The Problem with Defining ‘Terrorism’ By: Carter Benson

Outline Thesis: The word “terrorism” is too broad and morally loaded to be used in ontology Freedom fighter or Terrorist Etymology Definitions and their problems Possible revisions to the definition and their problems Proposed Alternative to Terrorism Language

What Conflict is This? Sovereign country x invades sovereign country y Country x quickly overwhelms the military of country y Civilians from a small town in country y take up arms and hide in the dense forests outside of the small town Civilians of country y begin to use terrorist acts in an attempt to push country x out

Freedom Fighter or Terrorist? What makes the Wolverines freedom fighters and other rebel forces terrorists? Nationality? Religion? Ethnicity? Cause? Type of violence?

Establishing the Legitimacy of Governments Democracy vs Dictatorship Red Dawn: North Korea invades US Real life: US invades Iraq The Kingdom of Jordan The US considers The Kingdom of Jordan to be an ally The US would consider a rebel attack on Jordan to be “terrorism” The legitimacy of Government does not determine who is identified as terrorists

Etymology of the Word Terrorism 1795: in specific sense of "government intimidation during the Reign of Terror in France" (March 1793-July 1794), from French terrorisme, from Latin terror 1798: General sense of "systematic use of terror as a policy" is first recorded in English 1883: At one time, a word for a certain kind of mass- destruction terrorism was dynamitism World War I: frightfulness (translating German Schrecklichkeit) was used in Britain for "deliberate policy of terrorizing enemy non-combatants“ Etymology.com

Merriam Webster Dictionary’s Definition of Terrorism Simple definition: the use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal. Full definition: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion Terror: violence that is committed by a person, group, or government in order to frighten people and achieve a political goal *Terrorism is in the top 10% of words searched "Terrorism." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 02 May 2016.

Definition Endorsed by Georg Meggle Terrorism as described by Fromkin in 1975 Terrorism is violence used in order to create fear: but it is aimed at creating fear in order that the fear, in turn, will lead someone else . . . to embark on some quite different program of action that will accomplish whatever it is the terrorist desire. Terrorism as described by Igor Primoratz Terrorism is [best defined as] the deliberate use of violence, or threat of its use, against innocent people, with the aim of intimidating some people into a course of action they otherwise would not take Meggle, Georg. "What Is Terrorism?" (2006): n. pag. Web.

The Innocence-Condition Model of Innocence-Condition: Children Meant to exclude “legitimate targets of violence,” such as Members of armed forces and security services Suppliers of arms and ammunition Political officials directly involved in the conflict Assassination is considered terrorism by some other definitions

Problem for the United States It seems as though the United States is a prime practitioner of “terrorism” Recent Bombing of hospital in Afghanistan Torture techniques (Ex. Abu Ghraib) Nagasaki and Hiroshima Treatment of Native Americans and Relocation (Trail of Tears) Definition includes most war acts

State Terrorism There is an urge to say that states cannot do terroristic acts After all, the United States is not considered a terrorist organization

What Constitutes a State? Weak account of statehood: Ability to tax and a monopoly on violence

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Grey – Controlled by ISIS Green – Syrian Opposition Peach – Syrian Government Pink – Iraqi Government Orange – Lebanese Government Blue – Controlled by Hezbolla White – Controlled by Al-Nusra Yellow – Syrian Kurdistan Dark Yellow – Iraqi Kurdistan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant

Boko Haram https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boko_Haram#/media/File:Wilayat_al_Sudan_al_Gharbi_maximum_territorial_control.png

What Constitutes a State? Strong account of statehood: Recognized by members of the United Nations as a state

Recognition of Israel’s Statehood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_recognition_of_Israel#/media/File:Recognition-diplomacy_of_Israel.svg

Proposed Alternative to Terrorism Language We can capture the idea of “terrorist” with alternative language, like Religious Extremist Cartel Member Separatist We can capture the idea of “terrorist act” with alternative language of their actions, like Mass shooting Suicide bombing

Osama Bin Laden before and after 1989 Pre-1989: Bin Laden was considered to be a freedom fighter because he was fighting the USSR Post-1989: Bin Laden was considered to be a terrorist because he was fighting against the US

Conclusion Current definitions are too broad to be used in Ontology Attempts to revise the definition will be problematic Alternative language can be used to make up the gap left by excluding the term “terrorism”

“Definitions [of terrorism] are not generally agreed upon – with even the possibility and utility of such definitions being denied; instead real or imagined T- cases are used to deliver the most efficient means for the justification for nearly everything – for almost everything which, without there Terrorism-Threats, could not have been justified at all or at least not so easily. To name you a terrorist is not just to make you an outlaw, it is to excommunicate you from the human race.” - Georg Meggle

Thank you for listening Questions?