Terrorism as a Tactic of Warfare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7250 words

Terrorism as a Tactic of Warfare - sample ExampleThe United States Institutes of Peace, in handout number three of its International Terrorism Definitions, Causes and Responses, tells us that the rationale behind terrorist act falls into the categories of psychological view, describing that perspective as one in which individuals participate in the act of terrorism for personal reasons, based on their own psychological state of mind (11).The mho perspective is ideological, the handout advises, the beliefs, values, and/or principles by which a group identifies its particular aims and goals. Ideology may encompass religion or political philosophies or programs (11).A third perspective is that of strategic significance, which the handout defines as When people seek redress of their grievances through government, but fail to win governments worry to their plight, they may resort to violence (11).Still, a fourth perspective on the use of terrorism is one in which the previously thr ee stated perspectives unitedly serve as the rationale for an act of terrorism (11). When the rationale constitutes all three of the previously stated rationale, the rationale becomes obscured, or undeterminable.Von Clausewitzs ArgumentVon Clausewitzs digest of war is useful in analyzing terrorism, and are evident in Stewarts Analyzing Terrorism cited earlier in this discussion. Von Clausewitz held that it was important to analyze who was conducting the war, or, in this case, the act of terrorism (French). Identifying who is making the war helps explain the rationale.