1. Social Problems
War and Terrorism

2. A thought on war:
"When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to hate war. War settles nothing."
(Eisenhower, Dwight D., cited in The New Dictionary of Thoughts. Cincinnati: Standard Book Company, 1957.)

3. War
War = the pattern of large groups of people methodically trying to kill one another
armed conflict between two countries or groups within a country
includes undeclared battles, civil conflicts, guerrilla wars, covert operations, terrorism
relies on collective violence as opposed to interpersonal violence
Audio Lecture #7 by Robert Brym on War, 2002

4. Brym on War Societal warfare has replaced interstate war
Risk of war varies by:
Type of government (democratic, authoritarian, or intermediate)
Level of prosperity
Democracies and autocracies lower risk of war, but intermediate high because of lack of stable government ie Iraq now

5. Other Factors Related to War
In authoritarian states:
a secondary consequence of a military-state connection
is designed to engender patriotism and to justify penalizing political dissidents.
Decentralized leadership less likely to be warlike than is centralized leadership

6. Other factors Ideologies and religion also influence politics and war
Politics occur between states
World system theory (Wallerstein) and unequal relations between core and peripheral nations
Advances in military technology
Technology has made warfare more lethal
Human consequences
Ecological consequences

7. Terrorism
any act by an individual or by a group that is intended to undermine the legitimate authority of a government or state
roots of terrorism found in religious, ethnic nationalist, political, economic, and social differences
Audio Lecture #5 by Robert Brym on Terrorism

8. Other Types of Terrorism
Narcoterrorism- use of violence in the trafficking of drugs
State terrorism refers to the terrorism of the government against their own people
Revolutionary terrorism- to bring about total political change

9. Ecoterrorism destruction of environment as a weapon
U.S. military's use of Agent Orange in Vietnam
destruction of Kuwaiti oil wells by retreating Iraqi military forces during the 1991 Persian Gulf War
see:

10. Origins of Terrorist Groups
Many terrorist groups have originated out of troubled areas of the world
Middle East
Northern Ireland
Political radicalism is a source of terrorism
Terrorism can have its origin in cults
Terrorism can originate out of the State to maintain power

11. Origins (cont.) Well educated Young
Characteristics of terrorist recruits
Well educated
Young
Upper-middle class or middle-class background
Terrorism emerges out of the despair bred by the economic deprivation in parts of the world
Terrorists operate on a belief system based on salvation through violence

12. Terrorism and Religion
Terrorists groups are often motivated by deep religious convictions
Not religion that is the actual motivation, but the presence of a totalitarian belief system
Violence is often committed against known and unknown victims
Random victims
Select targets because of their prominence in society

13. Terrorism’s Impact on Society
The primary impact of terrorism on society are:
Increased fear and heightened security
Erosion of civil liberties
Economic consequences
Health consequences
Political consequences

14. Social and health consequences of war and terrorism on individuals
kills many people
costs a lot of money
shattering of morale
use of children in warfare
Health consequences for both veterans and civilians:
Also affects civilians who are sheltered from combat itself.
Exposure to war increases the risk of health problems, and lowers life expectancy.
Veterans suffer from psychological disorders.
Victims of terrorism at risk of psychological trauma

15. Are Anti-Terrorism Measures Working?
Terrorist attacks worldwide are increasing
For example, here is an msnbc newsclip indicating terrorist attacks in 2006 up 25%..

16. Example: Recent terrorist attacks against U.S in 2008.…
May 26, Iraq: a suicide bomber on a motorcycle kills six U.S. soldiers and wounds 18 others in Tarmiya.
June 24, Iraq: a suicide bomber kills at least 20 people, including three U.S. Marines, at a meeting between sheiks and Americans in Karmah, a town west of Baghdad.
June 12, Afghanistan: four American servicemen are killed when a roadside bomb explodes near a U.S. military vehicle in Farah Province.
July 13, Afghanistan: nine U.S.soldiers and at least 15 NATO troops die when Taliban militants boldly attack an American base in Kunar Province, which borders Pakistan. It's the most deadly against U.S. troops in three years.
Aug. 18 and 19, Afghanistan: as many as 15 suicide bombers backed by about 30 militants attack a U.S. military base, Camp Salerno, in Bamiyan. Fighting between U.S. troops and members of the Taliban rages overnight. No U.S. troops are killed.
Sept. 16, Yemen: a car bomb and a rocket strike the U.S. embassy in Yemen as staff arrived to work, killing 16 people, including 4 civilians. At least 25 suspected al-Qaeda militants are arrested for the attack.
This is only against the U.S…..every day there are reports of attacks against others, including our Canadian soldiers in Afganistan

