NCJ Number
123232
Journal
Terrorism Volume: 11 Issue: 5 Dated: (1988) Pages: 364-369
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Of Libya, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Syria, and Iran, Syria and Iran are the most effective in using terrorism to achieve their goals.
Abstract
Qadhafi is the least effective in using terrorism because he has no strategy. He revels in violence for its own sake; he is always active, even when his purposes are unclear. The PLO has been ineffective because it has pursued a mistaken strategy. Caught up in the rhetoric and drama of terrorism, it persists in its use long after it has become counterproductive as a weapon. In contrast, the Iranian government has used terrorism as a means to destabilize the region and even to challenge the United States. The Iranians have clear goals and use terrorism to promote them. Of the four examined perpetrators of terrorism, Syria is the most crafty. Hafiz al-Asad knows what he wants and uses violence with skill. Asad has become a major actor in regional affairs, and this is largely due to his intelligent use of terrorism. This implies that in combating terrorism, the West should be more concerned about Syria and Iran than Libya and the PLO. 6 notes.