Terrorism In Perspective

The Third Edition of Terrorism in Perspective, like its two successful predecessors, takes a broad-based approach that emphasizes the historical, cultural, political, religious, social, and economic factors that underlie an understanding of both global and domestic terrorism. This unique text-reader combines original essays with the best of the existing literature on terrorism. Each chapter of this text begins with an overview essay written by the authors, followed by two relevant and engaging articles culled from a wide variety of popular, academic, and governmental sources. This is the only major terrorism text to incorporate readings from top terrorism experts into a traditional textbook format, allowing readers to deepen their understanding of each aspect of terrorism. Dedication 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Brief Contents 7 Detailed Contents 8 List of Maps 15 Acknowledgments 16 Introduction 17 Looking Back at 9/11 19 Chapter Outline 21 1. What Is Terrorism? 25 Definitions of Terrorism 25 U.S. Government Definitions 28 Scholarly Definitions 29 Commonalities in Definitions 30 Incidents of Terrorism 31 National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism 34 Global Terrorism Database 35 Motivation 37 Collective Explanations 37 Individual Explanations 39 Moral Explanations 40 Useful Explanations 42 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 42 Exploring the What of Terrorism Further 43 Terrorism: The Problem of Definition Revisited 46 A General Strain Theory of Terrorism 59 2. History of Terrorism 79 Early Justifications for Terrorism 79 Religious Terrorism: Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot 80 State-Sponsored Terrorism: The French Revolution 82 Political Terrorism: Anarchists and Propaganda by Deed 84 Political Terrorism of the Russian Narodnaya Volya 85 Terrorism and Colonialism: The Philosophy of the Bomb 87 Colonialism and Indian Terrorism 87 Colonialism, Racism, and Algerian Terrorism 88 Colonialism Makes Latin America a Hotbed of Terrorism 88 The Urban Guerrilla 89 Lessons Learned From History 90 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 91 Exploring the History of Terrorism Further 92 Fear and Trembling: Terrorism in Three Religious Traditions 95 The Spirit of Despotism: Understanding the Tyrant Within 126 3. International Terrorism 147 Terrorism Around the World 148 State-Sponsored Terrorism 152 Cuba 153 Iran 153 Sudan 153 Syria 154 Sanctions 154 Religious Fanaticism: An Old Trend and a New Threat 155 A Few Infamous Terrorists 156 Che Guevara 157 Carlos the Jackal 158 Osama bin Laden 159 Velupillai Prabhakaran 162 Subcomandante Marcos 164 An Infamous Terrorist Attack: Pan Am Flight 103 165 Western Views on Libya 167 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 167 Exploring Global Terrorism Further 168 The Four Waves of Modern Terrorism 170 Radical Islam in East Africa 198 4. Terrorist Tactics Around the Globe 209 Children at War 210 Financing Terrorist Networks 215 Ancient Islamic Traditions 215 Legal Actions 216 Money Laundering 216 Conventional Tactics Become More Deadly 217 Leaderless Resistance 219 Guidebooks of Terror Tactics 220 The Basics: Assassinations, Hijackings, Kidnappings and Hostage Taking, and Bombings 221 Assassinations 222 Hijackings 223 Kidnappings and Hostage Taking 224 Bombings 226 Suicide Terrorism 227 Female Suicide Bombers 228 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 229 Exploring Conventional Terrorist Tactics Further 230 The Interaction of Narcotics and Conflict 232 New Terror Architecture in South Asia: 26/11 Mumbai Attacks Inquiry 244 5. Homegrown Terrorism in the United States 269 Muslim–American Terrorism in the United States 270 Researching Incidents of Homegrown Terrorism 270 Hate Groups and Terrorism 271 State-Sponsored Terrorism 273 Leftist Groups 274 Leftist Class Struggles 274 Anarchists/Ecoterrorists 276 Right-Wing Groups 279 Racial Supremacy 279 Religious Extremists 281 The Future 282 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 283 Exploring Homegrown Terrorism Further 284 Ku Klux Klan: A History of Racism and Violence 286 Skinheads in America: Racists on the Rampage 298 6. Media Coverage of Terrorism 305 Competing Concerns 306 Media, Law, and Terrorism 307 Irresponsible Reporting 309 Interfering in