Rockridge High School
Taylor Ridge, IL

Teacher: Barbara Downey
Terrorism: Can it be stopped absent a valid definition and can it be defined?
Amber Bowman
Grade 12

Terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon.  There are terrorist groups in almost every corner of the world, but both the nature and extent of terrorism have changed during the past few decades.  Increases in terrorism have occurred ever since the 1960's.  It has become more dangerous than it ever has been
before and has become even more international.  The growing complexity of our industrial society makes attacks more likely to occur.  Technological vulnerability, such as international airlines, opens up broad opportunities for terrorist attacks to become more advanced and strategic.
   
The United States, along with many other countries, has come under attack. Why do these terrorists target our country?  Everybody has his/her own opinion on this question, but everybody needs at least to try to understand both sides of the situation.  First, we must try to understand the true definition of terrorism.  What does it mean to us individually, and more importantly, what does it mean to our country?  These terrorists want to achieve the impossible, but do we even know what that is?
   
Realizing what the word "terrorism" really means is vital to our society. Once we understand this, we will be able to comprehend what these terrorists are willing to do to get their way.  The dictionary definition of terrorism is "the essence of the activity, the use of, or threat to use, violence". My first impression of the word "terrorism" is that people hurt innocent people just to get their own way.  It is immature and childish.  If they want something so bad, they should work for it, not try to cheat their way
through by destroying everything in their path.
   
What is a terrorist?  Terrorists are people who, of course, commit acts of terrorism.  Many people do not define those involved in violence as terrorists according to what they do, but according to why they do it.  Many of them have worthwhile political and social goals and engage in legitimate
activities.  However, if they carry out terrorist activities, they will be considered terrorists.  Terrorists do not see themselves as either psychos or criminals.  They see themselves as soldiers fighting for a cause.  They deny any charge that they are immoral because innocent people are being killed.  But to these terrorists the innocent may not be victims at all. Terrorists consider all citizens of a country responsible for the actions of their country's government.  They do not see themselves as individuals but as a symbol that represents the nation, government, or policy that is in the terrorists' mind.
   
Terrorists strive to justify their acts, just as we strive to justify our own behavior.  One way in which many groups have justified their terrorism is by arguing that it can be selectively focused.  They claim that they harm only "oppressors" and their property and political or religious interests. The death of the innocent people in attacks creates a weakness in the argument that terrorism can be selective.  The terrorists may take certain precautions to spare the many innocent lives, but terrorism has a logic of
its own.  Personally, it does not make any sense to me.  Terrorists are just people who think they have to use forceful tactics to get what they want. So can terrorism be justified at all?  No!  If these people are going to commit terrible acts of horror, then they should accept the responsibilities
and the guilt for what they have done.
   
Trying to justify an act of terrorism is petty and foolish.  Most terrorists have two things in common: weakness and desperation.  It is often said that terrorism is the "weapon of the weak".  The "strong" have other forces, including wealth, power, and national defense.  Most terrorist groups are
small and powerless.  Their members are usually a minority, even among those who believe in the same cause.  They are faced with an enemy who is bigger and stronger than they are, sometimes their own government.  Feeling weak and all but helpless, they turn to terrorism because they see it as the only weapon that offers them any hope.
   
Most terrorists commit their crimes because they usually want something in return, such as money or a change in politics.  Hostage taking is one of the most common forms of terrorism.  It is also probably one of the most difficult forms to deal with.  Terrorists who take hostages present a special challenge to the authorities who must deal with them.  It is not just innocent lives that are at stake.  Innocent lives are always at stake when terrorists are involved.  It is the main fact that the terrorists try to make the authorities, and not themselves, ultimately responsible for those lives.  Should the United States ever negotiate with terrorists even when there are hostages?  The United States claims that we will not
negotiate, but let's just hope that we stick to our word on this one.  If we do start negotiating, then the terrorists will keep going further and further until they take over completely.
   
Understanding the cause of terrorism is extremely important.  In the attack on September 11, 2001, the terrorist group called the Taliban, destroyed two of the United States' most famous trademarks, and also many lives.  Why did they do this?  If you were to go out on the street and ask a civilian why
the Taliban wants to destroy us, they would probably say that they are jealous of our country and know they will never have the luxuries that Americans have.  But this is not true, for the most part.  Did you notice that the terrorists from the 9-11 attack did not even ask for any compensation?  The Taliban had a few of their followers complete a suicidal mission and just sat back and watched us grieve.  Well, if you have not realized it yet, the Taliban is not in this war because they want the lives we Americans have.  The terrorists surprisingly despise us for our beliefs. They look at our country with a feeling of disgust and hatred.  Our religion and our government make them sick to their stomach.  It is the same way for Americans also.  We look at the Muslims in the Taliban and are disgusted. The Muslim religion is beautiful; it is the people who have a twisted form of the religion stuck inside their heads that make it bad.  The Taliban see how we take advantage of our freedom and how we are not following their God, Allah.  Allah is the almighty Lord of the Muslims and the followers will do
whatever it takes to get a grant into heaven from the leaders of their religion.  They live for the next life rather than this one.  So their leaders tell them that if they work towards destroying our people and our
country, they will be guaranteed a place in heaven.  It would be crazy not to take advantage of this opportunity, would it not?  These terrorists have definitely brought a new age of terror upon the United States.
   
