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POWER OF TERROR (FROM CONTEMPORARY TERRORISM - SELECTED READINGS, 1978 BY JOHN D ELLIOTT AND LESLIE K GIBSON SEE NCJ-48724)

NCJ Number
48727
Author(s)
I M H SMART
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE WEAPONRY, COMMUNICATIONS, AND LOGISTICS OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY, ALONG WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WESTERN DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES THAT MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO TERRORIST MANIPULATION ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IT IS MAINTAINED THAT ONLY IN THE SOCIAL DEMOCRACIES OF THE INDUSTRIALIZED WESTERN WORLD HAVE TERRORISTS PERSISTENTLY FOUND A READY AUDIENCE FOR POLITICAL BLACKMAIL BASED UPON THE CREDIBLE THREAT OF FORCE ALONE. IN SUCH SOCIETIES, GOVERNMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO PROTECT EACH INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN; THUS, TERRORISTS CAN THREATEN THE LIVES OF A FEW AND USE THE CITIZENRY'S IMAGE OF ITS GOVERNMENT AS PROTECTOR TO MANIPULATE THE GOVERNMENT INTO RESPONDING TO THEIR WILL. SHOULD A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT VIOLATE ITS CONSTRAINTS AGAINST THE USE OF REPRESSIVE VIOLENCE IN EFFORTS TO ERADICATE TERRORISM, IT IS IN DANGER OF CREATING A TOTALITARIAN IMAGE IN THE MINDS OF ITS OWN CITIZENS AND ELSEWHERE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. IN ADDITION TO THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY TO MANIPULATION, THESE HIGHLY INDUSTRIALIZED SOCIETIES HAVE A MULTITUDE OF VULNERABLE TARGETS WHOSE DESTRUCTION OR MISUSE CAN GREATLY AFFECT THE LIVES OF LARGE NUMBERS OF CITIZENS. THE WIDE RANGE OF MODERN WEAPONRY AVAILABLE TO TERRORISTS ALSO MAKES THEIR THREATS CREDIBLE AND THE USE OF NUCLEAR DEVICES IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY. WHILE THIS DISCUSSION PROVIDES NO CLEAR-CUT ANSWERS ON HOW DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES MAY REDUCE THEIR VULNERABILITY, THE ELUCIDATION OF ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL TERRORIST STRATEGY IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR FINDING SOLUTIONS AND APPROPRIATE REACTIONS. (RCB)

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