State Operations Against Terrorism 309 Cooperating With Terrorists or Government 313 Selling Terrorism: Commercial and Political Interests in Media Reports 316 Making Martyrs: Terrorists and the Death Penalty 316 Timothy McVeigh 317 Abimael Guzmán 317 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 320 Exploring Media and Terrorism Further 321 Filling the 24×7 News Hole: Television News Coverage Following September 11 324 Terrorism and Censorship: The Media in Chains 338 7. Women Terrorists 345 The Black Widows of Chechnya 345 Female Terrorists 348 Roles and Activities for Female Terrorists 349 Sympathizers 349 Spies 349 Warriors 350 Dominant Forces 350 Two Exceptional Terrorist Groups 351 Two Female Terrorists 352 Ulrike Meinhof 352 Augusta La Torre Guzmán 352 Ideology and Female Terrorists 354 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 355 Exploring Women as Terrorists Further 356 The Portrayal of Female Terrorists in the Media: Similar Framing The Portrayal of Female Terrorists in the Media: Similar Framing 358 Women and organized racial terrorism in the united states 378 8. Technology and Terrorism 392 Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Weapons and Explosive Devices 394 Chemical Weapons 395 Biological Weapons 395 Radiological Weapons 397 Nuclear Weapons 397 Explosive Devices 399 How Real Is the Threat? 400 The Internet and Terrorism 401 Digital Terrorism 402 How Real Is the Threat? 403 Aum Shinrikyo: A Terrorist Cult 403 Shoko Asahara: A Chaotic Leader 404 From Bizarre to Dangerous 404 The Attack 407 The Aftermath 407 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 407 Exploring Technology and Terrorists Further 408 Mutually Assured Support: A Security Doctrine for Terrorist Nuclear Weapons Threats 411 Cyber-Fatwas and Terrorism 419 9. Counterterrorism 438 Counterterrorism and Foreign Policy 438 The United States at War 438 “Late Modern Warfare” 440 The United States as a Target 442 Clash of Civilizations? 442 The UN Response to Terrorism 444 International Cooperation and the Use of Military Forces 445 Torture 446 The High Cost of Retaliation 447 Domestic Counterterrorism 449 Legislating Against Terrorism 450 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 450 The USA PATRIOT Act 451 The Counterterrorism Bureaucracy 454 Controversial Detentions and Military Tribunals 456 Detentions 456 Guantanamo Bay 457 Other Prisons for Terrorists: Legal and Extra-Legal 459 Military Tribunals 460 Three Infamous Cases From the U.S. History of Counterterrorism 461 The Palmer Raids 462 Japanese Internment 463 More Red Scares: House Un-American Activities Committee and McCarthyism 464 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 464 Exploring Counterterrorism Further 465 Assassinating Justly: Reflections on Justice and Revenge in the Osama bin Laden Killing 468 Profiling in the Age of Total Information Awareness 475 10. Rage and Rebellion in the Arab World: Potential Impacts on Terrorism 498 Overview of Regional Events 498 Tunisia 500 Voting for Change 501 Egypt 502 Voting 504 Libya 505 The Revolution 505 Yemen 507 Syria 509 Background 510 The Protests and the Vicious Response 511 The World’s Reaction 512 And Where Will It End? 512 Elsewhere in the Arab World 513 Bahrain 513 Saudi Arabia 514 Morocco 514 Jordan 514 Palestine 515 The Reach of the Revolution 515 Highlights of Reprinted Articles 516 Exploring Terrorism and the Arab Uprisings Further 517 Al Qaeda’s Challenge 520 The Unbreakable Muslim Brotherhood 531 Appendix: Locations of Worldwide Terrorist Activity (Maps 1–8) 540 References 549 Index 568 About the Authors 625 About the Contributors 626 This book takes a broad-based approach that emphasizes the historical, cultural, political, religious, social, and economic factors that underlie an understanding of both global and domestic terrorism. This unique text-reader combines original essays with the best of the existing literature on terrorism. Each chapter of this text begins with an overview essay written by the authors, followed by two relevant and engaging articles culled from a wide variety of popular, academic, and governmental sources. This is the only major terrorism text to incorporate readings from top terrorism experts into a traditional textbook format, allowing readers to deepen their understanding of each aspect of terrorism