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Terrorism: To coerce or intimidate civilians or government.

The Terrorism Cycle:

1. Broad target selection; collect intelligence and screen targets. Usually done by contacts.
2. Intelligence and surveillance; study target-routines and patterns.
3. Specific target selection: target civilians: icons of enemy-society: symbols that have value or meaning and important monuments.
4. Pre-attack planning: conducted by senior members of the organization and often difficult to detect.
5. Attack rehearsals: to gain and improve the odds of success: also go gather more intelligence on the target.
6. Execute actions: most are usually a surprise or ambush. Occurs before a response can counter the attack.
7. Escape and exploitation: objective achieved. Regroup (not in a suicide-attack), and exploit media-coverage.

Peacebringer wrote:Terrorism: To coerce or intimidate civilians or government.

I would add: "for a political purpose."

That is also a really broad definition, as some groups are intimidated by harsh language...which of course leads to the need to control language.

There are a lot of definitions of terrorism...

-STS

My favorite definition of terrorism from St. Augustine:

Alexander the Great seized a pirate.

"What thou meanest by seizing the whole earth:, but because I do ith with a petty ship, I am called a robber. whilst thou who dost it with a great fleet art styled emperor."

slade the sniper wrote:

Peacebringer wrote:Terrorism: To coerce or intimidate civilians or government.

I would add: "for a political purpose."

That is also a really broad definition, as some groups are intimidated by harsh language...which of course leads to the need to control language.

There are a lot of definitions of terrorism...

-STS

The purposefully broad definition of terrorisms is part of that language control you mentioned. A word that scary have to make sure you can apply it to as many people as possible. Still I largely agree with you if there is no political purpose it's just regular old violence.

Peacebringer wrote:My favorite definition of terrorism from St. Augustine:

Alexander the Great seized a pirate.

"What thou meanest by seizing the whole earth:, but because I do ith with a petty ship, I am called a robber. whilst thou who dost it with a great fleet art styled emperor."

My favoite is from the Honorverse books by David Weber

Cauldron of Ghosts, pg. 87 from Sergeant Suprakit X, Royal Torch Marines wrote:“When I killed people retail, I was a terrorist. Now that I kill people wholesale, I’m a stalwart soldier. Get Medals and everything.”

Warshield73 wrote:My favoite is from the Honorverse books by David Weber

Cauldron of Ghosts, pg. 87 from Sergeant Suprakit X, Royal Torch Marines wrote:“When I killed people retail, I was a terrorist. Now that I kill people wholesale, I’m a stalwart soldier. Get Medals and everything.”

The difference is who gave you permission. If a government gives you permission, you are a soldier. If the law gives you permission, you are a policeman. If a non-government gives you permission, you are a terrorist. If a gang gives you permission, you are a killer. If you kill for the mob, you are a hit-man (or a hit-woman...probably not a hit-girl). If you give yourself permission, you are a murderer. If God, or another entity gives you permission, you are crazy.

The lesson is to only kill people you are told to by a government. That sort of killing is OK, or even rewarded. It isn't the killing that is bad, it is killing without permission.

-STS

slade the sniper wrote:

Warshield73 wrote:My favoite is from the Honorverse books by David Weber

Cauldron of Ghosts, pg. 87 from Sergeant Suprakit X, Royal Torch Marines wrote:“When I killed people retail, I was a terrorist. Now that I kill people wholesale, I’m a stalwart soldier. Get Medals and everything.”

The difference is who gave you permission. If a government gives you permission, you are a soldier. If the law gives you permission, you are a policeman. If a non-government gives you permission, you are a terrorist. If a gang gives you permission, you are a killer. If you kill for the mob, you are a hit-man (or a hit-woman...probably not a hit-girl). If you give yourself permission, you are a murderer. If God, or another entity gives you permission, you are crazy.

The lesson is to only kill people you are told to by a government. That sort of killing is OK, or even rewarded. It isn't the killing that is bad, it is killing without permission.

-STS

Webber, the author, seems to agree with you and drives this point home. The group this terrorist belonged to became legitimate by taking control of a planetary government.

The adopted daughter of one of their biggest financial backers became queen.
The emancipated slave turned college professor who legitimized their attacks became foreign minister.
The head of the terrorist group became minister of war.

So yeah that government permission is a big part of this.