Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site looking.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: What is the defintion of Terrorism?
Message-ID: <529@looking.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 26-Apr-86 03:45:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: looking.529
Posted: Sat Apr 26 03:45:25 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 27-Apr-86 05:18:38 EDT
References: <157@unido.UUCP> <1200001@ztivax.UUCP> <332@hope.UUCP>
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd. Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 53

Recently there have been lots of uses of the word 'terrorism.'

What exactly do we mean when we say that word?  It's too new for a
dictionary to be definative, but it is certain that lots of people
are using it to mean, "a violent act I didn't like or by somebody
I don't like," and this is pointless.  It's just name calling.

Here are some possible definitions for terrorism, all of which I
have seen used at one time or another.

1)  Any attack directed explicitly against civilians or other innocents
    for the purpose of evoking fear amongst a general group of such
    non-combatants

2)  Any attack that deliberately uses civilian victims to obtain military
    objectives

3)a) Any attack that harms innocent bytstanders through negligence.
  
  b) Any attack carried out with total disregard for civilian casualties

4)  Any military or para-military threat or attack that violates the
    rules of "civilized" war.

5)  Any attack by a private military force, or by a national military
    force without a declaration of war.

6)  Any attack which harms civilians at all.

---------

Now to my mind, #1 and #2 are the primary definitions that were
originally meant for the word.   The strike on Libya is allegedly guilty of
#3a, and certainly guilty of #5 and #6.

The essential elements of terrorism are:
	a) Deliberate attacks with intent to harm civilians
	b) To gain advantages by invoking terror in civilians.
  with, to a lesser extent:
	c) Unconventional forms of attack, such as geurilla warfare
	   or suicide squads.

So, to those who have called the attack on Libya 'Terrorist', what
defintion of the word do you use to make your claim?  To make such
a claim, I believe it is necessary to claim that Mr. Reagan gave orders
to *deliberately* target civilians.

I don't think it can be considered terrorism to attack military targets
because it is their job to be subject to attack.  You can't strike terror
into their hearts in the same way that this is done to civilians.

-- 
Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473