NCJ Number
48726
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE STRATEGIES OF TERRORISM LEADING TO SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN VARIOUS HISTORIC SITUATIONS ARE REVIEWED AND COMPARED TO THE DYNAMICS OF TERRORIST STRATEGY IN CURRENT POLITICAL CONTEXTS.
Abstract
TERRORISM IS VIEWED HISTORICALLY AS A VIOLENT OR FEAR-PRODUCING ACTIVITY BY A MINORITY IN ORDER TO MANIPULATE THE POWER CENTERS OF THE MAJORITY TO BEHAVE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO SERVE TERRORIST ENDS. THE DISTINCTION IS DRAWN BETWEEN TERRORISM, WHICH SEEKS TO GENERATE GOVERNMENTAL OVERREACTION, AND GUERRILLA WARFARE, WHICH PURSUES A CONVENTIONAL MILITARY OBJECTIVE BY UNCONVENTIONAL MEANS. USING EXAMPLES FROM THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL, ALGERIA, AND IRELAND, TERRORISM IS SEEN AS BEING MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN EMPLOYED AGAINST A COLONIAL POWER RULING AN INDIGENOUS POPULATION. REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT REACTION TO TERRORISM, WHICH INEVITABLY INJURES LARGE NUMBERS OF THE NATIVE POPULATION STIMULATING A RISING REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT, IS CITED AS THE DESIRED RESULT OF TERRORIST ACTION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A COLONIALIST STRUCTURE. TERRORISM AS APPLIED CURRENTLY BY THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION LACKS A POTENTIAL POWER BASE WITHIN ISRAEL, THUS, A SIGNIFICANT INGREDIENT NECESSARY FOR SUCCESSFUL TERRORIST OPERATIONS IS ABSENT. THIS ABSENCE, HOWEVER HAS LED TO AN EXPANSION OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY THAT ATTEMPTS TO MANIPULATE THE POWER CENTERS OF NATIONS ABLE TO INFLUENCE ISRAEL. TERRORISM ALWAYS SEEKS TO INTIMIDATE POWER CENTERS VULNERABLE TO MANIPULATION THROUGH FEAR OR OVERREACTION IN ORDER TO EXPAND ITS POWER BASE BY ANY MEANS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT TERRORIST ACTIVITY WILL MOST LIKELY RECEDE WHEN MANIPULATIVE EFFORTS FAIL AS GOVERNMENTS RESIST BLACKMAIL DEMANDS DESPITE HIGH COSTS. EXCESSIVE REPRESSIVE MEASURES TO ELIMINATE TERRORISM ARE SEEN AS OVERREACTIONS THAT CAN TOO EASILY BROADEN SYMPATHY FOR THE TERRORIST. (RCB)