To evaluate global armed struggle, it is important to identify and counter-terrorism. Terrorism is viewed differently in different countries. Terrorism today is characterized as nongovernmental political actors murdering human beings for a number of purposes, the most important of which is to make a political point. When the word "terrorism" is used, it is synonymous with cruel and inhumane actions; the derogatory term is deemed worse than murder and torture. Terrorism, according to scholar Walter Laqueur, is described as the use of violence as a war tool to instill fear in the public; the tactic is often brutal and ignores human sympathy. Terror relies heavily on advertising. The essay will address terrorism and analyze the roots of terrorist activities.
Terrorism
Terrorism is a method that is employed during moments of peace and conflict. Terrorism focuses on noncombat individuals (the public) with the intention of gaining publicity for a cause, a group, or a person. Terrorism defers from murder or war because the intended purpose reaches more than the targeted victims and focuses on a broad continuum of society. Terrorism possesses potent objectives, and it demands changes regardless of the extent of its violence. Therefore, terrorism integrates violence to develop the fear for political, religious and ideological reasons. Terrorism is a technique that targets to achieve a specific goal (Männik 152). The strategy is often applied by weaker forces that are fighting against a robust political system. The illegal combat methods applied by terrorist intends to stir fear to the public and provoke an immediate and violent reaction from the state. When the acts of terrorism cannot be combatted and controlled they often become a cycle that is challenging to maintain.
Modern terrorism has integrated the utilization of the internet to reach a full spectrum of the public. The purpose of using the internet and media is to spread fear and influence public perception through their political or social dispatch. Technology and globalization have influenced contemporary terrorism. Terrorist groups are not big, but their structure has become more diverse extending to transnational spectrum. The modern terrorism does not engage in large groups, but instead, it depends on networks. The hierarchies have been replaced with personal relationships that determine individual connections to powerful and valuable sources (Neumann). The networks extend beyond boundaries, and the terrorist groups lack a specific geographical reference. For instance, the Al Qaeda is diverse and where its central operations are started is not identical to where the recruits and leadership are located. Modern communication technologies and cheap international travels continue influencing the popularity and foothold of the terrorist groups. Additionally, globalization has played a significant role because of lack of restriction entering countries has enabled terrorist groups to establish their organizations and participate in the active recruitment of their members.
Theoretical Foundation on the Roots of Terrorist Activities
The reign of Terror that occurred during the French Revolution in 1794-95 is traced as the root of terrorism. The terror encouraged and incorporated grotesque public beheading and bloodthirsty arrogance; it was the first of its kind, but it would be the last. Century later, terrorism has cropped as a voluntary weapon to demand change. As ideologies kept on escalating, the terrorism act continued to increase and became globally prevalent. Extremists engage in terrorism for several reasons, and the actions of violence can be categorized into three primary factors:
Political Factors
Individuals might be forced to join or form terrorism when the states lack political inclusiveness or fail to address certain grievances. Additionally, government repression resulting from unstable and dictatorial leadership that causes suffering to the public might encourage the formation of terrorist groups. Several studies have associated terrorism with injustices suffered under the government rather than poverty (Neumann). When the government provides inadequate and hostile conditions for the public, citizens become dissatisfied and rebellious; thus, forming a terrorist group that will demand change. Therefore, the government has the responsibility to provide adequate conditions and resources to its citizens. The proper amenities include education, hospitals, and jobs.
Individuals engage in terrorism when they are trying to correct a situation that they perceive to be socially and politically wrong. A fact that has been quite ignored or overlooked is that countries that have political freedom have the highest number of terrorist acts. Countries that are engaging in freeing themselves from authoritarian regime encourage the cropping of terrorism (Newman 750). Free countries and countries under dictatorial regime rarely experience terrorism influence. Therefore, the nations that are transitioning have terrorism prevalence because they lack the capability of providing their citizens with maximum freedom and adequate amenities. When repression occurs, terrorists provide citizens with necessary resources to rebel against the political shortcomings. Government repression encourages the presence of terrorism.
Social Factors
According DeAngelis (60), deprivation and lack of development can draw people towards terrorism. The socioeconomic factors that can encourage penetration of terrorism globally include lack of education, poverty, and inadequate political freedom. Globalization and exposure to technology have people with the capability and opportunity of comparing the "have-nots" and the "haves." The exposure creates frustrations, humiliation, and victimization among uneducated and less fortunate in a community. Being exposed to the economic gap infuriate the underdeveloped cohorts accelerating hostilities and tension allowing the terrorist a platform to infiltrate the society that believes in social injustice. Unfortunately, economic development is the only way to salvage the terrorism situation in developing countries, but it takes time.
