Preview

Terrorist Ideology And Motivation Paper

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
668 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Terrorist Ideology And Motivation Paper
Terrorist: Their ideology and motivation
HLLS 110: Phase 2 IP
Professor Curry, G.
Colorado Technical University
The article “Terrorist group survival: ideology, tactics, and base of operations” (Blomberg, Gaibulloev and Sandler, 2011) examines the behavior, size, tactics and operability of 367 terrorist organizations during 1970-2007. The article differentiates between domestic and transnational terrorism. It states the ideologies behind terrorists vary from separatist movements to purely religious cases. Empirical data concluded that terrorists with religious aim survive longer as a terrorist organization than any other political ideologies, such as left wing, right wing and nationalist.
The second article “The role of ideology in terrorists’ target selection” (Drake, 1998) points to the importance of ideology, how it displays motives of the terrorists’ selecting targets. The article broadens the scope of ideologies. Apart from mainstream terrorist ideologies, such as separatism, religion, liberalism,
…show more content…
They present the terrorists as having an organized cell-structure system, which implies on the high level of manageability of the terrorist groups. Terrorists possess an ability to operate on a transnational level, due to their sense of coherence: blind belief in their ideologies and ability to maintain a link and devote themselves fully to their belief. All of the articles state the predominance of nationalistic and religious beliefs. The article by Blomberg, Gaibulloev and Sandler claim terrorists with religious groups are deemed to a longer existence due to the presence of tight internal connectedness and meaningfulness. The comprehension of events and awareness of the consequences arise due to the fact of reaching a goal, and indeed that goal makes terrorist possess the characteristics of high organization and

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The main point of the article was to convey that "today's terrorists are ultimately more apocalyptic in their perspective and methods." In short, their mindset changed from; a means to an end to becoming the end in itself. Most recently studies have shown that terrorism changed from the ideas of the past. Paul Wilkinson, Professor of International Relations and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Centre for the Study…

    • 1211 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Modern day, international terrorism origins arguably dates back to the events on July 22nd 1968 in which the terrorist group the PLO changed the foundations of terrorism and caused a considerable shift in a modern terrorist’s approach. The year 1968 marked a radical shift in how terrorists operated and their objectives as a group, when a commercial air flight was hijacked by the PLO from Rome to Tel Aviv. This was a major turning point for three main reasons. Firstly, it was the first hijacking where its purpose was not to divert the plane but to make a bold political statement. El Al was Israel’s national airline and was a symbol of the Israeli state. The hijacking also the forced the state to directly deal with the terrorists. Second, the hijacking influenced people on an international scale. The fact that the terrorists were intending to trade hostages for imprisoned Palestinian terrorists in Israel was shocking to the wider audience watching this. In addition, it was the first time a terrorist organization began operating regularly at the international level, leaving its home turf to attack citizens of a foreign country who, in many cases, had nothing to do with their struggle in order to promote their political cause before an international audience. Finally though the combination of dramatic political statement, symbolic targeting and crisis induced de facto recognition, the terrorists recognized they had the power to create major media events. This was significant in that they realized media attention meant power. This was the first time they were being heard by the world and that their cause was being sympathized with, which was a great stepping stone for resolving their problems.…

    • 1152 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The following assignment outlines, research of several different sociological and/or psychological characteristics, which can influence new members to join terrorist organizations. Obviously, no single theory, can completely explain the motivation of terrorists. It appears as though a set of theories can come close to doing so sufficiently though, as they cover the cost-benefit calculation, psychological willingness to commit violence, and social conditions permissive to the growth of extremism, that underlie incidents of terrorist action (Simon, 2011).Often it comes…

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Terrorism has changed dramatically over time and has only recently been so bloody and violent and on a large scale. The history of terrorism had been existent since the 1970s where the French Revolutionary Government instituted systematic state terror against the population of France by killing thousands. The way terrorism was taken out has changed over the years. Changes in the tactics and techniques of terrorists have been significant, but even more, the growth in the number of causes and social contexts where terrorism is used. Over the past 20 years, terrorists have committed violent acts for alleged political or religious reasons with these terrorist organisations been spilt up into groups according to their reasoning of attack. This may include Nationalism, Religious, Anarchist, State Sponsored, Left and Right Wing…

    • 2278 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Modern terrorism involves the heartless killing of children throwing stones at tanks, deaths of pregnant women at security roadblocks, suicide bombings carried out in buses and discotheques, the terrorizing of luminous cities at night with bombing sorties, and the incineration of worshippers at mosques.” . Since the attacks on the twin towers on September 11, many people fear Islamic terrorism, but Islamic terrorist organizations did not just begin with the 9/11 attacks. Different terrorist organizations, such as Al Qaeda and the Moslem Brothers have existed for many years, although some have died out, others still thrive, and some of the organizations spark the beginning of new terrorist regimes. Islamic terrorist organizations have formed…

    • 1355 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Throughout history the world has witnessed acts of terrorism motivated by different groups of individuals fighting for a multitude of causes. These individuals have come from various races, religions, and ethnicities. Yet as different as they appear to be, we can still find similarities between them, for instance, groups such as the Tupamaros in Uruguay, the Ku Klux Klan in the United States, and the Irish Republican Army are motivated by vastly different beliefs which they consider a justification for terrorism. However, the underlying concept of these groups, by using acts of terror as a means to an end, is by and large shared by all of them. This paper will evaluate the hypothesis made by Cindy Combs which states, “The forces of oppression that have caused men to rebel have not changed over the centuries; what has changed is the willingness of the oppressed to use previously unthinkable means to achieve their objectives.”1 (Combs, p. 35.). It will also examine the strengths and weaknesses of this statement as it applies to case studies of the groups mentioned above.…

