...One definition of terrorism is “any violent or criminal act planned for a political or ideological purpose”; while another claims that terrorism is understood to be a direct attack on innocents. Since both of these definitions have important components to them, it can be assumed that both traits are essential to defining terrorism. For the purpose of this paper, the definition of terrorism will be understood as ‘a violent attack on innocents for the purpose of political change’. It can be hard for most people to understand the act of injuring and/or killing hundreds, or maybe even tens of thousands of people, as justifiable. However, if the innocents are seen as legitimate targets, the violent acts of terrorism can be carried out without justification. In order for innocent people to be perceived as legitimate targets or combatants, there must be a defined situation of total war. Total war is a type of warfare where a state or a nation battling and fighting with another, mobilizing all accessible resources and population to aid in the...
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...regularly intermingle with civilians, engage in routine activities and do not wear uniforms. Nonetheless, militaries engaged in an armed conflict must always attempt to distinguish between legitmate and illegitimate targets for an attack. Generally, “the civilian population as such, as well as individuals civilians, shall not be the object of attack.” Civilians lose this protection when they “take a direct part in hostilities.” Under the formulation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of what constitutes direct participation in hostilities, the act committed must adversely and directly affect the opposing party in a concrete manner or lead to the loss of life or property as part of a campaign in support of one party to a conflict. This definition adopts an approach focused on specific hostile acts of a certain magnitude rather than organizational membership or more indirect forms of support. The ICRC has further distinguished between civilians who participated in specific acts and those who maintain a continuous combatant function (CCF) by virtue of involvement on a “persistently recurrent basis.” While a civilian participating in a specific act becomes a permissible target during the execution of, and, in some formulations, the preparation of and deployment to and from the particular act, a person who maintains CCF status, under the ICRC formulation, may be targeted at any time. The recognition under IHL that, at times, a civilian can become akin...
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...It defines terrorism as any kind of force which is used against non-combatants, that is a civilian population which would include people working for the State that the terrorism is being practice against such as tax collectors or other civil servants. A claim is made by some terrorism groups that the civilian population of any country is a legitimate target because they pay the taxes which support the State and they have not taken any action to remove the ‘oppressive’ regime. This extreme interpretation would mean that there is nobody in the world who cannot be considered a legitimate target for a terrorist. Shortly after the attacks in Paris in January 2015 Al Qaeda named all of Ireland as a legitimate target because it allowed US planes to refuel at its airports (Cathal McMahon/The Mirror Newspaper 2015). However, such a claim is ridiculous and should be...
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...evacuate the building (Grant, 2006). After reading articles and journals I think this started out being an example of guerrilla warfare but ended up due to causality lost a terrorist attack. The tanker was parked facing the towers that our military personnel were housed. Even though civilians were killed I think the attackers were aiming for our soldiers occupying the building. The aims of terrorism and guerrilla warfare may well be identical; but they are distinguished from each other by the targets of their operations. The guerrilla fighter’s targets are military ones, while the terrorist deliberately targets civilians. By this definition, a terrorist organization can no longer claim to be 'freedom fighters' because they are fighting for national liberation. Even if its declared ultimate goals are legitimate, an organization that deliberately targets civilians is a terrorist organization (Ganor, 2002). The bombing of Khobar Towers had a great impact on our government. Following the attacks, the Department of Defense was directed to develop antiterrorism design criteria. The Unified Facilities Criteria, along with the GSA’s code, have made both US military and civilian workers safer. The Khobar Towers...
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...International Humanitarian Law – jus in bello 1. Geneva Conventions The law in this area is covered by the four Geneva Conventions, signed in 1949 after the atrocities of WW2 and two additional protocols signed in 1977. 1. Geneva Convention on the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field (GC I) 2. Geneva Convention on the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea (GC II) 3. Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War (GC III) 4. Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (GC IV) Protocols of 1977 – in response to the conflict in Vietnam 1. Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Additional Protocol I) 2. Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Additional Protocol II) 2. International Armed Conflict – application of the GC’s • International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) states that an armed conflict within the meaning of the Geneva Conventions is any difference of opinion between two states that leads to intervention or action by the members of their armed forces • Common Article 2 of GC (ie in all of them) states that it will apply: o To all cases of war, and armed conflict between two or more parties to the treaty (even if “the state of war” is not recognised by one of them) o To all cases of partial or total occupation of the territory...