17. Can Terrorism Be Prevented?
A Homeland Security Report 2007 used a case study approach to determine what factors were effective in deterring or preventing terrorism
“results indicated that the most influential factors determining the success or failure of a terrorist attack are those that occur in the pre-execution phases. While safeguards and controls at airports and rail stations are critical, they are most effective when coupled with factors that can be leveraged to detect the plot in the planning stages”
( retrieved Apr. 3, 2008)

18. Early Prevention Strategies (Homeland Security Report, 2007)
Major cause of failure of a terrorist attack is poor terrorist operational security. Need to capitalize on this when possible…
Encourage increased vigilance amongst both the public and security services
Create better awareness by utilizing “terrorist profile indicators”
Increase information sharing both laterally and downward
Enhance international cooperation

19. The Cost of War
Globally: $1 trillion dollars on military, for making weapons and training people to kill
U.S. : approx $450 billion
Report of the UN Secretary-General put the economic costs to the international community of seven major wars in the 1990s, not including Kosovo, at $199 billion
See

20. The Cost of War (cont.) Loss of life in battle:
Between 1100 and 1925 about 35 million soldiers were killed in 862 wars
During World War II 17 million soldiers and 35 million civilians were killed

21. Social Costs Posttraumatic stress disorder
In 2004, about 2 million veterans were receiving compensation from the U.S. government for war-related disabilities
War takes a psychological toll on soldiers
Posttraumatic stress disorder
war victims who are civilians has increased from 5 per cent to over 90 per cent
at least half of victims now are children
: approximately 2 million children killed in armed conflict (3 times that amount were injured or disabled in wars)
See

22. Social Costs (Children)
"More and more of the world is being sucked into a desolate moral vacuum. This is a space devoid of the most basic human values; a space in which children are slaughtered, raped, and maimed; a space in which children are exploited as soldiers; a space in which children are starved and exposed to extreme brutality.“
Graça Machel, “The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children,” 1996 Report submitted to UN

23. Social Costs (cont.)
War is a major factor in mass migration of populations
Between 1986 and 1999 there have been over 1.3 million refugees were granted asylum in the United States
Government policy during war has also forced population migration
WW II and German relocation policy of Jews and others

24. Biological theories of the origins of war and terrorism
humans are “naturally” prone to violent behaviour
Sociobiological theories
Aggression and violence as a genetic trait to enhance survival of the human species
Konrad Lorenz
Aggression as an instinct in humans
Aggression is linked to territoriality
Edward O. Wilson
Genetic predisposition to aggression
Aggression channeled through culture

25. Psychological approaches
war is a natural phenomenon that develops when resources fought over are scarce
or when superiority and victory are central to a group's identity
psychologists study how 'normal' people can change during wartime into soldiers capable of killing and injuring others seemingly without hesitation and remorse
Famous experiments – Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Study, Milgram’s Authoritarianism Study

26. Would war change you??
“War is an environment that will psychologically debilitate 98 percent of all who participate in it for any length of time. And the 2 percent who are not driven insane by war appear to have already been insane – aggressive psychopaths – before coming to the battlefield.”
(from On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, 1995)

27. Structural Functionalism
War fulfills a variety of functions such as increasing social cohesion and group identity, increasing employment and production, and facilitating new scientific and technological innovations
Did 9/11 and the war in Iraq increase solidarity and cohesion in the U.S.?

