Terrorism and Counterterrorism : Understanding Threats and Responses in the Post-9/11 World

by Nacos, Brigitte L

• ISBN13: 9780321164148
• ISBN10: 0321164148
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

This new first edition offers an accessible introduction to terrorism that includes coverage of both new terror in the post-Cold War world as well as historical acts of terror. The author has been selective in her choice of topics, choosing to go into richer detail on fewer issues while nonetheless including coverage of topics that have been ignored by the competition, such as "Terrorist Propaganda and the Media" and "Terror and Hate in Cyberspace." In addition, the author adds the American context of terror to the standard international context offered by most texts.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments	ix
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: THE TERRORIST THREAT	1	(14)
Terrorism Trends over the Last Three Decades	6	(9)
PART ONE TERRORISM	15	(148)
CHAPTER 2 THE PERENNIAL DEBATE: WHAT IS TERRORISM?	16	(20)
The Meaning of "Terrorism" over Time	19	(2)
The Definitional Potpourri	21	(7)
Is Terrorism Ever Justified?	28	(2)
State Terror(ism) and State-Sponsored Terrorism	30	(2)
The Meaning of Terrorism in This Volume	32	(4)
CHAPTER 3 TERRORISM IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT	36	(23)
The Roots of Modern Terrorism	38	(2)
The Post-World War II Wave	40	(2)
1968: The Advent of Modern-day Terrorism	42	(2)
IRA and ETA: Groups That Do Not Fit the Mold	44	(1)
The Decline of Left-Wing Terrorism	45	(1)
The Rise of Catastrophic Terrorism	46	(13)
CHAPTER 4 TERRORISM IN THE AMERICAN CONTEXT	59	(26)
Right-Wing Terrorism	59	(9)
Left-Wing Terrorism	68	(6)
Single-Issue or Special Interest Terrorism	74	(6)
After Left-Wing and Right-Wing Waves: What Next?	80	(5)
CHAPTER 5 THE MAKING OF TERRORISTS: CAUSES, CONDITIONS, INFLUENCES	85	(22)
Terrorism as a Result of Rational Choice	90	(1)
Terrorism as a Result of Personal Traits	91	(1)
Terrorism as a Result of Social Interaction	92	(1)
Gender Differences in Terrorism: A Myth Rather than Reality	93	(6)
The Lack of the Universal Terrorist Profile	99	(1)
The Stages Leading to Terrorism	100	(2)
The Roots of Terrorism: No Simple Answers	102	(5)
CHAPTER 6 FROM STATE SPONSORS TO INVOLUNTARY HOSTS	107	(13)
Iran: The Premier Model of State-Sponsored Terrorism	109	(2)
Other State Sponsors of Terrorism	111	(3)
The Case of Saudi Arabia	114	(2)
When Governments Reconsider Their Support for Terrorism	116	(1)
Failed and Failing States, and "Brown Areas"	116	(1)
Involuntary Host Countries	117	(3)
CHAPTER 7 COMMON THREAD: GOALS, TARGETS, TACTICS	120	(27)
Do Terrorists Achieve Their Goals?	121	(2)
The Selection of Targets	123	(2)
Terrorist Methods: From Primitive Bombs of WMD	125	(16)
Most Likely CBRN Weapons in the Hands of Terrorists	141	(6)
CHAPTER 8 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES AND THE FINANCING OF TERROR	147	(16)
When Terrorist Organizations Lose Their Leaders	156	(1)
The Decline or Abandonment of Terrorism	156	(1)
Financing Terrorism	157	(6)
PART TWO ANTI- AND COUNTER-TERRORISM	163	(42)
CHAPTER 9 BALANCING SECURITY, LIBERTY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS	164	(14)
The Legal Status of Enemy Combatants	170	(3)
Torture: The Public Debate	173	(2)
Torture: Decision-Makers	175	(3)
CHAPTER 10 MILITARY AND NONMILITARY RESPONSES	178	(13)
Military Responses	179	(6)
Nonmilitary Responses	185	(6)
CHAPTER 11 PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS	191	(14)
It's the Intelligence, Stupid	193	(4)
International Cooperation	197	(1)
Reorganization of Homeland Security in the United States	198	(3)
Reorganization of the Intelligence Community	201	(4)
PART THREE THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC	205	(91)
CHAPTER 12 TERRORIST PROPAGANDA AND THE MEDIA	206	(20)
Publicity: The Universal Terrorist Goal	209	(3)
An Alternative View: Contemporary Terrorists Do Not Need Publicity	212	(1)
Terrorism and the Triangle of Communication	213	(1)
Media-Related Goals	214	(6)
Bedfellows in a Marriage of Convenience	220	(2)
Terrorism and the Global Media	222	(1)
Defending the Media	222	(4)
CHAPTER 13 TERROR AND HATE IN CYBERSPACE	226	(18)
Terrorists and the Newest Communications Technologies	230	(1)
Propaganda and Hero Worship	230	(7)
The Internet as a Tool to Plan Terrorist Operations	237	(1)
Devastating Cyberterrorism	238	(1)
The Web and the Retrieval of Valuable Information	239	(5)
CHAPTER 14 ANTI- AND COUNTER-TERRORISM IN THE NEWS	244	(15)
A Model for Public Deliberation	248	(2)
The Media and Military Responses to Terrorism	250	(9)
CHAPTER 15 TERRORISM AND THE PUBLIC	259	(25)
Public Assessments in Terrorist Threats and the Fear Factor	261	(3)
Opinion Change as a Result of Terrorism	264	(1)
Public Attitudes on International Terrorists and Sponsor States	265	(2)
Public Approval of Presidents in the Face of Terrorist Crises	267	(3)
When Presidents "Go Public"	270	(1)
Anti- and Counter-terrorist Policies	271	(3)
Assessing Homeland Security and Preparedness	274	(2)
The Public Trusts Republicans More to Fight Terrorism Effectively	276	(1)
Security versus Civil Liberties	277	(1)
Terrorism and the Rational Public	277	(1)
The Moral Force of the Victims of Terrorism	278	(6)
CHAPTER 16 CONCLUSION: LIVING WITH TERRORIST THREATS	284	(12)
The 9/11 Commission and Reform Proposal	289	(7)
APPENDIX	296	(14)
Major Terrorist Incidents since the Early 1970's	296	(14)
I. Incidents That Deliberately Targeted Americans and/or American Interests	296	(10)
II. Incidents That Involved U.S. Victims	306	(1)
III. Incidents That Did Not Involve Americans	307	(3)
Bibliography	310	(6)
Index	316