The Debate About Terrorism Essay - 2667 Words

Although the debate about terrorism has especially sparked in the past decades, terrorism is not a new phenomenon and it has been used since the beginning of recorded history. Nevertheless, it is rather difficult to define terrorism. Depending on from which side one assesses terrorism it can be defined as either a tactic or a strategy, a crime or a holy duty, a heinousness or a justified reaction to oppression. Terrorism uses coercive power with many of the advantages of military force, but with only a fraction of the cost and due to their small size covert operations, it is difficult for governments to actually deter or defend against terrorist organizations. Terrorism has thus become one of the most threatening phenomena for citizens†¦show more content†¦II. Why terrorism can be a successful strategy In general, the strategy of terrorism is rather used by feeble or powerless actors since groups with other options to draw attention to their message and political goals, such as winning elections, organizing public demonstrations or removing the current government through a conspiracy or a coup d’à ©tat, do not need to resort to terrorist actions. Since terrorism is thus the weapon of the weak, it will often fail to achieve its political objectives of the organization (Lutz Lutz, 2009: 2). However, this does not mean that the strategy of terrorism cannot be effective. Terrorist groups usually have several goals and objectives, and they may fail to achieve all of them but are sometimes successful in achieving at least some of them. Their public statements and messages provide governments and counterterrorism experts with some insights, but one has to keep in mind that some of these statements are only propaganda created to mobilize support, and the stated objectives may not always be the actual or most important goals of the terror organization. Terrorist groups sometimes claim to seek more than they actually hope toShow MoreRelatedThe Debate On Abortion And Gun Control1604 Words   |  7 Pageswith the governance of a country or other area. This especially applies to the debate or conflict among individuals or parties in hope of achieving power. Dealing with politics there is always a side that agrees and disagrees, thus developing the debate. Two of the most domestic controversial political topics are abortion and gun control. As for international there is terrorism. These three topics have been ongoing debates for some time. 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