quotations about terrorism
Following a terrorist attack, governments are under enormous pressure to identify the guilty party and offer a swift response. But how can officials punish wrongdoers and deter others from engaging in terrorist attacks when they never know for sure who the culprit is?
GARY LAFREE
"6 reasons why stopping terrorism is so challenging", Philippine Starr, June 5, 2017
Many know little about the complexities of terrorism and Islam. Who are these people who murder so wantonly? Why do they do it? And, most importantly, how might such attacks be stopped? Answering such questions requires daily news coverage that consists of more than depictions of scattered chaos. A holistic approach to reporting about terrorism might better explain this phenomenon that's reshaping our lives, much as the Cold War did 50 years ago.
PHILIP SEIB
"Terrorists Are Getting Savvier--Why Is Our News So Dumb?", Good, June 6, 2017
The expectation that terrorism may disappear under a new world order is anchored in two fallacious premises. The first is the supposition that, by and large, terrorism is perpetrated by states, directly or indirectly. A new world order, which is powerful enough to dictate non-violent rules of international conduct by threatening rogue states with a credible, painful punishment if they misbehave, would thus result in the disappearance of this form of misbehavior. This premise is erroneous because, by far, most terrorism is domestic in all respects, i.e., it is carried out by local groups against local targets, and is not aided, directed or controlled by foreign states. Hence, a change in the rules of international conduct would not affect it in any way.
JOHN HORGAN & MAX TAYLOR
The Future of Terrorism
A self-governing people cannot shrink from facing the reality of terrorism. There are perpetrators to catch, victims to mourn, and survivors to help. And large majorities of the public want to be informed when a probable terrorist attack is perpetrated inside a major Western city. Unfortunately, the very act of publicizing an act of terrorism cannot help but advance the ends of terrorists, who try to generate as much media attention as possible to stoke fear. That tension ought to inform coverage of terrorist attacks more than it does.
CONOR FRIEDERSDORF
"Terrorism Is Aimed at the People Watching", The Atlantic, May 23, 2017
It's not right to respond to terrorism by terrorizing other people. And furthermore, it's not going to help. Then you might say, "Yes, it's terrorizing people, but it's worth doing because it will end terrorism." But how much common sense does it take to know that you cannot end terrorism by indiscriminately dropping bombs?
HOWARD ZINN
Terrorism and War
In an interconnected world, the defeat of international terrorism -- and most importantly, the prevention of these terrorist organizations from obtaining weapons of mass destruction -- will require the cooperation of many nations. We must always reserve the right to strike unilaterally at terrorists wherever they may exist. But we should know that our success in doing so is enhanced by engaging our allies so that we receive the crucial diplomatic, military, intelligence, and financial support that can lighten our load and add legitimacy to our actions. This means talking to our friends and, at times, even our enemies.
BARACK OBAMA
speech, November 20, 2006
Our enemies are fully aware that they can use oil as a weapon against America. And if we don't take this threat as seriously as the bombs they build or the guns they buy, we will be fighting the War on Terror with one hand tied behind our back.
BARACK OBAMA
speech, February 28, 2006