in Domestic Crisis Management Angela Tyler Principles of Management Professor Jones May 3, 2012 TERRORISM AND THE MILITARY ROLE CRISIS MANAGEMENT 1 I am going to discuss a crisis management plan, “Terrorism and the Military’s Role in Domestic Crisis Management”. This crisis management plan will explore how to reviews the current legislation and policies that govern the military’s role when supporting law enforcement in a domestic terrorism crisis and highlights some of the issues confronting the U.S. government. To fully understand the military’s role in domestic crisis response it is necessary to explore existing national level structures and response options prior to the involvement of military forces. (Terrorism and the Military’s Role in Domestic Crisis Management, 2003) Crisis management is predominately a law enforcement function that manages the resources necessary to prevent or resolve a terrorist incident. Current U.S. government terrorism response policy is contained in presidential directives. Among other matters, these directives address National Security Council structure and federal agency crisis response roles when responding to a domestic terrorism incident. (Terrorism and the Military’s Role in Domestic Crisis Management, 2003, CRS6, para 3, line 7). National Security Council (NSC), U.S. agency...
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...Defeating the Islamic State: Both Short-term and Long-term Counter Strategies for the Proto-State and its Ideologies Christopher J. Minchin Norwich University FIRST DRAFT SOCI 401A Culture and Anthropology February 16, 2016 Tracey Poirier Source: The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP).), Jan, 2016. “If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles“ –– Sun Tzu, Chinese philosopher and military strategist, around 500 BC. “Our terrorism against America is blessed terrorism.” –– Osama bin Laden (on video) “The acme of this religion is jihad.” — Osama bin Laden (Bergen, 2001, p. 41) Many have asked, “what can we do to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)? ” There have been a variety of suggestions from airstrikes, isolation , establishing a national unity government in Iraq to the feasibility of a counter-offensive using 'local' militia's and only as a last resort U.S. Boots on the ground. These are all worthy ideas; however, it is imperative to get a fundamental understanding of what has caused this problem because ISIS is growing and becoming stronger (even though current air strikes and counter-offensives have been successful). Before a decision can be made a rigorous analysis is necessary, a sociological analysis, so that the United States and the rest of the world can determine what must be done regarding ISIS and why. (Thesis):...
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