WHAT IS TERRORISM?

WHAT IS TERRORISM?

According to Wikipedia, the word "terrorism" is controversial and has many definitions, none of which are universally accepted. According to Walter Laqueur of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "the only general characteristic generally agreed upon is that terrorism involves violence and the threat of violence."

For most of the 20th century, the word was used primarily to describe the attacks of "a clandestine or expatriate organization aiming to coerce an established government by acts of violence against it or its subjects" However, it was always a pejorative term, and its use has broadened considerably since the declaration of the War on terrorism, now covering almost any enemy action perceived as being an immoral use of violence. The word is used exclusively to refer to others. No known group self-identifies as 'terrorist'.

21st century definitions of the word range very widely. They typically involve some subset of the following criteria:

* The motive is political or religious
* The target is civilian
* The objective is to intimidate
* The intimidation is directed at government or society
* The perpetrator is non-governmental
* The act was unlawful

None of these are universally accepted as being either necessary or sufficient.

I submit the following examples for your reflection:

THE AMERICAN INDIAN

As the European invaders spread across the North American continent, a coordinated program of genocide was visited on the people who had been living here for centuries. This included the burning of villages and crops, the deliberate wholesale killing of game animals, especially bison, and the massacre of women and children. Some claim that blankets containing the smallpox virus were given to Indians in order to eliminate the race. (Indians had no natural immunity to the disease.) Was this terrorism? Ask the Indians.

DRESDEN, GERMANY 1945

On the evening of February 13, 1945, an orgy of genocide and barbarism began against a defenseless German city, one of the greatest cultural centers of northern Europe. Within less than 14 hours not only was it reduced to flaming ruins, but an estimated one-third of its inhabitants, possibly as many as a half a million, had perished in what was the worst single event massacre of all time. Dresden had no military significance. Allied US and UK bombers dropped More than 700.000 phosphorus bombs on 1.2 million people. One bomb for every 2 people. The temperature in the center of the city reached 1600 degrees centigrade. More than 260,000 bodies and residues of bodies were counted.. Approximately 500,000 children, women, the elderly, wounded soldiers and the animals of the zoo were slaughtered in one night. Was this terrorism? Ask the Germans.

HIROSHIMA & NAGASAKI

The bomb generated an enormous amount of energy in terms of air pressure and heat. In addition, it generated a significant amount of radiation (Gamma ray and neutrons) that subsequently caused devastating human injuries.

The people who saw the bomb often say "We saw another sun in the sky when it exploded." The heat and the light generated by the bomb were far stronger than bombs which they had seen before. When the heat wave reached ground level it burnt all before it including people.
The strong wind generated by the bomb destroyed most of the houses and buildings within a 1.5 miles radius. When the wind reached the mountains, it was reflected and again hit the people in the city center. The wind generated by the bomb caused the most serious damage to the city and people.

The radiation generated by the bomb caused long-term problems to those affected. Many people died within the first few months and many more in subsequent years because of radiation exposure. Some people had genetic problems which sometimes resulted in having malformed babies or being unable to have children.

It is believed that more than 140,000 people died by the end of the year. They were citizens including students, soldiers and Koreans who worked in factories within the city. The total number of people who have died due to the bomb is estimated to be 200,000. Three days later, a similar bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing another estimated 700,00 people. Was this terrorism? Ask the Japanese.

OK - WHAT'S THE POINT?

Just this – terrorism, like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Let’s call things by their real name. Let’s start by calling the Iraq “war” what it really is – invasion and occupation. Let’s call the events of 9/11 what they really were – mass murder. To call it terrorism is to admit we are terrorized and gives credence to what was basically a criminal act. The people who did it are criminals and like any other criminals, they should be sought out and charged with the crime and prosecuted.

The only other viable alternative is to seek out and assassinate those who were responsible, like Israel did after the Munich Olympic murders in 1972. I do not endorse this method, but have to admit it was more effective than invading a country that had nothing whatsoever to do with September 11. We cannot fight these people with conventional weapons and tactics. Somebody please tell George W. Bush.