UNIT 1. The Concept of Terrorism

1. Defining International Terrorism: A Pragmatic Approach, Thomas J. Badey, Terrorism and Political Violence, Spring 1998

Defining international terrorism has traditionally been a difficult task. This article attempts to establish a more lucid and functional definition of terrorism.

2. Defining Terrorism: Is One Man’s Terrorist Another Man’s Freedom Fighter?, Boaz Ganor, The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism, September 23, 1998

This article offers a well thought out description of what terrorism is and what it is not. It also defines terrorism as something that falls outside the accepted rules of traditional warfare.

UNIT 2. Causes of Terrorism

3. Why America? The Globalization of Civil War, Martha Crenshaw, Current History, December 2001

According to Martha Crenshaw, terrorism should be seen as a strategic reaction to American power in the context of a globalized civil war. Extremists’ religious beliefs play a role in motivating terrorism, but they also display an instrumental logic.

4. Terror Hits Home: The Colossus With an Achilles Heel, Paul Kennedy, New Perspectives Quarterly, Fall 2001

Paul Kennedy analyzes the effects of America’s commercial superiority and powerful influence. The United States dedicates a great deal of money and resources to military spending and homeland security. How is this affecting the U.S. image abroad, and is it the correct response?

5. Ghosts of Our Past, Karen Armstrong, Modern Maturity, January/February 2002

In order to fully understand the war on terrorism, it is necessary to explore the past incidents that have served as catalysts over time. We cannot understand the present crisis without taking into account the painful process of modernization and the effects of the “Great Western Transformation” on the Muslim world.

6. The Terrorist Mentality, Paul B. Davis, Cerebrum: The Dana Forum on Brain Science, Summer 2001

Paul Davis explores the psyche of a terrorist. He concludes that “much contemporary terrorism seems to be predicated on excessive resentment and extreme self-righteousness.”

UNIT 3. Strategies and Tactics of Terrorism

7. The Fourth Wave: September 11 in the History of Terrorism, David C. Rapoport, Current History, December 2001

“The September 11, 2001, attack has created a resolve in America and elsewhere to end terror everywhere. But the history of terror does not inspire much confidence that this determination will be successful,” says David Rapoport.

8. The Philippines: Haunted by Kidnapping, Zhai Kun, Beijing Review, January 31, 2002

Zhai Kun discusses kidnappings by groups such as Abu Sayyaf and the Philippine government’s response to this technique that adds ransom collection to terrorism.

9. Suicide Terrorism: Development & Characteristics, Yoram Schweitzer, The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism, April 21, 2000

This lecture—presented at the International Conference on Countering Suicide Terrorism at Herzeliya, Israel, on February 21, 2000—provides the background of suicide terrorism and suggests ways to prevent or impede these attacks.

10. Diagnosing the Risks, Time, October 8, 2001

Among terrorist experts the focus of concern has shifted from a single large-scale assault—which would be difficult to pull off—to a series of smaller attacks that could be just as damaging to the U.S. economy and public morale. How real are these threats?

UNIT 4. State-Sponsored Terrorism

11. Overview of State-Sponsored Terrorism, from Patterns of Global Terrorism—2000, U.S. State Department, April 2001

In this position paper, which was written before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the United States, the U.S. Coordinator for Counterterrorism emphasizes how big the scope of terrorism is in the world today.

12. North Korea Deserves to Remain on U.S. List of Sponsors of Terrorism, Balbina Hwang, The Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, November 19, 2001

Should North Korea continue to be included on the U.S. Department of State’s list of states that sponsor terrorism? Balbina Hwang says yes and explains why.

13. Syria’s Accession to the UN Security Council and U.S. Policy, Robert Satloff, Policy Watch, October 5, 2001

Robert Satloff’s analytic look at the background and prevalence of terrorism in Syria, is critical of Syria’s role in the post–September 11 world.

14. Dealing With State Sponsors of Terrorism, Meghan L. O’Sullivan, Brookings Institution, October 25, 2001

Meghan O’Sullivan explores the difficulties in identifying state sponsorship of transnational terrorist networks. She says that denying terrorist organizations sanctuary and support from any and all countries will help disrupt and ultimately cripple terrorism’s newest transnational form.

UNIT 5. International Terrorism

15. The International Terrorism Threat Is Changing, National Commission on Terrorism, August 2, 2001

This position publication of the National Commission on Terrorism discusses some important questions regarding terrorists: Who are the international terrorists? What are their motives? How do they get their support? How do we stop them?

16. “Déjà Vu All Over Again?” Why Dialogue Won’t Solve the Kashmir Dispute, Arun R. Swamy, Analysis From the East-West Center, November 2001

Offering new solutions to the Pakistan-India fight for Kashmir, Arun Swamy argues that there has never been a greater need for international attention to Kashmir.