When is this whole ordeal with the War on Terrorism going to end anyway? Well, it looks like there is a long road ahead, my friends.  Terrorism is a reflection of very real and very deep problems in the world.  Terrorism can definitely be defined and even stopped if we can find out the basis on which
these attacks stand.  However, if we just stand by and misunderstand what the real story behind these attacks is, then there is no chance for our country.  These terrorists are not looking to see if we understand them; they are trying to force us into their idea of a perfect society.  As long as the people and governments of the world continue to disagree on many supporting causes, terrorism will continue to be a problem.  It is a price we must pay for failure to solve the much deeper problems of misery,
poverty, and injustice around the world.  This brings me to the age old question: why can't we all just get along?

Questions

Q1:Why, in your opinion, was the United States attacked?

A: Our Liberty has been taken for granted.  This country has given its' citizens many opportunities to advance in their lives.  The new technology is remarkable, and is becoming more complicated everyday.  Education is one of the most important factors in the United States.  It is a privilege to be
schooled in our country, but most students here expect their education. Many other countries have little or no opportunities to better their knowledge and advance in their society, especially women.  Although, I believe that the freedom of religion is our nations' best quality.  A choice
of religion is not even available to some countries.  They see how we take this gift and ignore it, whether it is choosing not to be involved with religion at all, or how we claim to be holy and then defy our God without expecting any punishment. They look at our people and have a feeling of
anger and jealousy because they know that they can never have the luxuries that we have here in America.  Many can only dream of the "Land of  Opportunities", and that, I believe, is why they hate our country.

Q2:Why is the first question so important to resolve and agree upon?

A: Understanding why the United States was attacked is vital if we want to understand what we are up against in the war against terrorism.  Any attempt to fight the terrorism will definitely backfire if we do not understand lithe situation in the first place.

Q3:What action or inaction by the United States and its allies, in the
author's opinion, increased the likelihood of chemical and biological
attacks?

A: Ignorance was shown by the United States and its allies when they suspected that Saddam Hussein had manufacturing facilities for Iraqi weapons, but yet they did nothing about the situation.  Even though the United States and its allies wanted to inspect the facilities, they backed down after Saddam Hussein refused to allow the investigation.  Probable chemical and biological attacks were then given a bigger chance to thrive and be brought forth into reality.

Q4:Why does the author believe the United States is a popular target for
terrorists?

A: Many people think that other nations hate us because we will always live better than they ever will.  The author brought up an interesting point by stating that short-order cooks in the United States live better than ninety percent of the population of countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Shooting down two Libyan planes in 1981, bombing Beirut in 1983 to 1984, bombing Libya in 1986, sinking an Iranian ship in 1987, shooting down an Iranian passenger plane in 1988, and two Libyan planes in 1989, bombing Iraq in the 1990's and Sudan and Afghanistan in 1998 play a large role in the
United States being the primary terrorist target.

Q5:What motivates terrorists, in the author's opinion?

A: Terrorists get satisfaction out of seeing innocent civilians die, but in the United States, they seem to think that they can somehow gain control of us.  Most of us cannot even comprehend how these terrorists can do such horrible things to other human beings.  In the authors opinion, the terrorists get their motivation out of knowing that they could poison the Chicago   water supply, release anthrax in Seattle, which would cause the suffocation of thousands, and even set off a nuclear device in New York at any time to cause the agonizing suffering they so long for.

Q6:What reasons does the author give for the intense hatred of the United
States by people like Osama bin Laden?

A: We are basically fighting over religious issues, in the author's opinion.
People like Osama bin Laden believe that there is only one legitimate form of
government, which is a caliphate led by a Muslim cleric who provides absolute moral and political authority.  Many people, such as in the Taliban, feel as if they need to fement religious revolutions and overthrow leaders in order to convert it into a caliphate.  Even though most
governments are non-Islamic, the United States is especially hated because we are not poor and starving like the bin Laden's of the world would want us
to be for "not following Allah".    We are the exact opposite:  the most visible and powerful country on the planet, "strutting" our wealth.

Q7:How does rule by divine right preclude the reasoned debate that occurs
naturally in a democracy?

A: Since the Muslims live for their next life rather than this one, they rule by divine right.  Thinking that they can convince their people of anything, if they catch them young enough and the punishment is severe for disobedience, the people will believe them.  Clerics also decree that anyone
who dies in attempt to destroy the Americans is guaranteed a place in heaven, which is especially hazardous to our country and is selfish of what only the government wants for themselves.

Q8:What evidence does the author offer that the terrorism visited upon the
United States on September 11, 2001 was based on religious rather than
political fanaticism?

