What is your definition of terror?? I ask because

[lazer47]

my son-in-law is finishing his Masters in Emergency Management, and the subject came up in one of his classes,, I have heard so many different ways it has been explained that I am asking the intelligentsia on DU to help,,, What is Terrorism??

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. Non-state violence against civilian targets to achieve political goals.

Usually the objective is to achieve ends by terrorizing a population, not that the act itself achieves an end. (The World Trade Center itself was not key to keeping the US involved in the Middle East, but the act might have made all Americans more disposed to leave the M.E... see how well that worked)


Nuking Hiroshima was against civilians to achieve a political goal, but was a state action within a state of war.

People who shoot up a McDonald's because their wife left them have no political goals.

Insurgent attacks on a military occupier are for political ends, but not against civilians.

And so on.

Bombing an abortion clinic is textbook. It makes everyone everywhere afraid to get an abortion, which is a goal of the act.

[lazer47]

2. I have heard that one but let me ask, Is the act of murder the terror

or is it the effect on the general populace to the witness of the murder????

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. I expanded my initial reply some. It may be more useful now.

Usually the objective is to achieve ends by terrorizing a population, not that the act itself achieves an end. (The World Trade Center itself was not key to keeping the US involved in the Middle East, but the act might have made all Americans more disposed to leave the M.E... see how well that worked. But if the political goal was getting the US mixed up more in the ME and radicalizing the population to Osama's cause, it worked very well.)


Nuking Hiroshima was against civilians to achieve a political goal, but was a state action within a state of war.

People who shoot up a McDonald's because their wife left them have no political goals.

Insurgent attacks on a military occupier are for political ends, but not against civilians.

And so on.

Bombing an abortion clinic is textbook. It makes everyone everywhere afraid to get an abortion, which is a goal of the act.

[lazer47]

4. I like the way you think,,, and thanks a lot,, most people don't get it

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. Thanks. Og course, from your son's perspective it doesn't matter.too much

The emergency will have to be managed the same whatever the motives.

There was a guy in the 1950s who put a bomb on a crowded airliner in his mother's luggage, just to collect the insurance on her.

[burrowowl]

7. Glad to have you here at DU!

[cuke]

8. From his perspective, I would think its "terror = panic"

It doesnt matter who or what caused the terror/panic. It's the effect that matters for him, unless he needs to be concerned about potential additional "events" in the very near future. That would probably have an effect on any response.

Also, I agree with the political definition you gave

[L0oniX]

6. Terror = the reckless and careless driver

Over 43,000 deaths while driving a vehicle per year. That's more of a threat than any El Kabong terrorist.

[Cameron27]

9. I think there has to be clear intent.