17. Mexican Indians Making Pilgrimage for Rights, Elliot Blair Smith, USA Today, February 22, 2001

Elliott Smith discusses the problems of Indians in the Chiapas region of Mexico and attempts by the Zapatista National Liberation Army to mobilize indigenous peoples.

18. Terror in the Pyrenees, Miren Gutierrez, The Nation, March 25, 2002

Miren Gutierrez provides a historical overview of Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, the Basque Fatherland and Liberty movement in Spain, and discusses contemporary efforts toward peace.

UNIT 6. Terrorism in America

19. Is FBI Following the Wrong Trail?, John Berlau, Insight, January 28, 2002

Who is responsible for the anthrax scare shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks? While the FBI believes the culprit was working from inside the United States, some experts believe that there is evidence for foreign involvement.

20. The Unabomber’s Twisted Saga, Richard E. Vatz, USA Today Magazine (Society for the Advancement of Education), July 1998

Richard Vatz profiles Ted Kaczynski and summarizes the steps of his high-profile court case. Kaczynski, one of the most famous domestic terrorists in recent history, was sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison.

21. Brutal Elves in the Woods, The Economist, April 14, 2001

The Earth Liberation Front (ELF), an umbrella right-wing ecoterrorist group, has increased its activities over the last several months, especially in the northwest, gaining the attention of FBI investigators.

22. Showing Patriotism in a Time of Terrorism, The Hightower Lowdown, October 2001

In this article, Americans are urged to speak up in order to protect civil rights and to prevent our government from taking improper actions and making improper decisions. “Terrorists have no ability to destroy our democracy—but we do, simply by surrendering it, by keeping our mouths shut while it is dismantled by the authorities.”

UNIT 7. Terrorism and the Media

23. Accomplice or Witness? The Media’s Role in Terrorism, Brigitte L. Nacos, Current History, April 2000

The author of this essay writes, “If terrorism is seen as political theater performed for audiences … clearly the mass media plays a crucial role. Without massive news coverage the terrorist act would resemble the proverbial tree falling in the forest.”

24. Terror TV, Scott Stossel, The American Prospect, October 22, 2001

Scott Stossel notes that terrorists know full well that television is their surest route to a broad audience. “It was therefore no accident that the September 11, 2001, strikes had such a fearsome visual power.” But what is the television industry to do?

25. Arabian Knight Woos West, Janet Fine, Variety, October 1, 2001

Al-Jazeera made the leap from obscurity to global familiarity when it aired a message from Osama bin Laden. With its special access to Afghanistan, the news outfit has been edging out the BBC and CNN in the Middle East, largely due to its coverage of the September 11, 2001, attack and its aftermath.

26. ‘Spin Laden’, Philip Taylor, The World Today, December 2001

Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda clearly understand the importance of the media. This article discusses their extensive use of anti-American propaganda to gain support for their activities.

27. The Gleam of a Pearl, Lance Morrow, Time, March 4, 2002

In light of the death of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in February 2002, Lance Morrow looks at the plight of journalists worldwide. Many die each year—8 alone since September 2001 in Afghanistan—in the quest for a story.

UNIT 8. Terrorism and Religion

28. Terror in the Name of God, Mark Juergensmeyer, Current History, November 2001

Mark Juergensmeyer writes, “What is striking about the World Trade Center assault and many other recent acts of religious terrorism is that they have no obvious military goal…. They are a kind of perverse performance of power meant to ennoble the perpetrators’ views of the world and to draw us into their notions of cosmic war.”

29. The Tenets of Terror, Robert Marquand, The Christian Science Monitor, October 18, 2001

In this special report, Robert Marquand explores the ideology of jihad and the rise of Islamic militancy. The author details the major Islamic extremist groups and Islam’s major sects, and he provides a map that depicts the locations and activities of the extremist groups and the states that sponsor them.

30. Enemies Within, Enemies Without, The Economist, September 22, 2001

Islam is one of the great religions of the world, but for almost all of its 1,400 years it has been a varied and fractious faith. Most of the differences come from the numerous interpretations of the religious duty of “jihad.” This article investigates the important distinctions between inward jihad and offensive jihad.

31. A Culture Struggles With All That Defines It, Shankar Vedantam, Washington Post, March 17, 2002

Shankar Vedantam discusses India’s struggle to maintain the ideal of a secular state in light of increasing tensions between Hindus and Muslims.

UNIT 9. Women and Terrorism

32. Myths in the Representation of Women Terrorists, Rhiannon Talbot, Eire-Ireland, Fall 2001

Rhiannon Talbot delves into the logic and psyche of women terrorists. Myths of women in terrorism are addressed as well as the causes and reasons for their participation in terrorism.