28. Conflict Theory
War benefits groups such as corporations, politicians, and the military
Marx and Lenin on War
Karl Marx- war was based on the interests of the economic elites to acquire raw materials and to expand capitalism
Vladimir Lenin- saw warfare as stemming from competition among capitalist nations for the expansion of global economic dominance

29. Symbolic Interactionism
Meanings and definitions influence attitudes and behaviours toward conflict and war
Media plays a large role in shaping beliefs and attitudes
Media main vehicle for propaganda used by government to influence public opinion
Eg: newsreels used during WWII to recruit soldiers and to persude women to fill vacant jobs, and then to return to the home after the war (Rosie the Riveter)

30. Feminism Note that wars have been primarily fought by men
The association of masculinity and militarism begins with childhood socialization.
Feminists also study the effects of war on women.

31. Other Theories About War and Its Origins
Institutional Forces Within Nations
C.Wright Mills and “The Power Elite”
Economic institutions and the military elite have come to shape economic life around their view of the world and the interests of the military
Politics and the forging of public opinion in support of war (media and propaganda)
Nationalism and warfare

32. Other (cont.) Military leaders impose dictatorial power on society
Harold Lasswell and “The Garrison State”
Military leaders impose dictatorial power on society
Channel state resources for military use
Control public support through propaganda

33. Social Constructionism and the Role of “Moral Entrepreneurs”
“Social problems are created through the actions of others which raise our consciousness to issues in society”
Moral entrepreneurs have power to label and define the problem
Moral entrepreneurs use “claims making activities” (Specter and Kitsuse) to bring public onside
(See Intro Lecture)

34. Claims Making and the 2003 War in Iraq
Stage 1: Problem Definition
- get public to recognize and accept that Saddam Hussein and Iraq behind 9/11 attack
Stage 2: Legitimacy
- get acceptance from U.S. public and other allies (Britain, Australia, Canada, etc.)
Stage 3: Reemergence of demands
- find “evidence” to support claims
Stage 4: Rejection and institution building
- measures to “solve” the problem: war, Homeland security, international cooperation in “war on terror”

35. Creation of a Moral Panic
“You’re either with us (the U.S.) or you are with the terrorists (essentials of Bush position)
With the aid of the media, created a global moral panic and international cooperation for war in both Afghanistan and Iraq

36. CBC Video: The Lies That Led To War
Produced by The Fifth Estate (2007)
A tale of the deceit and propaganda used to convince Americans (and others) to support war against Iraq
Watch: The Lies That Led to War

37. Aftermath: Doubt about 9/11 and the role of the U.S.
A recent survey of 16,063 people in 17 countries (Globe and mail, Sept. 11, 2008) by WorldPublicOpinion.org found little consensus about 9/11 attack
Overall, only 46% thought al-Qaeda responsible
But 15% said U.S., 7% said Israel, 7% said “other”, 25% “don’t know”
In Turkey 33%, Mexico 30% and Germany 23% thought U.S. while in Egypt 43% thought Israel

38. How can we prevent war? According to Tepperman et. al., by:
developing policies that are aimed at reducing conflict.
limiting the production and sale of arms
by redistributing economic resources more equally among nations
making better use of international bodies dedicated to peacekeeping

39. International Efforts to Curb War and Terrorism
League of Nations and later the United Nations are examples of attempts to arrive at global cooperation among nations
Global conflicts and the U.S. as peacekeepers
Less than successful
International trade and the economic incentive for peace
International peacekeeping institutions and international law

40. International (cont.)
The war in Iraq, a growing crisis over North Korea, Iran’s threats to renew their production of nuclear weapons, and other events have made the world situation increasingly gloomy
There has been a rise of negative feelings about the United States in that the country is not exerting positive leadership in seeking world peace

41. International (cont.)
Unsuccessful attempts at arms control
United Nations
International Atomic Energy Commission was formed in 1945 to ban nuclear weapons
Nuclear test ban treaties
Nuclear anti-proliferation policies
Controlling the arms merchants

42. International (cont.) Dealing with Terrorism
Policy of no-concessions to terrorist groups
Public awareness in controlling terrorism
Homeland Security Act of 2002 in U.S. and the Anti-Terrorism Act 2001 and the Public Safety Act 2002 in Canada
Are our rights and civil liberties being eroded?
For more on Canadian security, see: