COMBATTING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM - THE ROLE OF CONGRESS

• NCJ Number: 47028
• Author(s): B M JENKINS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: Rand Corporation
• Sale Source: Rand Corporation; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THIS PAPER WAS PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE FOR INCLUSION IN A FORTHCOMING REPORT BY THE COMMISSION ON THE OPERATION OF THE SENATE, TENTATIVELY TITLED, MAJOR U.S. FOREIGN AND DEFENSE POLICY ISSUES FOR THE 95TH CONGRESS, TO BE ISSUED IN FEBRUARY 1977 RAND PAPER SERIES

Annotation

AN OVERVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IS PRESENTED; THE ROLE OF CONGRESS IN COMBATTING TERRORISM AND IMPORTANT GOVERNMENTAL POLICY ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

TERRORISM IS DESCRIBED AS THE THREATENED OR ACTUAL USE OF VIOLENCE, USUALLY BY A SMALL GROUP, WHICH IS DELIBERATELY SHOCKING AND IS DESIGNED TO GAIN ATTENTION AND CREATE FEAR AND ALARM. TERRORISM HAS BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON, AND BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND INTERNAL TERRORISM HAVE BECOME AREAS FOR CONCERN. INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND CASUALTIES INCURRED IN SUCH TERRORIST INCIDENTS HAVE SHOWN A CONTINUING INCREASE SINCE THE LATE 1960S. ALTHOUGH THE INCIDENCE OF TERRORIST VIOLENCE IS ACTUALLY RELATIVELY SMALL, THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM IS MORE ACCURATELY MEASURED IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION IT RECEIVES AND THE ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR IT GENERATES. ALTHOUGH TACTICAL SUCCESSES OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN LIMITED TO SHORT-RANGE GOALS, TERRORISM IS LIKELY TO PERSIST AND GROW AS A FORM OF POLITICAL EXPRESSION. TERRORISTS WILL REMAIN HIGHLY MOBILE AND VERSATILE. FREELANCE TERRORIST GROUPS FOR HIRE TO INDIVIDUALS AND GOVERNMENTS MAY EMERGE, AND TERRORISTS MAY ACQUIRE A CAPACITY FOR VIOLENCE ONCE POSSESSED ONLY BY NATIONAL ARMIES. CONGRESS CANNOT LEGISLATE TERRORISM OUT OF EXISTENCE, BUT IT CAN PROVIDE APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENTS FOR COMBATTING TERRORISM AND CAN AID IN THE FORMULATION OF GOVERNMENT POLICY. WHETHER THE APPROACH TO COMBATTING TERRORISM SHOULD BE INTERNATIONAL OR UNILATERAL HAS BEEN DEBATED. IN GENERAL, THE UTILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF AN INTERNATIONAL APPROACH IS DOUBTFUL. MOST SUCCESSFUL ANTITERRORIST ACTION HAS BEEN AND WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE UNILATERAL IN NATURE. SPECIFIC ISSUES WHICH MUST BE CONSIDERED INCLUDE: (1) WHAT MEASURES CAN BE TAKEN TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THREATS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND WHAT ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF SUCH THREATS; (2) UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS THE USE OF U.S. MILITARY FORCE WOULD BE JUSTIFIED AND BY WHOSE AUTHORITY THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH ACTION WOULD EXIST; (3) WHAT SAFEGUARDS AGAINST NUCLEAR TERRORISM ARE NEEDED, BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY; (4) WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF TERRORISM ARE FOR ARMS TRANSFERS AND MILITARY AID; (5) WHAT EFFECTS TERRORIST ACTIVITY HAS ON U.S. FOREIGN INVESTMENTS; (6) WHAT THE U.S. STAND IS TOWARD AMERICAN TERRORIST GROUPS AND WHAT ITS FOREIGN POLICY IMPLICATIONS ARE; (7) WHAT ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE CHARGED WITH DEALING WITH TERRORISM AND POLICY FORMULATION; AND (8) WHAT THE ROLES OF INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WILL BE. (JAP)