2. Terrorism, Global and Domestic
Terrorism involves the unlawful use of force and violence
against person, property to intimidate or coerce a
government to achieve political or social objectives
Narcoterrorism - use of violence in the trafficking of
drugs
State terrorism refers to the terrorism of the government
against their own people
Revolutionary terrorism - to bring about total political
change
3. Measuring Terrorism
in the United States
There are domestic and international terrorist
groups. Within the domestic category, there
are left-wing and right-wing terrorists
Between 2005 and 2006, the number of
terrorist incidents increased dramatically,
although much of the increase was accounted
for by increased acts of terrorism in Iraq and
Afghanistan
Critics claim that the U.S. invasion of Iraq has
stimulated the growth of Al Qaeda and other
terrorist groups
4. Origins of Terrorist Groups
Many terrorist groups have originated out of
troubled areas of the world
• Middle East
• Northern Ireland
Political radicalism is a source of terrorism
Terrorism can have its origin in cults
Terrorism can originate out of the State to
maintain power
5. Origins of Terrorist Groups
Characteristics of terrorist recruits
• Well educated
• Young
• Upper-middle class or middle-class
background
Terrorism emerges out of the despair bred by the
economic deprivation in parts of the world
Terrorists operate on a belief system based on
salvation through violence
6. Terrorism and Religion
Terrorists groups are often motivated by deep
religious convictions
• Totalitarian belief systems
Violence is often committed against known and
unknown victims
• Random victims
• Select targets because of their prominence
in society
7. Terrorism’s Impact on Society
The primary impact of terrorism on society are:
• Increased fear and heightened security
• Erosion of civil liberties
• Economic consequences
• Health consequences
• Political consequences
8. War and Its Effects
Between 1100 and 1925, about 35 million soldiers
were killed in 862 wars
During World War II, 17 million soldiers and 35
million civilians were killed
In 2006, about 2 million veterans were receiving
compensation from the U.S. government for war-
related disabilities
War takes a psychological toll on soldiers
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
9. Indirect Effects of War
War is a major factor in mass migration of
populations
• Between 1986 and 1999, over 1.3 million
refugees were granted asylum in the United
States
Government policy during war has also forced
population migration
• WW II and German relocation policy
10. Indirect Effects of War
War and economic devastation
Impact of war on culture and the psychology of
people
11. Effects of Nuclear War
Technology has made warfare more lethal
• Human consequences
• Ecological consequences
Rogue States and Weapons of Mass
Destruction
• North Korea
• Iraq under Saddam Hussein
• Afghanistan under the Taliban
• Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe
12. Effects of Nuclear War
The prospect of a global nuclear war has lessened
Nuclear proliferation and threat of nuclear war in
unstable parts of the world is still a problem
13. Controlling Warfare
The increase in the destructiveness in warfare
has lead to progress in controlling war
The Bush administration has claimed that a
war on terrorism means that rules of
conventional warfare do not apply
In 2004 the Supreme Court rejected the U.S.
government’s attempt to detain an American
citizen indefinitely without trial
14. Controlling Warfare
The concept of a just war emanated out of the
culture of Greek and Roman civilization
• Justification for going to war
• Justifiable acts in wartime
The rules of warfare are difficult to enforce
• War crimes
15. Theories About War and Its
Origins
Ethological and Sociobiological theories
Aggression and violence as a genetic trait to
enhance survival of the human species
Konrad Lorenz
Aggression as an instinct in humans
Aggression is linked to territoriality
Edward O. Wilson
• Genetic predisposition to aggression
• Aggression channeled through culture
16. Theories About War and Its
Origins
Ethological and Sociobiological theories
Critics argue
• Research contrasting humans to other
animals is flawed
• Human motivation to fight is learned in
response to symbols
17. Theories About War and Its
Origins
Clausewitz: War as State Policy
War occurs in a social context
The monarch was the major force behind war
• War as an alternative to diplomacy
• Interest of the monarch and military were
seen as the same
• Military were to serve the interest of the
monarch
18. Theories About War and Its
Origins
Marx and Lenin on War
Karl Marx - war was based on the interests of the
economic elites to acquire raw materials and to
expand capitalism
Vladimir Lenin - saw warfare as stemming from
competition among capitalist nations for the
expansion of global economic dominance
• Colonialism
19. Theories About War and Its
Origins
Institutional and International
Perspectives
Institutional Forces within Nations
Influence of military leaders on government
policy
Harold Lasswell and the Garrison State
• Military leaders impose dictatorial
power on society
• Channel state resources for military use
• Control public support through
propaganda
20. Theories About War and Its
Origins
Institutional Forces within Nations
C.W. Mills and the Power Elite
Economic institutions and the military elite have
come to shape economic life around their view of
the world and the interests of the military
Politics and the forging of public opinion in
support of war
• Nationalism and warfare
21. Theories About War and Its
Origins
The International Context of War and
Peace
League of Nations and later the United
Nations are examples of attempts to arrive at
global cooperation among nations
Global conflicts and the U.S. as peacekeepers
• Less than successful
International trade and the economic
incentive for peace
International peacekeeping institutions and
international law
22. Social Policy
The war in Iraq, a growing crisis over North Korea,
Iran’s threats to renew their production of nuclear
weapons, and other events have made the world
situation increasingly gloomy
There has been a rise of negative feelings about the
United States in that the country is not exerting
positive leadership in seeking world peace
23. Social Policy
Arms Control: A Promise Unfulfilled
United Nations
• International Atomic Energy Commission
was formed in 1945 to ban nuclear weapons
Nuclear test ban treaties
Nuclear anti-proliferation policies
Controlling the arms merchants
24. Social Policy
Dealing with Terrorism
Policy of no-concessions to terrorist groups
Public awareness in controlling terrorism
Homeland Security Act of 2002
International diplomacy and economic
development