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...SOC 802-Section01 (Fall 2010) - Issues in War and Peace | Essay Topic # 4: Soldiers, Freedom Fighters, and Terrorists | | | Wais Ghafoori | 11/10/2010 | There are profound differences between the soldiers, freedom fighters, and terrorists; there are no profound differences between them; the whole issue is a matter of the observers’ viewpoint, or interests | Is there a difference between soldiers, freedom fighters, and terrorists? Some may believe there is. Others believe the opposite. To others it may be the observers’ viewpoint or interests. However, I believe it can go anyway. At certain cases there are significant differences between soldiers, freedom fighters, and terrorists. And at other moments they are all the same. I will be examining all sides; whether soldiers, freedom fighters, and terrorists are different or there are no differences between them or it may be in the observers’ viewpoint or interests. One cannot truly understand whether there is a difference or not without understanding all sides of the topic. In a way, once understanding all view points, one would be able to give a more appropriate opinion which they could support or make an assumption about the different sides of this topic while critically assessing all sides. People see terrorists as the enemy, when the terrorist is attacking them or their land/nation. However, the soldiers are seen as heroes when attacking the land of people which the terrorists come from. ...
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...War is a tricky subject, and in this case after the attacks from ISIS on our embassy’s, after the attacks on American civilians, we still cannot go to war according to Just War Theory and our moral values, as badly as the American people may want to go to war, we cannot and must not engage ISIS militarily with a full standing army, we have to punish them in other ways. Just War Theory is conducted in three parts, the initiation of war, known as jus ad bellum, the conducting of the war itself, jus in bello, and finally the aftermath of war, known as, jus post bellum (Moser and McDonald, 2016a). Jus ad bellum is the initiation of war and it states that war must have a just cause and that war must be taken by a legitimate authority, and in this situation, both of the characteristics mentioned previously are present. Yes, we have a just cause, and yes, the United States is a legitimate authority. However, we need to look at everything about jus ad bellum, “armed conflict is taken as a ‘“last resort’” and all other means have been exhausted.” Let us not forget that “a just war requires a “‘right intention”’ and to not be motivated by aggression” (Moser and McDonald, 2016a). In this situation, the American...
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...The resolution must be issued by a legally recognized authority. This is named as the “Legitimate authority” principle. The connotation of proper authority will lead us to take a closer look at the concept of sovereignty, and state. In order to determine what is the legitimate authority that can issue the resolution of waging a war. In ancient times, the legitimate authority was the king or empror. But in the present era for example, in the U.S., Only the Congress has the constitutional right and duty to declare war, even though the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and has the authority to negotiate peace but he cannot disobey the Congress....
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...that it must be moral. In reality, this is hardly a logical comparison since only three of the multiple countries including its vast number of populated cities were chosen and the countries were not randomly selected. Also, Obama's lawyers give the false impression that they are the legal authority and scholars within these countries. In fact, their information lacks credibility and demonstrates bias towards the President and the American drone program that results with them being labeled as an unqualified authority. Furthermore, the story commits a straw man fallacy to knock down the definition of “imminent threat” as well as to distort using the story about the sheriff from the “Old West” to simplify killing terrorists and murdering civilian casualties as...
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...IHL provisions that are covered in the instrument The Additional Protocols include rules especially designed to protect both civilians and combatants. They stipulate that: * combatants must not pose as civilians * indiscriminate attacks are not allowed * acts of violence - or threats to commit them - whose primary purpose is to spread terror are prohibited * objects indispensable to the survival of communities must not be destroyed Strengthen the obligation to provide civilians with food, water and other essentials. Those who are not, or no longer, taking part in an armed conflict must be protected, respected and treated humanely. The Additional Protocols say that: * All wounded and sick people, both civilian and military, must be collected and cared for, without discrimination. * Women and children must be respected and protected from any form of indecent assault. * Children and adolescents must be protected from the effects of war. They must not be allowed to take part in hostilities. * Members of families separated by conflict should be reunited and they should be able to exchange personal messages. They also have the right to be informed of what has happened to missing relatives. The Additional Protocols say that: * Suffering inflicted on an opponent must not go beyond what is necessary to achieve a legitimate military objective. * Combatants no longer capable of fighting may not be attacked. * In an international conflict,...
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...just cause for going to war was ‘defending from attack’, if human rights were violated citizens may feel attacked and under threat therefore in order to restore peace they will have to go to war as they will see this as the only sensible response. The general rule is that only those people fighting you are legitimate targets of attack. Those who are not fighting should not be attacked as this would violate their human rights. Another just cause for going to war is self-defence; the clearest just cause is acting against an aggressor, for example in an invasion, many people are patriotic and would rather die instead of giving up their country to invaders therefore will start a war as a sense of self defence. Augustine said that a just cause for war was ‘recapturing things taken’; this view can be used here as invaders would be trying to take over the country or take something which represents the country. Augustine also said that ‘punishing people who have done wrong’ is a just cause for war therefore as invaders are doing the wrong thing by invading land which is not theirs they should be punished. The just war theory can be also in a situation such as invasion as the legitimate authority will be involved and will also be...
