Public Terrorism Security Mar15
SECURITY RESEARCH PAPER
A PERSPECTIVE ON TERRORISM
Piers Hutt piershutt@hotmail.com 1 March 2015
A PERSPECTIVE ON TERRORISM
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To critically examine the threat of modern terrorism to Western society.
Design/methodology: An assessment was made of publically available documentation. The paper is then divided into a number of sections. It initially deals with the difficulties of defining terrorism, followed by its symbiotic relationship with the media. The next section looks at the modern Islamic Fundamentalist threat and the primarily neocon response since 9/11. Whilst the US has withdrawn combat forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, a bipartisan approach has been maintained to counterterrorism. The dangers of such an approach are examined along with emerging threats.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Introduction
Define
Role of the Media
Psychology
Modern Terrorism
The Response
Counterview – The Dangers
Looking Ahead – The Next Potential Threats
Another Approach
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
“Terrorism has become part of our daily news diet. Hardly a day goes by without news of an assassination, political kidnapping, hijacking or bombing somewhere in the world. As such, incidents of terrorism have increased in the past decade, the phenomenon of terrorism has become one of increasing concern to governments....”1
Introduction. With the recent high profile terrorist attacks in Sydney and Paris and the ongoing terrorist incidents in Nigeria, Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism has been described as the biggest threat to 21st Century security.2 However the opening quote was from a RAND paper written in 1980. Terrorism is not a modern phenomenon.
Historic Precedence. Terror as a tactic is not new. Some scholars date such actions to the Thugs; Assassins and Zealots.3 But it is generally accepted that the origins of modern terrorism date from the Reign of Terror (1789-94) during the French Revolution. The idea
A PERSPECTIVE ON TERRORISM
Piers Hutt piershutt@hotmail.com 1 March 2015
A PERSPECTIVE ON TERRORISM
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To critically examine the threat of modern terrorism to Western society.
Design/methodology: An assessment was made of publically available documentation. The paper is then divided into a number of sections. It initially deals with the difficulties of defining terrorism, followed by its symbiotic relationship with the media. The next section looks at the modern Islamic Fundamentalist threat and the primarily neocon response since 9/11. Whilst the US has withdrawn combat forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, a bipartisan approach has been maintained to counterterrorism. The dangers of such an approach are examined along with emerging threats.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Introduction
Define
Role of the Media
Psychology
Modern Terrorism
The Response
Counterview – The Dangers
Looking Ahead – The Next Potential Threats
Another Approach
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
“Terrorism has become part of our daily news diet. Hardly a day goes by without news of an assassination, political kidnapping, hijacking or bombing somewhere in the world. As such, incidents of terrorism have increased in the past decade, the phenomenon of terrorism has become one of increasing concern to governments....”1
Introduction. With the recent high profile terrorist attacks in Sydney and Paris and the ongoing terrorist incidents in Nigeria, Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism has been described as the biggest threat to 21st Century security.2 However the opening quote was from a RAND paper written in 1980. Terrorism is not a modern phenomenon.
Historic Precedence. Terror as a tactic is not new. Some scholars date such actions to the Thugs; Assassins and Zealots.3 But it is generally accepted that the origins of modern terrorism date from the Reign of Terror (1789-94) during the French Revolution. The idea
References: Fischer et al. Introduction to Security. 9th ed. USA. 2013. Hoffman, Prof Bruce Pinker, S. The Better Angels of our Nature. GB. 2011. Robertson Rapoport, David. Fear and Trembling. American Political Review. 1984. Sageman