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I’ve Got the Bombs to Make You Blow: Studying Modern Terrorism

I’ve Got the Bombs to Make You Blow: Studying Modern Terrorism. Michael Burch November 11, 2010. Let’s Reflect on this Decade. 2000 US Cole Attack 2001 9/11 Afghanistan 2002 Bali 2003 Iraq 2004 Madrid 2005 London 2007 Bhutto Assassination 2008 Mumbai Hotel Attacks.

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I’ve Got the Bombs to Make You Blow: Studying Modern Terrorism

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  1. I’ve Got the Bombs to Make You Blow: Studying Modern Terrorism Michael Burch November 11, 2010

  2. Let’s Reflect on this Decade • 2000 • US Cole Attack • 2001 • 9/11 • Afghanistan • 2002 • Bali • 2003 • Iraq • 2004 • Madrid • 2005 • London • 2007 • Bhutto Assassination • 2008 • Mumbai Hotel Attacks

  3. Outline for Today • Defining Modern Terrorism • Where do Terrorists Come From? • Motivations • Location • Exploring Contemporary Case Studies • IRA, Tamil Tigers & Al-Qaeda • Strategies of Terrorism • Responses to Terrorism

  4. What is Terrorism? • No agreed upon definition • Use of Violence • Public Act and Use of Fear • Motivation for Attack • Identity of Target • Identity of Attacker • Planned with a Clear Purpose • Gain Supporters and Coerce Opponents

  5. Who are terrorists? • Where do they come from? • Weak States are not a good base because there is uncertainty and instability • Piazza (2008) argues that weak and failed states not only attract terrorists but provide a fertile recruiting ground for transnational terror • What are their backgrounds? • Tend to be well-educated • Live in regions with high unemployment

  6. Motivations • Religious Grievances • “Derelict Arabic terrorists in the airarrogant apparent to punish people by their heritage…your God is with you…Cause if you right and, know you right, then where's your righteous ways?” -Gorillaz featuring D12 • Economic Grievances • “How many no money boyz are rowdy? How many start a war?”-M.I.A. • Political Grievances • “I’m out for presidents to represent me.”- Nas

  7. Case Study: The Irish Republican Army • Founded: 1922 • Finances • Crime • Diaspora • Methods • Car Bombs • Assassinations • Motivations • United Ireland free of British influence

  8. IRA Significant Events • The “Troubles” • Fractionalization • Take the fight to Britain • 1982 Hyde Park Bombing • Good Friday Accords

  9. Case Study: The Tamil Tigers • Founded: 1976 • Finances • Diaspora • Operations • Suicide Terrorism • Assassination • Motivation • Independent homeland for Tamil population

  10. Tamil Tigers Significant Events • Suicide attacks begin in the 1980s • Assassinate former PM of India • Role of Diaspora • May 17, 2009 • Admit Defeat

  11. Case Study: Al-Qaeda • Founded: 1980s • Finances • Bin Laden Fortune • Islamic Charities • Methods • “Defensive Jihad” • Motivations • Reduce US presence in Middle East • Capture Jerusalem • Replace Apostate Rulers

  12. Wild as the Taliban: Al-Qaeda Events • Fought the Soviets in the 1980s • Wanted to fight Saddam in 1990 • Turned to attacking US/Saudi Arabia • 1998 Embassy Bombings

  13. Underlying Strategies of Terrorists • Attrition • Terrorists seek to persuade target they are strong enough to impose great costs • Intimidation • Directed towards population to convince them government cannot protect • Provocation • Get government to respond indiscriminately to attacks

  14. Underlying Strategies Part II • Spoiling • Moderates representing terrorist concerns are weak • Outbidding • Convince public that terrorist group has greater resolve than rival groups

  15. Counterterrorism Responses to Terrorism Strategies • Attrition • Concede inessential issues • Targeted retaliation • Intimidation • “clear and hold” strategies • Strengthening law enforcement responses

  16. Responding to Strategies II • Provocation • Discriminatory Response: Invest in Intelligence • Spoiling • Build trust and reduce vulnerability • Outbidding • Reward strategies of non-violent groups

  17. Antiterrorism: The Long Term • Target Hardening • Enhanced Security • US Patriot Act • Other Defensive Measures • Used for attrition campaigns, like the Wall in Israel • Lyall(2010) • Co-ethnic sweeps

  18. Winning the War on Terror? • Pape’s Dying to Win (2005) • “Understanding that suicide terrorism is mainly a response to foreign occupation rather than the product of Islamic fundamentalism has important implications for how the United States and its allies should conduct the war on terrorism.” • Defeating Current Generation • Military and Concessions do not work • Preventing Next Generation • Pull out of the Middle East

  19. Are Terrorists Really Strategic? (Abrahms 2008) • Do not achieve their goals • Do not attack as a last resort • They reflexively reject compromises • Possess protean political platforms • Generally carry out anonymous attacks • Routinely attack each other • They resist disbanding even when it becomes clear they wont achieve their goal

  20. Should We Be Worried? • Terrorist attacks have decreased • Intensity has Increased • Attacks have shifted from the West to Middle East & South Asia • Attempted Yemen attacks have been thwarted • Be Happy!

  21. Representations of Terrorism • Film • The Dark Knight • Paradise Now • The Kingdom • Munich • War of the Worlds • InglouriousBasterds • Taxi to the Darkside • TV • 24 • BattlestarGalactica • PBS’s Frontline • Music • Immortal Technique • M.I.A. • Books • Robert Pape. Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism • Steven Coll. Ghost Wars • Articles • Andrew Kydd and Barbara Walter, “The Strategies of Terrorism.” • Jason Lyall. “Are Coethnics More Effective Counterinsurgents? • Max Abrahms. “What Terrorists Really Want.” • Databases • START: http://www.start.umd.edu/start/data/#gtd Popular Culture Academia

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