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...borders. The operation being the first to investigate fear through the trade of hostages, served as a catalyst for terrorist actions to be involved on an international scale. Through the immense media generated from the terrorist attack as well as the new form of approach as Zehdi Habib stated the “hijacking aroused the consciousness of the world and awakened the media and world opinion much more- and more efficiently…” The 1968 redefinition of a legitimate target and the implementation of their objectives beyond their frontiers could be seen as “the advent of what is considered Modern international terrorism” as depicted by Hoffman. However other significant terrorist groups did massively contribute to the development of terrorism such as Anarchist through the adoption of the principle “propaganda by deeds” in carrying out their terrorist acts in the mid-80s, the IRA which made excellent use of martyrdom to attract foreign aid and generate diaspora support, likewise the suffragette movement. Nevertheless the 1968 hijacking targets of civilians was a significant turning point in the nature of terrorism. The success of propaganda by deeds in awakening popular consciousness was well use by the anarchist who demonstrated their needs in a more physical manner which was perfect in raising awareness in people. That which wasn’t effective through written or oral propaganda. The anarchist movement advocated for a...
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...Digital battles waged within the digital world of computer systems and the world-wide-web (internet). Cheap, “It costs about 4 cents per machine,” (Markoff, 2008), so cheap that the cost of one armored tank tread (one piece of the entire treack) could finance an entire cyber-war (Markoff, 2008). The first cyber-warfare event, Estonia 2007: Following the fall/collapse of the Soviet Empire in 1990 formerly USSR controlled nation states returned to autonomous control; Estonia was one of these countries. Being released from Soviet control did not mean that the civilian population wanted to be free from the Russian government and tensions existed between pro-Estonian and pro-Russian citizens; it was these tensions that would inflame and erupt into nationwide civil unrest. The Estonian government tore down a revered military tribute statue that represent communist unknown Soldiers of that region. When anti-Estonian civilians became aware of the statues destruction rioting erupted. But a new form of civil unrest was also unleashed and that was Cyber-Warfare. Now...
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...Payday in Persian Gulf “Our objectives are clear. Saddam Hussein's forces will leave Kuwait. The legitimate government of Kuwait will be restored to its rightful place and Kuwait once again will be free. Iraq will eventually comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions...” George H. W. Bush In order to analyze the Gulf Crisis between Iraq and Kuwait, the factors must first understand which contributed to the conflict. In 1980, Iraq carried out a major air and land attack on Iran. For eight years, the Iran-Iraq War grew more intense, until the U.S. “accidentally” downed an Iranian plane, killing 290 passengers. Some major factors with many others conduce to this war in time: territorial dispute, religious disputes between Islamic moderates and fundamentalists, and more importantly, a personality conflict between Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s president, and Ayatollah Khomein, the leader of Iran. During this war, the U.S. began to provide protection to Kuwaiti tankers, and hence, resulted in military conflicts with Iranian speedboats. Indirectly, the U.S. supported Iraq’s actions in this war. While the U.S. was busy protecting Kuwait, Kuwait supported Iraq financially by giving it more than $10 billion. At the close of the Iran-Iraq War in 1990, Iraq was eager to pay its international debt. But, how? Iraq’s chief export was petroleum. According to Iraq, Kuwait was providing a surplus of oil in the international community by exceeding it assigned OPEC quota. Furthermore...
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...Karl Heinzen’s famous quote: “If to kill is always a crime, then it is forbidden equally to all; if it is not a crime, then it is permitted equally to all.”[1] This difference in public perception is a result of several key tenets of each organization’s strategy and structure. The IRA fights to protect and support the liberties of the Irish people, while Al Qaeda relies upon the religious doctrine of a radical Islamic minority to carry out jihad against Western infidels. Al Qaeda, while claiming to represent the entire Muslim world, has never had a real home or a consistent base to draw upon; inversely, a large proportion of the Irish people are steadfast in their support for the cause. Al Qaeda’s indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians has resulted in a falling out with a large percentage of its former supporters. Finally, the IRA had a distinct, tangible, and realistic goal of expelling the British from Ireland, while Al Qaeda seeks to establish a new caliphate based on Islamic fundamentalist rule, something that very few people believe can really happen. As a result, its ranks are disillusioned by this relative lack of achievement. This paper will show how the comparison of Al Qaeda and the IRA serves as an excellent case study in attempting to see why the latter has become a stalwart in the history of terrorism, and why the former is ultimately destined to...
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