by Dan Mage

Created on: June 09, 2009

First, to define terrorism is necessary, if the reasons for terrorism are to be explored. Terrorism is usually seen as small-group attacks on civilian targets for the sole purpose of creating terror. The terror may be attached to a demand, or the terrorist act may simply be a political statement.

Large scale destruction of property with explosive devices is also viewed as terrorism, even when casualties are avoided. As the media and world governments define it, terrorism is perpetrated by non-governmental groups and is a crime against the entire civilized world.

Terrorism is the ultimate act of authoritarianism, as it precludes all debate and dissent by its targets, and defines power as pure force. Even when terrorism is targeted against recognized political authority, it is a statement of authority by the terrorist. Violence is inherently authoritarian in nature, even when the cause is anarchism

When viewed in terms of body counts however, war by governments is the ultimate terrorism, although it is sometimes justified by its perpetrators as lawful. However, the act remains the same; the killing and maiming of innocents in the name of a cause, ideological, religious, nationalist or revolutionary. It's generally known that the worst terrorist acts are the actions of a state at war[i].

Without examining the "right and wrong" of it, let us look for instance at the term used by the Bush administration for its tactics during the initial phase of the Iraq war, "Shock and Awe." This is an admission of actions undertaken for the sole purpose of causing terror. The 9-11 attacks we undertaken for the same reason. The idea of terrorism is to achieve psychological rather than physical strategic objectives.

Terrorism may be the act of true believers in a cause or religion, or it may be simply for the purpose of manipulating political sentiment for more mundane pursuits, usually money and power. Sometimes true believers can be manipulated by more cynical and worldly individuals. Terrorists may believe they are fighting for a cause, while in fact they are mere pawns in a much larger struggle.

The small group actions generally referred to as terrorism in the media are usually attempts by those who have been made to feel powerless, to define power for themselves. Religious fundamentalists hate and fear the values of the modern world, leftist terrorists see violence as the only recourse against the economic ruling classes, nationalists act from patriotism, all feel

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