Why do terrorists target civilians?

[devil-fire]

Right. And since we agree that there's no such thing as "no communication" (it's all about the scope - terrorism works on those within range, be it village or planet) we've shown that it's a trivial point. It's like saying terrorism only works where there's oxygen. It's not making a salient point about terrorism.

i think it is a vary good point about terrorism. since the terrorist's war is one of propaganda and not of actual threat, it highlights quite well how effective terrorism is in a world of global communications. terrorism is by far the most effective it has ever been in history. i would consider that to be a fairly good motive for anyone who has some strategic use for terrorism

for terrorists, the war is being fought with propaganda on a world wide network, whereas the other side is fighting the war house to house in some cases.

 

[DaveC426913]

...whereas the other side is fighting the war house to house in some cases.

Well, they're definitely doing that too. I think the point is that they know they can't win that one, since their opponents definitely outgun them.

To go public with one's cause is a tried-and-true method for rebalancing the playing field.

We cannot stop the War Machine ourselves, but we can convince the driver (i.e. the voting public) to.

 

[Art]

Right. And since we agree that there's no such thing as "no communication" (it's all about the scope - terrorism works on those within range, be it village or planet) we've shown that it's a trivial point. It's like saying terrorism only works where there's oxygen. It's not making a salient point about terrorism.

I think it is. In fact this hypothesis has been acted upon.

During the height of the IRA campaign in the 80's the Irish gov't deprived the IRA of publicity by making it illegal for the media to carry any interviews with their spokespeople. This undoubtedly helped persuade the IRA to turn away from armed conflict in order to be heard.

 

[DaveC426913]

Well I'm not suggesting terrosim isn't helped by world-wide communication, I'm merely arguing that terrorism isn't defeated without it.

 

[vanesch]

I think it is. In fact this hypothesis has been acted upon.

During the height of the IRA campaign in the 80's the Irish gov't deprived the IRA of publicity by making it illegal for the media to carry any interviews with their spokespeople. This undoubtedly helped persuade the IRA to turn away from armed conflict in order to be heard.

I didn't know that, but that's a smart move. If one could convince world-wide media networks to neglect terrorism, or at least, to report minimalistically about it, this would be a major blow to it. Think about it: multinationals spend billions to get their name heard and seen on commercials everywhere, and the only thing a guy like Ben Laden has to do is to send a videotape to some official, to get worldwide coverage.

But the problem is that as well media as certain politicians obtain too much advantage from the existence of terrorism for this ever to be established, and as such, serve as the main actors in the perpetration of terrorism.

 

[pelastration]

I didn't know that, but that's a smart move. If one could convince world-wide media networks to neglect terrorism, or at least, to report minimalistically about it, this would be a major blow to it. Think about it: multinationals spend billions to get their name heard and seen on commercials everywhere, and the only thing a guy like Ben Laden has to do is to send a videotape to some official, to get worldwide coverage.

But the problem is that as well media as certain politicians obtain too much advantage from the existence of terrorism for this ever to be established, and as such, serve as the main actors in the perpetration of terrorism.

That strategy versus Ira: That was 1980-90 but with Internet everything changed. You really think Aljazeera will stop talking about brutalities of occupying forces, and only will report futilities like that a waterpipe was fixed in the small village xyz, and stop reporting about carbombs, etc. On the other hand I am sure the Bush-bush would like to minimalize, like they showed in the past with the coffin-photo approach.

 

[DaveC426913]

I didn't know that, but that's a smart move. If one could convince world-wide media networks to neglect terrorism, or at least, to report minimalistically about it, this would be a major blow to it.

you know, this technique can be re-applied in a number of other civilization-destroying places: Paris, Britney, Lindsay...

 

[Esnas]

Quote from the wikipedia

Few words are as politically or emotionally charged as terrorism. A 1988 study by the US Army[1] counted 109 definitions of terrorism that covered a total of 22 different definitional elements. Terrorism expert Walter Laqueur in 1999 also has counted over 100 definitions and concludes that the "only general characteristic generally agreed upon is that terrorism involves violence and the threat of violence".

We have been speaking of terrorism as if we all have a common definition for the word. How are we defining it?

 

[DaveC426913]

We have been speaking of terrorism as if we all have a common definition for the word. How are we defining it?

Read the earlier posts - start at about #20.

 

[Esnas]

Read the earlier posts - start at about #20.

I think that it would be a good idea that after every fifteen or twenty posts we should define our central term again. Why?

(1) to make sure everyone participating in this dialog is still in agreement with a
definition or would like to amend it.
(2) to help maintain a kind of continuity with the original question "Why does terrorism
exist?"
(3) to help maintain coherence in what we are talking about.
(4) to minimize vagueness and second guessing.

(It's possible that I am the only one that sees benifit in doing this.)

 

[Esnas]

That's true, but incomplete. Terrorists, by the typical definition, do not target the military, they target civilians. So it isn't just about the tactics.

For example, where did this "typical definition" come from? Who is the autority? Are we all in agreement with this definition?