Terrorism and State Terrorism

Key questionsWhat is terrorism?What are the social and political effects of terrorism?

Why do non-state groups choose terrorism as a form of political action?

Why do states use terrorism?

Plan of Today’s LectureDefinitions: What is terrorism?Non-state terrorist groups and

their aimsWho gets labelled a terrorist?

Who doesn’t?The efficacy of terrorismState-sponsored terrorism

I. DefinitionsClick icon to add picture

The State“The state is an entity which claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence.” (Max Weber)

TerrorismRejects the notion that only states

can legitimately use violence.Is the use of violence to achieve

political objectivesDifferent from other forms of

violence because it’s never aimed just at the people it harms

Designed to have far-reaching psychological effects

How did the WTC bombings meet these

criteria?

Media as Force Multiplier

Terrorist attacks are designed to gain maximum publicity.

Media coverage amplifies psychological effect.

Media as a Force MultiplierTargets are often

symbolic or iconic: the goal is to gain attention for a cause and destroy what the target stands for, not to eliminate the object itself.

Example: The Pentagon

A tool of non-state actors

Terrorism is often a tool of non-state groups who do not control armies or vast armories.

It is cost-effective violence for small groups.

Sendoro Luminoso

The Dolphinarium Bombing

II. Terrorist groups and their aims

FARC: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

Al-QaedaHamasHezbollah

Non-state groups that use terrorism:

Islamic Non-IslamicETARed BrigadesFARCShining PathKKKWeather

Underground

How are they formed?Often formed in

refugee campsCan be

organized around religion or political ideology (eg Marxism, nationalism)

Soldier in a FARC poppy field

FundingNarcotics RemittancesNatural

resourcesCovert State

Funding

Soldier in a FARC poppy field

III. Labelling TerroristsTerrorism is a technique, not a

property intrinsic to groups.The label “terrorist” is meant to

label some people’s use of violence illegitimate (while others’ use of violence is made legitimate.)

States often label non-state groups terrorists, while claiming their own violent action is an acceptable use of force.

The label itself is a political tool.

US has put Hamas on official list of terrorist groups.

Hamas is now the democratically elected government of the Gaza Strip.

Should the US be willing to have diplomatic relations?

Labelling TerroristsHamas

Controversy

III. The Efficacy of Terrorism

British soldiers in Afghanistan

What do terrorists gain?Can create chaos and discord in

societyCan weaken political institutionsCan force the state to incur huge costs

to prevent terrorismPoliceIntelligenceDisaster preparednessUS wars in Afghanistan and Iraq=$4

trillion

But….Often creates citizen

support for the stateCan strengthen the

resolve of target governments

Fosters a powerful backlash against the non-state groupArab Spring and the

irrelevance of al-Qaeda.

IV. State Terrorism

What is state terrorism?The attempt by a state to use violence

against civilians to win political conflict with non-state groups.

Practiced byauthoritarian states and in breakaway regions.

Can be state-sponsored terrorism against third countries

Example: Libya and the Lockerbie bombing

State terrorism in Chechnya

Chechen Conflict1700s—absorbed into Russian empire1930s—Stalinist purges kill many1944—entire Chechen population deported1957—allowed to return1992—Chechen declaration of independence1994 and 1999—Chechen warsToday—ongoing kidnappings and shootings

Natalya Estimirova

Take-Home PointsTerrorism is a political toolIt can be used by both state and non-state actors

The monopoly of legitimate violence is being challenged in the post Cold War World.