Terrorism

Definition:

Terrorism is the political use of violence to weaken a hated authority.

Terrorist actions:

• Assassinations

• Bombings

• Hostage crisis

• Hijackings

• Suicides

• Public executions

Types of Terrorist Groups1) Separatists

– Want to secede the current national government to form their own homeland

– Examples:• 13 colonies in the American Revolution• Jews in Palestine between the World Wars• PLO and Hamas in Palestine now• Chechens of Chechnya want to break free from

Russia• Irish Republican Army (IRA) wanted to separate

Northern Ireland from the U.K.

13 Colonies

PLO

Types of Terrorist Groups2) International Terrorists

– Political groups who commit violent acts outside their country

– Examples:• Al Qaeda destroying World Trade Center

Al Qaeda

Types of Terrorist Groups3) State-sponsored terrorists

– Commit violent acts that are encouraged by the government for political purposes.

– Examples:• CIA in Guatemala• Iran and Syria sponsor the terrorist organization

Hezbollah in Lebanon• Janjaweed in Sudan

Hezbollah

Types of Terrorist Groups4) Domestic terrorists

– Commit violent acts against their own country

– Examples:• Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing• KKK• Anders Behring Breivik - Norway

KKK

Bolsheviks; Russian Rev.

American Terrorists:

• OK City Bombing-Timothy McVeigh

-sentenced to death and executed June 13, 2001.

-passionate about guns-“The Turner Diaries” -Gulf War Vet -Arms dealer

The attack:

• OK City, 1995

• Timothy McVeigh bombs federal building.

-168 killed, 19 children

-Injured more than 500

Reasons for Bombing

• upset with government policies on fire arms.

• unhappy with situation in Waco

-executes bombing 2 yrs to the day after Waco.

*worst attack on US soil*

Waco, TX

• David Koresh

• Branch Davidians

• Compound siege by FBI

• Koresh and others commit suicide before capture.

Anders Behring Breivik

Why are Middle Eastern extremists so unhappy with the U.S.?

• Muslims used to be superior to Christians, but stopped modernizing and fell behind

• Imperialism by European countries in the 1800s and 1900s

• Creation of Israel by the UN for the Jews

• US support of oppressive monarchies in the Middle East (i.e. Iran, Egypt, S.A.)

Why are Middle Eastern extremists so unhappy with the U.S.?

• When the West modernized, it required that they give their people more freedom, equality, and education

• The Middle East is trying to decide whether or not to modernize and be moderate or return to traditional ways

• Fundamentalists (like bin Laden) want to return to traditional ways

• Cities (pro-West) v. countryside (poor areas are breeding ground for fundamentalists)

Why did Bin Laden attack the U.S.?

• Lack of recognition by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan for his achievements in 1980s- both countries turned to west for protection!

• U.S./ Western presence in the Middle East - Israel, invasion of Iraq & Afghanistan, U.S. troops throughout the M.E. and with our allies

• U.S. supports M.E. monarchies- Bin Laden would like them overthrown - Islamic gov’t

How to handle Terrorism:

• Careful with Saudi Arabia, oil is important to all, not just U.S.A. Allow government to handle fundamentalist problems.

• Non-proliferation of nukes for fear fundamentalist groups get nukes.

• Stay allies with moderate Muslims countries to fight terrorism -Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia.

• Rebuild devastated countries that are breeding grounds