A:Osama bin Laden issued a religious order in 1998, which made it a holy duty of Muslims to kill Americans.  The people who crashed into the World Trade Centers believed that they were fighting a holy war and they were under the direction of Allah's representatives.  It is impossible to negotiate with these people because there is nothing to negotiate.  They will not stop until we are destroyed or converted to a Muslim state.

Q9:What is a fatwah?

A: A "fatwah" is an explicit religious order, making it holy to do anything that a leader tells someone to.  For example, Osama bin Laden issued a fatwah in 1998, making it holy for the Muslims to kill American civilians.

Q10:Why does the author think new attacks are likely and how does he/she
suggest we stop them?

A: New attacks will be relevant as long as our country remains a prosperous democracy.  The visible success of the September 11th operation provides powerful motivation for those planning new assaults.  If we catch and execute the remaining conspirators from that attack, it will not matter.
The terrorists are not afraid to die and there are many more of these psychos to come.  The author believes that the only way to stop the attacks is to become a Muslim state, installing an Ayatollah as our head, or eliminate those who have declared themselves to be our mortal enemies and have sworn blood oaths to keep killing us until we are all gone.
 
Q11:Why does the author claim that declaring war is futile?  What two
historical examples does he/she give to back up this claim?

A: Declaring war needs to be given much thought before it is put into action. America has a great track record for the full-out wars that we have fought. But this record is abysmal when i comes to identifying the enemy geographically any trying to fight on a limited basis.  Fighting the terrorists combines both of these setbacks, which calls for a lot of time and thought.  Historical examples back up the author's viewpoint on declaring war.  The War on Drugs has shown how difficult it is to identify
the enemy.  Vietnam and the Persian Gulf have displayed what happens when the United States must fight on a limited basis.  Flaunting the wars that the United States have had victories over shows our power and pride, but these few examples represent our weakness as a country.

Q12:  Complete this sentence using the author's words: "A declaration of war
implies..."

A:" A declaration of war implies a conflict of limited duration in which one side eventually surrenders or capitulates and the other side wins."

Q13:What does the author suggest we do?

A: The author is suggesting that we must find another way besides our traditional rules to fight this war.  We must consort with the evil side in order to prevent a larger evil.  Sacrifices must be made.  We must establish priorities and make tradeoffs, accepting lesser evils to forestall greater
ones.  Terrorists should be used to fight other terrorists.  We must grit our teeth and do nasty things if we want this to come to an end.

Q14:Explain the significance of the Coventry story.

A: This story reminds me of the 9-11 attack.  Did the CIA have knowledge of the attack?  Was the president aware of the horror to come?  If so, was that the reason he was at Camp David when it occurred?  These questions will remain unanswered for the most part.  This attack could have significantly been worse than it was, and maybe it was not because we had "insiders" trying to prevent an even larger tragedy.

Q15:Suppose you were in a general combat situation.  Could you "consort with evil to prevent larger evil"?  Why or why not?

A: Not everyone has the same personal morals.  If there was a situation where somebody had to go undercover to catch a criminal, that is considered "consorting with evil".  Especially when the undercover agent is a convicted drug dealer or murderer, and they must get back into the world they used to thrive in.

Q16:The author says something is un-American.  What is it?  Do you think that the author is correct?  Please write out your own definition of un-American.

A: The author is referring to the American people who blame the Islamic religion for our suffering is un-American.  The author is definitely correct about this comment.  Being "un-American" is to act in a manner that does not
reflect the values of the United States.  This country holds high standards and every citizen should take the time to respect what our country has given them.

Q17:Do you agree that terrorism must be defined adequately in order to be
stopped?

A: Yes, terrorism must be defined before it can be stopped.  If there are certain individuals that have a different perspective on the word, then they will look at everything in a different way.

Q18:How important do you think is it for you to research, discuss, and consider the definition of terrorism?  Are you willing to spend the time it takes to give your definition your very best effort?  Why or why not?

A: Taking the time to think about what the proper definition of the word terrorism means, shows that a person truly cares about their country's well-being.  It is especially important in a time of war, such as the present.  In my own opinion, after writing this paper, I am willing to set time aside in my busy life to learn the true definition of terrorism. Whenever a terror act would happen in other countries in the past, I was never really worried about having a bad situation develop in the United States.  But now, I realize how important the American citizen's knowledge on terrorism is.  We are living in a different country now, one that has endless pride and knows to stand up for what it believes in.

Q19:Were you able to define terrorism in you essay without admitting that the United States has been guilty of terrorist acts?

A: Yes, the United States has been guilty of terrorist acts, but it has nothing to do with the definition of terrorism.  When a terrorist wants something, they will try to get it by force.  In general, most countries do
commit acts of terrorism.

Q20:Are you optimistic about the future?  Will you pledge to do your part in pursuing mutual understanding?  Why or why not?

A: I am an optimistic person, and I know that our country will get through this.  We are strong and proud of what we stand for.  Of course, understanding this situation will take much time and thought, and I have already given a lot of that.  But in order to learn more about the society I will be alone in someday, I must give it even more consideration.
                  
 

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