Global War on Terrorism By Usman

1. Q5. Post 9/11 Global war on Terrorism
Terrorism:
“The unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate
or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in
furtherance of political or social objective”.
Other Definition of Terrorism and Inclusion Criteria:
Use of illegal force and violence by a non-state actor to attain a political,
economic, religious, or social goal through fear, coercion, or intimidation.
Attack Type Hierarchy:
• Assassination
• Hijacking
• Kidnapping
• Barricade Incident
• Bombing/Explosion

2. • Armed Assault
• Unarmed Assault
• Facility/Infrastructure Attack
Unknown
Terrorism post 9/11:
Terrorism was hardly the primary focus of the international security agenda
before the terrorist attacks of 11 sep 2001 on US targets.

3. Terrorism a strategic threat?
1. As demonstrated by 9/11 and subsequent series of high profile, mass causality
terrorist attacks in various parts of the world, it does not take hundreds of
thousands of battle related deaths to effect international security. while the
3000 mostly civilian, fatalities of 9/11 are by no means comparable to the huge
battle related military and civilian death tolls of Post world WAR II wars (such
as Korea, Viet Nam , or Iran Iraq war) , the political impact of 9/11 and its
repercussions for global security have been comparable with these events.
The highly asymmetrical nature and effects of terrorism are one of the main
explanations for why it is considered to pose a strategic threat for many individual
states and societies and international security.
2. In contrast to the downward trend in state-based armed conflicts, overall
terrorist activity increased three-fold from 1998 2007.
The situation gravely deteriorated as a result of both 9/11 and its spurring
effect on international terrorist activity, but also due to the way the Post 9/11
‘War on Terrorism ‘was conducted.
Since 2001, has been most sharply on the rise in these regions – the broader
Middle East, Esp. Iraq and South Asia, Including Afghanistan.
This disproportionately destabilizing, and politically manipulative effect
is the main Hall mark of terrorism.

4. Terrorism is unique in its complexity as a ‘dual’ form of Violence:
Terrorism by default involve one-sided violence against civilians but goes beyond
civilians to target stronger protagonist, usually the state through a specific,
asymmetrical tactic.
3.Does traditional terrorism pose a strategic threat at the global level?
In contrast to conflict related and peacetime terrorism, Al-Qaeda , and the
evolving violent transnational Islamist networks inspired by Al-Qaeda and
responsible for a series of major post 9/11 terrorist attacks in Bali, Istanbul,
Madrid, or London , demonstrated a qualitative upgrade of terrorism to a new
phenomenon of global terrorism.(also known as super terrorism or macro
terrorism)
Super terrorism is by definition global in its reach, not tied to any local context,
and ultimately pursues existential, nonnegotiable, global and in this sense
unlimited goals. (such as Al -Qaeda goal of challenging the World Order).
The rise of terrorism is due to the fact:
The negative dynamic displayed by all forms of
one -sided – direct and intentional- violence
against civilians since the early 1990s.
The relative rise of the role of non-state actors
in one-sided violence, in comparison to the to
the relative decline of the role of states.

5. Each type of terrorism retains a certain degree of autonomy with its own logic
and dynamics.
4. Developed- Western states have given high strategic importance to
transnational Islamist Terrorism, by the fact that, while Al Qaeda -type Networks
operate and train globally, reaching out to both developed and under- developed
states, most targets of super terrorism, have been located in the Developed
world.
Also , while developed democratic states are less affected by domestic socio -
political violence, they may get involved in asymmetrical armed conflicts , military
interventions, and controversial state-building experiments in other parts of the
world- sometimes with little or no regard for international Law or Local
Legitimacy, thus provoking violent resistance including Terrorism directed at ‘soft’
targets associated with the West.
Terrorism a major security threat/ in what way is this threat strategic in nature?

6. Terrorism:
This include three criteria, a combination of which helps distinguish terrorism
from other forms of violence.
The three criterions:
first criteria:
• distinguishes terrorism from plain crime and
criminal violence motivated by economic gain
• these are terrorists political goals or cover
for the advancements of other interests such as
illegal accumulation of illegal wealth
second criteria:
• the immediate target of violence -distinguishes
terrorism from other forms of politically
motivated violence
third criterion:
• the asymmetrical nature of terrorism
• Terrorism is a specific tactic of the weak against
the conventionally 'stronger' side
Is defined as the intentional use or threat to use violence against civilians and
non-combatants by non-state actors, in order to achieve political goals in
asymmetrical confrontation.

