NCJ Number
62162
Journal
SOUTH ATLANTIC QUARTERLY Volume: 74 Issue: 4 Dated: (AUTUMN 1975) Pages: 404-417
Date Published
1975
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE USE OF TERROR TO THREATEN INTERNATIONAL ORDER IS EXAMINED, TRANSNATIONAL TERROR IS VIEWED AS A LAST RESORT OF DESPERATE AND VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS, AND WAYS OF COUNTERING TERRORISM ARE NOTED.
Abstract
BECAUSE ONE PERSON'S TERROR MAY BE ANOTHER'S PATRIOTISM, THERE IS EXTENSIVE CONCERN WITH TERRORISM BUT NO GENERALLY ACCEPTED DEFINITION. IF A SATISFACTORY POLITICAL DEFINITION OF TERROR IS NOT DEVISED, COMMON AGREEMENT ON THE ESSENCE OF TERROR IS NOT LIKELY. LEGITIMATE REGIMES THREATENED WITH ANY FORM OF REVOLUTIONARY VIOLENCE QUICKLY RECOGNIZE VIOLENT OPPONENTS AS TERRORISTS, BUT MORE DISTANT AND NOT SO THREATENED REGIMES TEND TO AGREE THAT THERE IS RECOURSE TO TERROR WHEN REVOLUTIONARY OPERATIONS ARE UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL MILITARY PROCEDURES. ASSASSINATIONS, KIDNAPPINGS, HIJACKINGS, THEFT, AND ARSON ARE DEFIABLE CRIMINAL ACTS. OPERATIONS OF UNIFORMED GUERRILLAS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE GRADUALLY BEEN ACCEPTED AS AN UNCONVENTIONAL BUT RECOGNIZABLE FORM OF WAR. WHEN GUERRILLA TACTICS AND TECHNIQUES ARE BROUGHT INTO URBAN AREAS AND USED BY INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT UNIFORMS IN THE PRESENCE OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS, HOWEVER, THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN UNCONVENTIONAL WAR AND TERROR IS LESS CLEAR. ESSENTIALLY, A REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT RESORTS TO VARIANTS OF TERROR QUITE OFTEN WITHOUT HIGHLY DETAILED STRATEGIC PLANS AND NOT ALWAYS CONSCIOUSLY. LACKING RESOURCES OF A RECOGNIZED REGIME, DISCIPLINE WITHIN A REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT MAY HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED BY THREAT OR VIOLENCE. GENERALLY, REVOLUTIONARY STRATEGIES THAT EMPLOY TERROR DO SO IN THREE WAYS, INCLUDING FUNCTIONAL TERROR, PROVOCATIVE TERROR, AND SYMBOLIC TERROR. THE USE OF TERROR BY INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO URGENT AND RADICAL CHANGE WILL CONTINUE TO THREATEN INTERNATIONAL ORDER, AT LEAST TO SOME DEGREE. THE REAL THREAT OF TRANSNATIONAL TERROR ARISES FROM THE CONTINUED FRUSTRATION OR FANTASIES OF REBELS AGAINST THE OPPRESSOR AND ALSO AGAINST A SYSTEM THAT PERMITS OR ENCOURAGES THE INTOLERABLE CONDITIONS OF TERRORISTS. SPECIAL TECHNIQUES THAT MAY BE USED TO COUNTER TERRORISTS ENCOMPASS TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, COUNTERTERROR, AND EFFORTS AIMED AT ALLEVIATING LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES. THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF RENDERING TERROR INEFFECTIVE MAY BE RECOGNITION ON THE PART OF THOSE THREATENED THAT DEEDS OF TERROR ARE MORE EASILY TOLERATED THAN PREVENTED. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO TERRORISM IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)