Comprehending Terrorism
Beyond what happened in the span of one and a half hours on September 11th, are broader questions about terrorism. Unhappily, most of us accept that some amount of violence, provided we all agree upon who shall use it and when, keeps us safe. This is why states have armies, cities have police forces and citizens lobby for the right to bear arms. In most contexts, even this permission to use force is restricted and those who have it, are made accountable for their actions to varying degrees.
Terrorism is in a different category from more everyday uses of violence. It is a commonplace to say that the purpose of terrorism is to draw attention to the cause espoused by the perpetrators. Therefore, terrorists will often lay claim to a particular act before long. However, in this instance, the destruction of the World Trade Center towers and the attack on the Pentagon have not been claimed by any group. It seems as though performing the act was its own reward. This is even harder for most of us to understand, even if we are familiar with ideas about sacrifice and martyrdom. A militant's willingness to die also makes it hard to build a defence against terror, as many states have found over the years.
People are the only solution to terror, By Mark Ritchie September 12, 2001
Understanding the message of Tuesday's events By Mary Kaldor, September 14, 2001
The Brookings Institution's Project on Terrorism and US Foreign Policy has an FAQ page, with answers by Brookings' scholars and experts.
Meet Mr./Ms. Terrorist, by B Raman, South Asia Analysis Group, September 20, 2001.
Defining Terrorism, by Michael Kinsey, Washington Post, October 5, 2001.
The Center for Defense Information's Terrorism Project.
The United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention Terrorism page.
Fourth generation warfare. By Harold A. Gould & Franklin C. Spinney. The Hindu, October 8, 2001.
Q&A on terrorism, by Richard Beeston, The Times, October 9, 2001.
The Counterterrorist Myth, by Reuel Marc Gerecht, The Atlantic Monthly, July/August 2001.
Of Icons, Revolutionaries and Terrorists, by Salman Tarik Kureshi, The Friday Times, October 26 - November 1, 2001.
Backyard terrorism, by George Monbiot, The Guardian, October 30, 2001.
We know terrorism, by Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Washington Post, November 7, 2001.
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