33. Mafiosi and Terrorists: Italian Women in Violent Organizations, Alison Jamieson, SAIS Review, Summer/Fall 2000

Alison Jamieson analyzes the role women have played in violent organizations in Italy. Both the leftist terrorists’ Red Brigades and the Sicilian Mafia have enlisted women as active players in terrorist activities.

34. U.S. Woman Jailed in Peru Won’t Get a Presidential Pardon, Juan Forero, New York Times, February 20, 2002

Juan Forero provides an update of the case of U.S. citizen Lori Berenson after the Peruvian government rejected her appeal for a presidential pardon.

35. Justice Delayed, People, March 11, 2002

In January 2002, four reported members of the Symbionese Liberation Army were finally forced to face charges in the murder of Myrna Opsahl that occurred in 1975. After 27 years, the arrest and conviction of the four brought some comfort to Opsahl’s family.

UNIT 10. Countering Terrorism

36. Preparing for a War on Terrorism, Jessica Stern, Current History, November 2001

Jessica Stern stresses that the United States should not only use diplomacy, intelligence, and military strikes to fight the war on terrorism, but it should also “drain the swamps” where extremists thrive by using a combination of stopping the money flow to these groups, calling on intelligence cooperation, and using military force.

37. Targeting Terrorism, Victor Bulmer-Thomas, The World Today, October 2001

Being attacked by international terrorists is a relatively new phenomenon for the United States. Historically, the United States has dealt with conflict by using traditional military resources. Now, as this article points out, we are just as vulnerable to attack as other countries, and we must use unconventional tactics to combat this new threat.

38. Kuwaitis Share Distrust Toward USA, Poll Indicates, Andrea Stone, USA Today, February 27, 2002

Kuwait, along with eight other Muslim countries were polled in December 2001 and January 2002 and were asked questions about the attacks on September 11 and the U.S. response to them. Here are the results of that poll.

39. Wanted: Global Politics, Mary Kaldor, The Nation, November 5, 2001

Mary Kaldor explains that new types of violence are on the rise, and the only exit route is political. She explores the importance of global politics in the present state of the world and why it is needed now more than ever.

40. Terror Hits Home: The Strategy to End Terrorism, Benjamin Netanyahu, New Perspectives Quarterly, Fall 2001

Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu provides his perspective on the events of September 11, 2001, and offers suggestions for what to do about international terrorism.

UNIT 11. Future Threats

41. Terrorism: Threats and Responses, Yonah Alexander, The World & I, June 1999

This article, written in 1999, predicts what challenges we will face in combating terrorism in this new century. The predictions are chilling in the wake of the 2001 attacks.

42. Fears Prompts U.S. to Beef Up Nuclear Terror Detection, Barton Gellman, Washington Post, March 3, 2002

Barton Gellman explores recent U.S. efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism with various methods of detection. This detection has become increasingly important due to the desire of terrorist groups, particularly al Qaeda, to obtain these weapons.

43. Preparedness and Response to Bioterrorism, R. C. Spencer and N. F. Lightfoot, Journal of Infection, Volume 43, 2001

There is an urgent need to provide effective responses in the case of a bioterrorist attack on the United States. The authors cite several of those responses, including civilian protection and health care measures, deterrence, and military force.

44. InfoWar Games, Deborah Radcliff, Computerworld, January 22, 2001

Deborah Radcliff summarizes the possible threat of cyberterrorism. She examines legislation already passed that depends on the private sector for execution and describes the limits on government intervention to protect against this form of terrorism.

45. Could Worse Be Yet to Come?, Graham Allison, The Economist, November 3, 2001

Graham Allison looks at the possibility that the most catastrophic terrorist acts may yet be to come. He suggests several solutions for dealing with the proliferation of nuclear weapons and for destroying the al Qaeda network that threatens the United States.

UNIT 12. Trends and Projections

46. The Rise of Complex Terrorism, Thomas Homer-Dixon, Foreign Policy, January/February 2002

Thomas Homer-Dixon focuses on the increasing ability of terrorist groups to attack American information systems. It suggests the best way to protect against this type of terrorism.

47. The Clash of Ignorance, Edward W. Said, The Nation, October 22, 2001

The author builds on Samuel Huntington’s 1993 assertion that “the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural.”

48. Smarter Intelligence, John Deutch and Jeffrey H. Smith, Foreign Policy, January/February 2002

As the need to deal with unconventional warfare increases, it becomes obvious that the intelligence community is unable to deal with the battle against terrorism. This article discusses the difficulty in infiltrating terrorist cells and getting reliable information from terrorist organizations.

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