    • 1533 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Lone Wolf Terrorism

    • 8850 Words
    • 36 Pages

    Crenshaw, M (1988): Theories of terrorism; instrument and organizational approaches. Pg. 13-31. Penn state University Press.…

    • 8850 Words
    • 36 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Put as simply as possible, however, terrorism is the “indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens for political goals” (Hislope and Mughan 262). Terrorism is a multifaceted, complicated concept with deep roots, which is what makes it so difficult to define. Terrorism is not an ideology, but it is a “method, a technique, a tactic” that a variety of groups use to achieve their political goals (Hislope and Mughan 239). Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin described terrorism as “‘propaganda by the deed,’” suggesting that this kind of violence is simply a method of demonstrating a point that would not otherwise be heard (239). While terrorism definitely has gained prevalence in recent years, it “is anything but new,” with general origins dating back to the biblical Zealots (Rodenbeck 1). The term “‘terrorism’” first emerged during the French Revolution amid the Reign of Terror (Hislope and Mughan 248). However, the modern understanding of terrorism first emerged in the twentieth century, as non-governmental groups attempted to combat the increasing globalization occurring throughout the…

    • 1170 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This essay will endeavour to give an historical analysis of contemporary terrorism and its changing nature by focusing on three specific terrorist campaigns over the last thirty years. The essay will begin by first presenting a definition of terrorism and will move on to provide a brief account of the geographical shift in terrorism by discussing the movement from territorial based terrorism to more ideological focused campaigns. In addition, it will give a concise discussion on the theory of globalisation in relation to terrorism and the impact it has had on the growth of international terrorism. The essay will then move on to discuss three separate but equally significant terrorist campaigns within the last thirty years and will highlight how each of these terrorist campaigns became turning points in the evolution of international terrorism and evaluate how each one played a significant role in the evolution of contemporary terrorism. The three individual campaigns this paper will focus on is the 1979 Iranian revolution, the Russian intervention in Afghanistan and the September 11 attacks instigated by Al- Qaeda; this essay will highlight the importance of each of the afore mentioned terrorist campaigns and also the scale of impact they each had on international terrorism. The importance of the question this paper will endeavour to address is that terrorism is a major issue of contemporary societal life; this paper will demonstrate how terrorism is a borderless, faceless threat and as the nature of terrorism changes so too does the extremity and lethality.…

    • 2886 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Terrorism has changed and developed across the world over time, much like the world has changed and developed over time. Advancements in technology, communications, military and transportation have also aided in the advancement of terrorist ability. Most countries, as well as the people residing in them, have dramatically advanced their capabilities in all areas, including terrorism, with each passing decade. The phrase ‘terrorism’ was originally coined in the late 1700s in reference to European governments attempting to gain a stronghold over the people and initiate their ideas (Roberts, 2002). However, this began to change in the late 1800s when non-governmental organizations began developing with a mission to overthrow their unsatisfactory…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The following is a brief explanation of the motivation of the Islamic Jihad Group. Included is a response to how the knowledge of the Islamic Jihad Group’s motivation might assist in planning counter terrorist strategy. Included are explanations as to how the motivations of terrorists differ from the motivations of other violent criminals and how cultural, socioeconomic, or political factors could lead a person to become a terrorist or criminal.…

    • 1145 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Terrorists are human beings that commit terrible acts that in their own minds are justified. Their justifications vary from religion to their economical status to simply finding, “where they belong” within a terrorist organization. These justifications may not be accepted by the public eye; however, to a terrorist, the most important thing is to be able to justify his/her actions whether or not the reason for why they do what they do is accepted by others.…

    • 955 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ideological terrorism is separated into left-wing and right-wing terrorist groups (Steven & Gunaratna 8). The goal of the left-wing group is to overthrow existing regimes and establish communist and socialist states (Steven & Gunaratna 8). Left-wing terrorist groups are motivated by Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism to establish their objectives (Steven & Gunaratna 8). Right-wing groups are mostly racist, neo-Nazi, neofascist, and anti-Semitic. The racist part of the right-wing groups in ruled by skinheads and mainly attack immigrants from the Middle East and Asia (Steven & Gunaratna…

    • 2063 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Terrorism Psychology

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Evolution and psyche of a terrorist is a difficult topic. Why so individuals decide to separate themselves from society and embark in anti-social behavior and terrorist acts? How has the mindset of terrorism changed throughout the centuries and how have the acts of terrorism changed? The psychological profiles of terrorism have been on the forefront of psychologists, sociologist, political science and government official minds for years. Terrorist acts can be motivated by politics, social-economic issues, or religious roots. Why do some individuals choose terrorism, while others find a civil way to resolve their conflicts? The psyche of a terrorist is rooted from conflict within themselves, promoted from society or is violence…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    There are two main motivations, which cause a person or group to perform a political terrorist action. These people are motivated to perform these actions because their identity or culture is different than their opponents, or they have economic grievances such as poverty or unemployment, which they want to resolve. Certainly, some terrorists are uneducated, live in countries with corrupt governments and learn from a young age that violence and terrorism are an acceptable way of life. In some cases this is true, but in more cases than not, it is culture, which is the main motivation for some forms of terrorism. Some terrorist groups perform and defend their actions as religious actions where they see violence as sacramental acts. Although local poverty and government corruption provide additional reasons for this group of terrorists to perform their acts, this essay argues that identity, religion, and culture are the main basis for their actions.…

    • 2480 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays

Related Topics