GOV 312L Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Handicap Principle
Module 16- Terrorism I: Definition and Scope of the Terrorist Threat
What is Terrorism?
I. Byford: What is terrorism? – Potential Defining Characteristics
A. Non-state actors using violence
B. Instilling terror – using force to intimidate
C. Methods – suicide missions
D. Targets – intentionally killing civilians
E. Tying Means and Goals
The Nature of the Terrorist Threat:
How are terrorist groups different from other threats?
1. Terrorism and the differences in fighting states and non-state actors
• Power differential
• Goals
• Deterrence
• Strategies/tactics
Are terrorist groups strategic?
No – Abrams: Terrorist groups do not display characteristics of rational cost-benefit
analysis in their actions
Yes – Kydd and Walter: Terrorist groups are rational actors that use violence
because it often works to achieve concrete goals
Terrorist strategies as costly signals to influence behavior
• Attrition: Outlasting an adversary through war of wills
• Provocation: Goading the adversary into conflict
• Intimidation: Overthrowing a government through reign of
terror
• Spoiling: Sabotaging the peace
• Outbidding: Competition between terrorist groups
Hoffman, The Return of the Jihadi
• Two sets of claims:
)S)S poses considerable terrorist threat boomerang effect to Western nations
This threat rests on its unique organizational capacities and expansionist political
goals
• Most of article about organizational capacities of ISIS
Significant strategic/territorial gains in summer of 2014
Access to military hardware
Independent revenue sources: oil, looting, taxation, trafficking, smuggling
Political/organizational capacity: acting like a state
Effective recruiter: drawing in large quantities of foreign
fighters
• Along with Byman, get a view of ISIS and its
relationship to Al Qaeda
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Module 16- terrorism i: definition and scope of the terrorist threat. What is terrorism: non-state actors using violence. Instilling terror using force to intimidate: methods suicide missions. How are terrorist groups different from other threats: terrorism and the differences in fighting states and non-state actors, power differential, goals, deterrence, strategies/tactics. No abrams: terrorist groups do not display characteristics of rational cost-benefit. Yes kydd and walter: terrorist groups are rational actors that use violence because it often works to achieve concrete goals. Terrorist strategies as costly signals to influence behavior analysis in their actions: attrition: outlasting an adversary through war of wills, provocation: goading the adversary into conflict. Intimidation: overthrowing a government through reign of terror: spoiling: sabotaging the peace, outbidding: competition between terrorist groups. Hoffman, the return of the jihadi: two sets of claims: )s)s poses considerable terrorist threat (cid:523)(cid:498)boomerang effect(cid:499)(cid:524) to western nations.
