Terrorism: what does it mean?

Babyblue said:
To terrorize someone is terrorism.

I guess it is how the term is being used...

Most people see it as a political term. Which is widely used nowadays.

but anyone can be terrorized by an act of violence.

As with any term or word. It can be manipulated in to many meanings or abused.
Click to expand...

Exactly. And it is that manipulation that results in selective perception.
 
Babyblue said:
To terrorize someone is terrorism.

I guess it is how the term is being used...

Most people see it as a political term. Which is widely used nowadays.

but anyone can be terrorized by an act of violence.

As with any term or word. It can be manipulated in to many meanings or abused.
Click to expand...

jillio said:
Exactly. And it is that manipulation that results in selective perception.
Click to expand...
didn't that contradict your previous post?

jillio said:
Well that would depend. If they were doing it as a soldier invading the country, such as some of the atrocities that occurred in Viet Nam, then the answer would be yes. The same with the rapes of women and children that are occurring in Afghanistan currently, or in South Africa.

But the rape that occurs without political motivation would not classify as terrorism.
Click to expand...
 
So all wars should be conducted without violence or threats of violence in order that the participants not be perceived as terrorists. How sweet.

Of course, it's only the more civilized countries who even care whether or not they are perceived as terrorists. The real terrorists don't give a hoot what they're called.
 
Jiro said:
yes it's still terrorism on broad scale. Terrorism is when you terrorize the public for political/religious/etc. purpose.
Click to expand...

I agree , the term terrorism is broad its all in context how you can skillfully write about terrorism.
 
Reba said:
So all wars should be conducted without violence or threats of violence in order that the participants not be perceived as terrorists. How sweet.

Of course, it's only the more civilized countries who even care whether or not they are perceived as terrorists. The real terrorists don't give a hoot what they're called.
Click to expand...

That's just a matter of perspective. I recall that shortly before the Cole bombing, Clinton ordered several missile strikes into Afghanistan which resulted in heavy civilian deaths. The Cole bombing was a direct result of that. Terrorism begets terrorism. But Gawd forbid we ever admit to it.
 
Reba said:
So all wars should be conducted without violence or threats of violence in order that the participants not be perceived as terrorists. How sweet.

Of course, it's only the more civilized countries who even care whether or not they are perceived as terrorists. The real terrorists don't give a hoot what they're called.
Click to expand...

Ok, so as a soldier, if u went to war, that would mean you are terrorizing the civilians where the battles are occurring at?
 
Beowulf said:
That's just a matter of perspective. I recall that shortly before the Cole bombing, Clinton ordered several missile strikes into Afghanistan which resulted in heavy civilian deaths. The Cole bombing was a direct result of that. Terrorism begets terrorism. But Gawd forbid we ever admit to it.
Click to expand...

:gpost:
 
Beowulf said:
That's just a matter of perspective. I recall that shortly before the Cole bombing, Clinton ordered several missile strikes into Afghanistan which resulted in heavy civilian deaths. The Cole bombing was a direct result of that. Terrorism begets terrorism. But Gawd forbid we ever admit to it.
Click to expand...
Are you referring to the August 1998 strikes into Afghanistan? That's two years before the USS COLE was attacked.

...On August 7, 1998, bombs exploded at U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. More than 200 people were killed, including 12 Americans. The morning of the attacks, Clinton said, “We will use all the means at our disposal to bring those responsible to justice, no matter what or how long it takes. . . . We are determined to get answers and justice.”

Investigators quickly discovered that bin Laden was behind the attacks. On August 20, Clinton ordered cruise-missile strikes on a bin Laden camp in Afghanistan and the al-Shifa pharmaceutical plant in Sudan....
Click to expand...
 
Oceanblue7 said:
I agree , the term terrorism is broad its all in context how you can skillfully write about terrorism.
Click to expand...

it's not about how we skillfully write it. the law is perfectly clear on this issue.
 
shel90 said:
Ok, so as a soldier, if u went to war, that would mean you are terrorizing the civilians where the battles are occurring at?
Click to expand...

no. for example - Nazi soldiers and Bosnian Serb soldiers. they were caught and prosecuted at War Tribunal Court for crimes against humanity. in short - it's a war crime... not terrorism. See Liebling's post in the beginning -

ter·ror·ism [ter-uh-riz-uhm]

1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

ter·ror·ist [ter-er-ist]
–noun

1. a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.
2. a person who terrorizes or frightens others.
3. (formerly) a member of a political group in Russia aiming at the demoralization of the government by terror.
4. an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France.
–adjective
5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of terrorism or terrorists: terrorist tactics.
Click to expand...

since the soldier is part of the government - it's the war crime. if the person is part of "rogue/revolutionary/political/religious/etc." group who uses extreme violence - it's the terrorism. if it's a person who raped and murdered - it's the crime.
 
Back
Top