7. First criterion:
Such a goal may include ideological or religious motivations or be formulated in
ideological or religious categories but always with a political dimension!
using legitimate goals to hide Political agendas:
terrorist use political goals, including legitimate goals such as national liberation
from foreign occupation por colonial rule (freedom fighting) , may be pursued by
different tactics employed at the same time and even by same actors. These
tactics may range from military confrontation between armed combatants and
terrorist violence to massive non-violent resistance.
Freedom fighting: is a political goal and may have violent or nonviolent means.
Terrorism: is one of several violent tactics used to advance political goals that may
include ‘freedom fighting’
The popular
terrorist VS
freedom fighters
dilemma is
misleading

8. Second criterion:
We can distinguish terrorism from other forms of politically motivated violence:
namely, insurgent or guerilla attacks against government military and security
forces.
In contrast to attacks by rebels who also enjoy support of the civilian population,
the terrorist attacks are directed against civilian population or objects or
intentionally indiscriminate.
on one hand, no
political goal, no matter
how legitimate it is can
justify the use of
terrorism aainst
civilians
on the other hand, the
use of terrorist means
to achievev acertain
political goal does not
automatically
delegitimize the goal
itself: the active use of
terrorist means to end
Frencg colonial ruke in
Algeria or occupation of
Palestinian territories

9. Although the target criterion is a relative one, considering it is sometimes difficult
to identify a target as civilian. In case of an organized campaign of violence
against civilians, it is often not difficult to identify them as the main targets.
Third criterion:
The asymmetrical nature of terrorism explains the main specifics of this mode of
operation:
Unable to cause major damage to a stronger enemy by conventional means,
terrorist opt for causing limited damage instead, but in such a way that it wreaks
maximum havoc and strikes at their opponent’s soft spot.
Rebel attacks against military and security targets are not criminalized internationally
while deliberate attacks against civilians (including terrorist acts) regardless of the
character of international or non-international armed-conflicts constitute grave
violations of International Humanitarian Law
Attacks against civilians or non combatants
are needed to serve as a force multiplier and
as a public-relations tool to exercise pressure
on states and society at large!

10. This bottom up asymmetry distinguishes terrorism from other forms of politically
motivated violence against civilians.
The main distinguish between terrorism and extremism is not so much
the degree of ideological radicalism, but the preferred methods for
action.
Extremism:
• never excludes violence, it manifests itself through a wide range of means,
from political propaganda and religious preaching to a variety of non-
violent and violent protest actions
• extremist ideology may drive and justify armed violence, including
terrorism, extremism does not necessarily or automatically lead to
terrorism or to violence.
• Not all extremist is terrorist
• Not all extremist violence is terrorism
• Some extremist organizations do not resort to violence but prioritize
propaganda, instead.
Ideological extremism:
Does not lead to violence but it provides a powerful ideological basis for it.
Ideological/religious extremism is not the only condition for radicalization of
extremist into violent actors such as terrorists-
Radicalization:
is a gradual process through which the influence of context-specific social,
psychological and cultural factors merge with the impact of political realities,
and then re interpreted in line with an extremist ideology.
Extremism and terrorism:
At the global level, the case of Al-Qaeda illustrates the link between
transnational extremist ideology and global terrorism.
The role of extremist ideology:

11. 1. Is not limited to a mere manipulation of religious-ideological
doctrines by terrorist leaders and skillfully instrumentalized as a
powerful mobilization and communication tool.
2. Extremist ideology is also a genuine reaction to profound socio-
political and cultural changes in the Muslim world that are
happening under the multiple pressures of modernization,
globalization and westernization, and are perceived by broader
segments of elites and the populations in the Muslim Regions and
diasporas as directed against the global umma.
Al-Qaeda, has been the only transnational version of Islamist extremism in the late
twentieth and early 21st
century to play the role of Global Anti -system protest
ideology.
How?
First:
It is more than extremist fringe of a religious current and believe in a system base
on the direct rule of God
Second:
The ultimate goals and agendas are unlimited and they go beyond the ‘defense of
Muslim Lands’ and confrontations with the West by declaring’ jihad’.
Third:
Ideology is not transnational or internationalist but super national.
It does not simply aspire to take control of the existing states but rejects the very
notion of ‘nation state’, including all existing Muslim States.
Difference between AL Qaeda Ideology to Hamas or Hizballah
• Al Qaeda is explicitly renationalized and unlikely to be moderated in
principle.

12. Origins and periodization of terrorism
Long before the term ‘terrorism’ emerged in the 19th
century, a broader notion
of ‘terror’ was born in the late 18th
century out of French Revolution one that
originally referred to violent repression by the ‘revolutionary state’ controlled
by the radical republicans, the Jacobins.
19th
century:
Similar actions did take place since the
formation of the ‘state’

13. Political assassinations were unprecedented in Europe.
First historical peak of Terrorism:
End of 19th
century to early 20th
century:
since the very beginning the term: ‘terrorism’
started to be used to refer to violent actions, esp
political assassinations by violent actors in
opposition to the state. (revolutionary,
nationalist, national-liberation movements
In Third quarter of century: Systematic use of
terrorism as a combination of method, backed by
ideology and reinforced by organizational
framework
Late 19th century terrorism:The development of
transportation systems such as railways, the
invention of dynamite, and spread of modern
means of communication – the telegraph-
created technical and logistical conditions for
modern terrorism

14. 21st
century terrorism:
The evolution of the understanding of terrorism:
Academic research bon terrorism evolved in the 20th
century, esp from the
1970s.
Anarchist terrorism in Europe and united
states, revolutionary terrorism in Russia
and the use of terrorist means by
national -liberation/anti-colonial
movements in Ireland, Poland, the
Balkans, India etc.
the next, Post World War II peak of terrorism
was marked by the rise of:left -wing terrorism
in Europe, Latin America and some other
parts of the world after the 1960sand the
wave of anti-colonial /national-liberation
terrorism.
after 9/11 terrorist
attacks. Now it has
gone beyond selective
attacks against
political figures and
started to target
civilians and en
masse.
Latest current
peak of terrorist
activity has
manifested
itself esp. after
9/11 terrorist
attacks.