Another social aspect to be considered is religion. Contemporary terrorism has experienced terrorism escalating and spreading beyond borders because of religious extremism. Religious terrorism is motivated by the belief that another worldly sovereignty has gained its foothold and thus, the extremists engage in terrorist violence to fight for the greater glory of faith (Newman). The religious terrorists partake in the heinous activities believing that the inhumane acts committed they will be forgiven and rewarded in the afterlife. The most renowned religious extremists are Islamic. However, recently religious terrorism has been on the rise making it the primary factor for modern terrorism.
Accidental Guerrillas
Accidental guerrillas occur when a terrorist group invades an area with poor governance or conflicted infested area and uses this region to spread its ideologies. The chosen areas are used as a base for its violent activities and brainwashing the resident of deserving better. Therefore, when the foreign sovereignty interferes and progresses to deal with the threat posed by these kinds of groups, the residents provide opposition towards the international assistance and allies the terrorists. This makes the terrorists motivated and widespread in their recruitments such as Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, and ISIS.
Ideologies
According to Bruneau (15), the roots of terrorists' activities can be associated with human psychology and imaging that provides insight of how humans are susceptible to group affiliation. Most individuals opt to join terrorist activities because of identity issues and through the group, they tend to the purpose of their lives associated with social identities. However, the public view the cohorts of a terrorist organization with fear and distrust. Groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram have an explicit ideology that subjugates its members to have the will to kill civilians. The terrorists adhere to the doctrine that provides a narrative structure, and since most members of terrorist groups are from aggrieved minority, the narrative of victimization govern them. In a terrorist group, such ideologies have power such that some are willing to sacrifice their lives. Doctrines are the backbone of the group and keep motivating its members towards supporting and pursuing the intended change. Similarly, the ideology provides the members with the capability of being defensive about their actions and construe the actions of others as aberrant.
ISIS
ISIS, also known as Islamic State is an affiliate of Al Qaeda and has maintained its reputation as being a threat to the USA. However, Al Qaeda is considered a danger towards USA homeland while ISIS is a threat to the intervention of the USA in Middle East operations. The Islamic State focuses mostly on Iraq and Syria and less on other Muslim countries such as Libya (Clarke). The Islamic States is diverse and structured compared to the Al Qaeda. In the Western countries, it might inspire the "lone wolves," but they rarely engage in attacking those countries.
ISIS emerged as Iraqi organization and focused on Iraq, and its environs. However, with the recent development where the Iraq security forces evacuated the ISIS soldiers in a city they once controlled, the ISIS is being forced to rethink its strategies. Therefore, ISIS has transitioned from being an insurgent to a terrorist group. Initially, ISIS used to control Iraq and exercise its authority and ideologies over the population operating as openly as an armed unit engaging in mass mobilization (Clarke). However, as a terrorist group, it incorporates violent attacks operating in unknown locations without a specific area. The violence is more dispersed and targets a vast spectrum of noncombat individuals. ISIS continues to seek ways to gain influence and penetrate in several failed states and countries that are sympathetic towards its Salafi-jihadist ideas.
Recommendation on Dealing with the Root Causes of Terrorism
Terrorism has been identified as an intricate phenomenon because it is performed by individuals who do not possess legitimate army. However, to deal with terrorism, it is best to understand conditions that drive people towards terrorism. The conditions might be ideologies and circumstances that individuals are subjugated to survive in such as political repression and disadvantages socioeconomic factors. Stopping the terrorism cycle is challenging and almost impossible. For instance, despite the efforts of national development in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism continues to gain a foothold in the region for over a decade. Therefore, only commitment and united resolve by major parties in the affected countries can ensure the end of terrorism. Furthermore, strategies that constructively influence stable leadership should be developed. Focused on the fact that terrorist groups rely on youth, the political leadership should actively indulge programs that encourage participation of youths.
Works Cited
Bruneau, Emile. “Understanding the Terrorist Mind.” Cerebrum: the Dana Forum on Brain Science 2016 (2016): cer–13–16. Print.
Clarke, Colin. “How ISIS Is Transforming.” Rand.Org, 2017, https://www.rand.org/blog/2017/09/how-isis-is-transforming.html.
DeAngelis, Tori. “Understanding Terrorism.” American Psychological Association, vol 40, no. 10, 2009, p. 60. http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/11/terrorism.aspx.
Männik, Erik. “Terrorism: Its Past, Present and Future Prospects.” ENDC Proceedings 12 (2009): 151-171.
Neumann, Peter R. Terrorism In The 21St Century. Berlin, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 2008,.
Newman, Edward. “Exploring The “Root Causes” Of Terrorism.” Studies In Conflict & Terrorism, vol 29, no. 8, 2005, pp. 749-772. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10576100600704069.
