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Terrorism

This article considers:

Introduction

May aim is not to offers answers, but rather to consider some aspects that are often glossed over in the media and especially by governments. There is a common tendancy for governments to present issues in a simplistic black and white way that discourages thought and debate on the issues.

For most people the word terrorism usually brings to mind blowing up airlines in mid-air, detonating bombs in market places and mass shooting in cafes - all examples of the mass indecriminate killing and injuring of civlians. I, like most, have no reservation in condemning these actions. However, it is not uncommon for governments to pass laws that are presented to the public as aimed at preventing these atrocities, but then abuse them for their own, often secret and much broader interpretations of terrorism.

There are many definitions of terrorism. For this article I will use this definition:

The use of violence, most often against civilians, to cause public fear and then public pressure on a government to change a policy or to force the compliance of a restive population.

This definition accepts that terrorism can be carried out by either political groups or governments with violence ranging from individual shootings to the use of nation's armed forces.

The types of terrorism

Motives for terrorism

I believe that ideally governments:

These two ideal alone would avoid many of the greivances that give rise to terrorism.

Here are few example of situations that have given rise to terrorism

South Africa

During the apartied era in South Africa the black majority of the populatio suffered massive descrimition by a white governemnt that represented the white minority. Here terorism was resorted to becuase there was no opportunity to seek redress through a democratic process. After decades of violence the monirity white government became untanable and a demrocray was established.

Northern Ireland

Traditionally Ireland has been predominantly Catholic while England has been predominantly Protestant. The separation of Northern Ireland and its control by the British government has led to Cathoilics in Northern Ireland becoming the minority with regard to the UK as a whole where often decsriminated against in the job market. The failure of goverment to address this decsrimination as well as resentmant of being governed by Britian led to a call for independance from Britain and union with the rest of Ireland. This goal could not be achived democratically and success intrasigent British goverment offered no reasonable complromise. After decades of terrorist violence in 3,500 died a compromise that develved some powers to Northern Ireland did bring and end to most of the violence.

Islamic State

The goal of Islamic state is to impose the fundamentalist branch of Islam held by a minority on a mojority of Muslims who follow other branches of Islam. This gaol can only be acheived by either persuading others to adopt their beliefs or by enforcing compliance through violence. This is happening principly in Iraq and Syria both of which are suffering civil war based primarily between diffrent religious factions as well as government factions. Even if a generally accepted democratic govrment could be established in these countries, the goal of Islamic State could not be met by a democtric process. The right of a religous minority might be protected from descrimination in a democracy,but a minority should never dictate a religion for all. It is therefore hard to see a peaceful resolution.

Here we have seen examples of:

Had the ideals above had been met then the greivances that led to violence would have been avoided in first two examples. That still leaves the last case of Islamic State.

Action that may reduce the causes

Does Terrorism work ?

Persoective

Finacial cost

Freedoms sacrificed in attempts to limit terrirrism

The balance between freedom and terrorism

Conclusion

Terrorism, like other acts of violence, can't be eliminated, it can only limited. That does not mean it should simply be left unchallenged, rather we should balance government measures to counter terrorism against the humans rights these measures restruct and balance the expenditure on counter-trerrorism against expenditure on other life-saving costs such as health care. Above all we should not allow governments to exploit fear of terrorsim to adcance their own political goals of greater power.

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