15. Discussion on definition and typology of terrorism and on the optimal anti-
terrorism strategies gained new momentum in the context of 9/11 Attacks and
heavily militarized US led ‘war on terrorism’.
Mainstream terrorism research connects these dots:
Analyzing different types and levels of causes of terrorism:
1. Structural
2. Facilitating(accelerator)
Motivational causes, at different levels of social structure:
• Individual
• Group
• Societal/national
• International/systemic levels
political
nature and
goals of
terrorism
its specific
communic
ation
function
immediate
softtargets
and highly
context-
specific
nature

16. Alleged relationship between poverty (underdevelopment)and terrorism:
Current research emphasizes following as indicators more directly associated with
terrorism.
While terrorism can manifest itself anywhere in the world, its roots are closely
associated with areas that are not necessarily the poorest but rather most
dramatically affected by incomplete modernization or cultural marginalization.
Terrorism is more directly linked to a combination of:
❖ Relative deprivation perceived or real violations
❖ Lack of political and civil rights
❖ Threats to national and cultural identity
Current research also stresses the ambiguous relationship between terrorism
and the type of political regime
political conditions
long-standing feelings
of indignity and
frustration,
lack of political and
civil rights
Terrorism is not a product of underdeveloped
,traditional society! -instead a product of undergoing
dramatic failing or painful political, social and
economic modernization

17. Former authoritarian states undergoing democratization or dysfunctional
democracies or weakening or eroding non-democratic regimes
Failed states are safe havens for terrorist groups
Rigid autocracies or consolidated democracies have less chances.
CURRENT TRENDS IN TERRORISM
The two basic trends in the dynamics of terrorism since 1998 have been: -
1. The overall increase of terrorist activity measured in the number of
incidents, casualties, active terrorist groups etc.; and
2. The increased lethality of terrorism shown by the rising annual fatality
totals and the growing proportion if mass casualty and suicide attacks.
From 1998 to 2006, the annual total of terrorist
• Former authoritarian
states undergoing
democratization or
• dysfunctional
democracies or
weakening or eroding
non-democratic regimes
Governments
that create
more
favourable
conditions to
terrorism

18. While the interim peak of terrorist activity in 2001 was linked to the 9/11 attacks,
since 2003, terrorism owes much of its sharp increase to the conflict in Iraq where
it became a standard violent tactic (in 2006, Iraq accounted for 60 % of terrorist
incidents and 79% of terrorist fatalities worldwide).
Another major trend is: “Internationalization”
The major changes here have been qualitative, rather than quantitative
Qualitative
upgrade:
Financing of most
Islamic terrorist
groups comes at
least as much
from legal
sources as it does
from illicit
activities.
• incidents increased 5-fold
(reaching over 6600 attacks in
2006)
• fatalities increased 5.6-
fold (over 12,000 in 2006)
• injuries were up 2.6-fold
(almost 21,000 in 2006)
• It is for instance illustrated by the new
distinct type and level of terrorism-namely, global
terrorism associated with Al-Qaeda or al-Qaida-
inspired networks.
• In terms of terrorist groups, the decline of
radical socialist, communist and other left-wing
ideologies, their role as basis for groups engaged
in terrorist activity has decreased.
• Popular claim about the absolute
dominance of religious terrorism since the 1990s is
very accurate, as from 1998 to 2006.
• However, it is religious terrorism that has
been the most-and increasingly-lethal, resulting in
highest death tolls both at domestic and at
international levels.

19. Rationally, a basic distinction was made between terrorism at the national and
international level.
• International terrorism was then defined as: -
“Terrorist activity conducted on the territories of more than one state and
involving citizens of more than one state
In the twenty first century, this distinction has eroded even further.
Even terrorists group whose political agenda remained confined to a political or
national increasingly internationalized some or most of their logistics, fund-
raising, propaganda ad even planning activities, often extending the too far away
regions and partly operating from, or being based, abroad.
The high degree internationalization of terrorist activities by both
communist/leftist groups and, more recently, violent Islamism networks, is not
necessarily driven by pragmatic logistical needs but also by progression their
internationalist (transnational) ideologies.
Conclusion:
How to combat the menace of terrorism
Before turning to more specific anti-terrorism strategies, it is useful to high-light
some of the key challenges in preventing and combating modern terrorism, such
as:
To counter Islamic ideologies and neutralize their organizational ad vantages of
terrorist’s groups;
To avoid mistaking of anti-terrorism, pre-emption and effective disruption of
terrorist activity, rather than post hoc coercion, enforcement and retaliation;
To find an optimal balance in counter terrorism to find a balance between
functionality and legitimacy of anti- terrorism measures
To stimulate political transformation of armed movements- especially the veto
players that have used terrorist means-and their integration in the political/peace
process.