Terrorism

Question 1

What was a key strategy of the second wave of terrorism?

Answer 1

Assassinate the police and low-level officials to force the government to use military forces to inflict violence. This would be seen as an overreaction from the government allowing the terrorists to win the battle of the narrative.

Question 2

What tends to be the pattern that terrorist tactics cause in society? What is the terrorists’ tactical goal in the pattern?

Answer 2

Terrorists want to provoke an overreaction from the government.

1. Terrorists have grievance
2. Terrorists attack
3. Government responds and often overreacts

The overreaction is a tactical goal for the terrorists because it adds to the existing hostility towards the state and allows the terrorists to win the battle of the narrative.

Question 3

What are the 2 core reasons why the 1st wave of rebel terrorism began when it began?

Answer 3

1. Technology
2. Doctrine

New communication and transportation technologies made it possible for terrorists to amplify their impact because the telegraph and mass medial newspapers spread the news to a wider audience, much faster than ever before.

These technologies allowed the terrorists to fight the battle of the narrative more effectively, travel more extensively, and recruit more supporters and fighters in their cause.

The Terrorist Doctrine shares how terror is the best and most effective tool to use. It explains how all groups use it and can learn from each other to win the battle of the narrative. Lastly, it explains that terrorists do what they do because they see it as the right thing to do. If it achieves their goals and changes things, then it was worth it. Terrorists need justification for their actions.

Question 4

The Irish Republican Army struggled to push the British government out of the 8 counties the UK controls in Northern Ireland. What terrorist wave was the IRA a part of?

Answer 4

The IRA was an “anti-colonial” terrorist group created in 1919 to pressure Britain into granting Ireland independence. After gaining its independence in 1921, the IRA focused on removing Britain from the 8 predominant Protestant Christian countries in the north.

“The Troubles” in Ireland ended 30 years later when the IRA’s political wing was allowed to legally enter Irish and Northern Irish/UK politics in 1998.

Question 5

1880s-1920s

Answer 5

“Anarchist Wave”

Efforts to force the rights of individuals over states and limit government power.

Question 6

1920s-19602

Answer 6

“Anti-Colonial Wave”

Efforts to end colonial rule.

Question 7

1960s-2000

Answer 7

“New Left Wave”

Efforts to promote socialist or communist ideology.

Question 8

1979-2024

Answer 8

“Religious Wave”

Efforts to overthrow anti-religious governments and/or create theocracies (a system where priests rule).

Question 9

What are examples of ways terrorism became “implanted” in modern culture?

Answer 9

Metal detectors and body scanners were placed in all airports because of the hijackings of the 1960s and 1970s.

Plain-clothed police officers became a law enforcement tool to infiltrate/gain access to information about terrorist groups

Question 10

The 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat can be seen as an example of which of the following trends?

Answer 10

The anger of extreme Islamists against leaders allied with the USA and Israel.

Question 11

Waging the “War on Terrorism” has proven that…

Answer 11

Military power cannot readily solve foreign policy problems.

You also cannot have a war on a tool. If all of the terrorists were killed by military power, the idea of them would still exist along with people willing to carry out their ideas.

Question 12

Considering one of terrorists’ primary goals, what is a key argument against the use of body scanners and enhanced pat downs in US airports?

Answer 12

Such practices are invasive and a constant reminder of the possibility of terrorism. The practice increases the number of indirect victims.

Question 13

According to the 9/11 Commission, the 9/11 attacks are believed to have cost…

Answer 13

$500,000 USD

Question 14

What is the approximate timeframe of modern waves of terrorism?

Answer 14

40-45 years

Question 15

According to David Rapoport, which terrorist wave was the most successful in achieving its political goals? Why?

Answer 15

The “Anti-Colonial Wave” was most effective because their fight for self-determination against imperialism was widely supported.

There was a lot of sympathy and a lot of people were upset with their governments. Kicking out a colonial power was justifiable in the mind of MANY people. We might not agree with the violence, but the US was able to relate. The US showed support by not considering this terrorism.

Question 16

First wave

Answer 16

Anarchist

Question 17

Second wave

Answer 17

Anti-colonial

Question 18

Third wave

Answer 18

New left

Question 19

Fourth wave

Answer 19

Religious

Question 20

What are some common themes surrounding terrorism?

Answer 20

• Terrorism is the only tool available to the terrorists. They feel incredibly inferior in society, so they think the only way the government will listen is if they cause terror.
• Involves a non-state actor
• Terrorism is a starting tool. After the terrorists have succeeded and gained more economic, political, and military power, they are able to create a sovereign state where they can legally use violence. Once they are sovereign, they can resort to other tools.
• An attack on civilians
• Direct AND indirect victims
• AN orchestrated act of violence
• Looking to create an overreaction from the government
• Used to achieve a political goal
• An unlawful act of violence

Question 21

Why is it harmful to misuse the word “terrorism”?

Answer 21

It can be very harmful to misuse the word “terrorism” because the more it is used incorrectly, the more it loses its true value. For example, if someone was called a terrorist anytime they did something remotely bad, then there would be no way to actually define what a terrorist is. It also mitigates the seriousness of the word if it is thrown around carelessly.

Question 22

Why do terrorists choose to use terrorism?

Answer 22

• Availability
• Ease of use
• Inexpensive cost
• High impact

Question 23

What is the “terrorist pattern”?

Answer 23

• The terrorists experience a grievance
• They go outside the political system and do illegal things (ex. calling a bomb threat)
• If that doesn’t get the government’s attention, they will commit an act of violence.
• If that doesn’t work again, they will commit another act of violence.
• Their tactical goal is to get the government to overreact because it helps their battle of the narrative.

(Ex. Hamas killed 1,200 people. Israel killed 30,000+ people. Hamas did a terrible thing, but they can point fingers and say “Well look what Israel did”. More people are likely to break partnerships with Israel and support Hamas when they hear this.)

Question 24

Why is it good to study terrorism and plan hypothetical attacks?

Answer 24

This can be very beneficial because the government is usually always a step behind the terrorists. We need to be able to predict their tactics, so studying and roleplaying them helps us predict how they may act. Most people react; thoughtful people anticipate.

Question 25

Why are there multiple waves of terrorism?

Answer 25

Waves denote change overtime, so terrorism will inevitably evolve. Terrorists can attack whenever they want, so the best we can do it mitigate and manage the problems.

Similar to how ocean waves always crash on the shores and retrieve back into the ocean, coming back in a different yet similar shape than they had before, terrorist waves do the same thing.

4 waves of terrorism ~ 4 generations of warfare.

Question 26

What does the US need to consider when responding to terrorism?

Answer 26

The US needs to consider how much violence to use when responding to terrorism because if they use too much, the terrorists will win the battle of the narrative. However, if the US does not use enough, then they are putting their people in danger and not doing their job correctly.