1. International Terrorism: Defined
Book definition of terrorism: Politically motivated violence directed against noncombatants designed to instill fear in a target audience.
Main components:
Violence: Breaking things and/or killing people
Purpose: Political objective achieved thru fear, get changes in population’s or government’s behavior
Targets: Non-combatant or civilian people or things
Terrorism is international if terrorists or targets of more than one country are involved

2. International Terrorism
Possible examples (not always so clear)?
Attack on USS Cole in 2000
Palestinian attack on a Jewish settler in Hebron
Palestinian attack on a Tel Aviv night club
Bombings of US embassies in 1998
9/11 plane crash into Pentagon
9/11 planes into World Trade Center
Iraq
Car bomb in a market place
Car bomb at police station
Car bomb at a US military base

3. Terrorism: Possible Reasons Why
Means of the weak: No other feasible means to conduct conflict
Psychological
Mentally unbalanced
Emotional needs: Self esteem, group ID
Ideology
“True Believer”
Environment
Grievances (economic, political)
Culture of violence

4. Terrorism: Possible Reasons Why (II)
Continuation of the Organization
Religion or Culture
Islam and Arabs
Revenge (can this be a political purpose?)

5. Terrorism Methods Conventional WMD – Relatively new
Bombings
Assassinations
Kidnappings
WMD – Relatively new
Big effects get big fear
Cyber attacks on computers though phones or internet

6. Al Queda Terror: Possible Motives?
Anger
Felt under attack by West, specifically US
Abandoned by US after Afghanistan
US intrusion into Arab world for Desert Storm and after, including military presence in Saudi holy land
Arab-Israeli conflict and mistreatment of Palestinians
Political
Felt politically dispossessed in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia & other Persian Gulf states
Felt these states not Islamic enough

7. Al Queda Terror: Possible Objectives?
US withdrawal from middle east, especially Saudia Arabia
US reaction in middle east that causes long term antagonism towards muslims and gains Al Queda more support
Revenge so Arabs and/or muslims will be taken seriously
Will of God?

8. How Respond to Terror Eliminate causes? Defense & Security
Difficult even to agree on causes
Probably Northern Ireland
Maybe Palestine
Probably not Al Queda
Defense & Security
What is it: Crime, act of war, political or other?
Who is in charge and which laws apply?
War ?
Crime

9. How Respond to Terror (II)
Counter Attack/Preemptive Attack
Military Operations
Covert Operations
Law & International Cooperation
Law enforcement & civil liberties
Financial
State sponsorship of terror group or acts?

10. Does Terrorism Work? Does get attention - Palestinian history
Can economically hurt target and cause fear
If targets primarily far away military, government or others, MAYBE
If hurts main populace, probably not
They get angry
MAY over react