Assignment 2

Assignment 2

[Name of the writer]

[Name of the institution]

Assignment 2

Introduction

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon, in fact, it has been travelling with mankind since the very beginning of times; only the phenomenon or the process had different or no names at all. The term "terrorist" or "terrorism" was coined during the French Revolution that happened in the late 18th century. However, these words came in the spotlight when they were used massively by the newspapers, journals and books that were focusing on the issues going on in the Basque Country, Northern Ireland and Palestine. These terms or the issue got much more hype after the attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001.

Terrorism has been defined in different ways; it is a phenomenon that keeps changing (and advancing). Most of the times, terrorism is associated with an act that is usually "morally wrong", but the term is being heavily misused in the current times. It is used by governments and non-state actors to abuse or denounce the groups that oppose their ideas and strategies. Many political parties have been accused of using various "immoral" ways, in order to achieve their objectives and goals. These accusations are not limited to a specific type of political organization; these include right-winged and left-winged political parties, religious groups, nationalist groups, revolutionaries and even ruling governments.

In short, terrorism, in the broadest sense, can be defined as the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence, in order to create terror among the masses of people, or a means of to create fear to achieve a religious or political goal (Hoffman, 2006). It usually refers to the act of violence during the peacetime or a kind of non-conventional war, where the attack is on the non-combats. Every government, country or person, wand to stop terrorism; the simplest and probably the only way to do so is that they stop participating in it.

Discussion

Terrorism refers only to those acts of violence that are deliberately inflicted upon a single individual, a group of people or a community (national or religious), perpetrated for the achievement of an ideological goal. It poses a threat to a deliberate target and to the safety and security of the general public, whether at national or international level (Wadhwa, and Bhatia, 2015, pp. 645). As it has already been discussed, terrorism aroused when the different parties, individuals starting enforcing their beliefs upon each other. Terrorism is another form of extremism; that ends upon in grave results. Terrorism includes thrusting one's own beliefs upon the other person.

Different approaches have been adopted by governments, nations and groups in order to cater to the issue of terrorism but still, the evil is only spreading (Stern, and Modi, 2007, pp, 52). The success of the approach or strategy heavily depends upon the perception of this violence, as terrorism is taken both as a tactic and a strategy. Many groups take it as a crime while others consider it a holy responsibility. Various groups define it as an inexcusable abomination while others present it as a justified response to an already happened act (usually of oppression) (El-Nawawy, 2004, pp. n.d). Very few terror groups or terror incidents are actually "religion-based". The groups may wave a banner of this religion or that, or of a particular sect, but their leaders' goals are purely related to this world only and in pursuit of power here and now (Baker, 2012, p. 80).

It is the need of the hour that is should be identified, what encourages the rank-and-file members of such groups to join. This will generally boil down to the following.

what looks like religion-based terrorism is actually entrenched poverty terrorism

people with no other hope for a way out

what looks like religion-based terrorism is actually oppressed minority terrorism

a different group of people with no other hope for a way out

what looks like religion-based terrorism is actually you-killed-my-entire-family-and-I-want-justice terrorism, people who see no other path to justice.

The underlying causes of the above descriptions should be addressed as soon as possible. Once we see that this is not a question of religion or communism or separatism or racial division, it is a question of poor, powerless, and easily misguided people being misled by one or more demagogues (Pape, 2003, p. 351). Bombing miscellaneous countries is not a solution to this problem, not at all. The only result that the world is getting out of all this is the creation of a number of widows, orphans, disabled people, geographically and economically destroyed countries; in short, destruction.

The countries, the governments, the leaders, the motivational speakers, the motivators and the influencers should inspire the people especially the youth to lessen hate and spread peace. These authorities should encourage an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for individual rights, and cultivate a culture of moderation. Focus should be laid upon shunning the practice of creating oppressive monarchies. Terrorism is a personal choice; No religion, no sect, no doctrine encourages inflicting violence and killing people.

Conclusion

In short, terrorism needs to be stopped; each and every practice related to terrorism needs to be stopped. Every approach that has been adopted to cater the issue of terrorism has its own highs and lows but the overall purpose is the same, to eradicate terrorism, especially religion-based terrorism, whether at a local level or in a global perspective. However. It is going to be a long hill climb.

References

Baker, A.H., 2012. Engagement and partnership in community-based approaches to counter-terrorism. In Counter-Terrorism (pp. 74-99). Palgrave Macmillan, London.

El-Nawawy, M., 2004. Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?: The Arab Media Coverage of ‘Terrorism'or ‘So-Called Terrorism.'. Global Media Journal, 2(4).

Hoffman, B., 2006. Inside terrorism. Columbia University Press.

Pape, R.A., 2003. The strategic logic of suicide terrorism. American political science review, 97(3), pp.343-361.

Stern, J. and Modi, A., 2007. Producing terror: organizational dynamics of survival. In Countering the Financing of Terrorism (pp. 35-62). Routledge.

Wadhwa, P. and Bhatia, M.P.S., 2015. An approach for dynamic identification of online radicalization in social networks. Cybernetics and Systems, 46(8), pp.641-665.