The Anthropology of Terrorism

Since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, holy aff sort outism has been a word that alwaysy American has calld daily. It has been eleven old age since these attacks, and our country is still at war, and we use terms alike spells of terror to justify our invasion of their noncombatant space. Person all in ally, I do non sympathize with oftentimes for conspiracy theories, but I was interested to know a little bit more about the Moslem culture that these terrorists al-Qaida from. While the majority of the population of Iraq and Afghanistan atomic number 18 practicing Muslims, they can not all be defined as terrorists. In all actuality, a agglomerate of them may define Americans and other(a) westernized countries with bumpmingly unlimited war powers as terrorist groups. There ar m both differences from the American see of acts of terror, the Iraqi view of acts of terror, and the view of how those who move crimes of terror se e their get actions. I mentationte it in truth classic that American civilians, especially those who ar not healthful educated on our foreign policies and the current war situation, take prison term to see how Iraqi civilians and the Muslim population view the September 11 acts of terror, and the subsequent war compargond to those who chose to come in these acts.I forecast that most would be surprise when they find that the Islamic holiness does not actually promote those lengthy acts of terror that they do not clog the extremist groups like Al Quaeda, and that our presence in their civilian areas, like market places may not be necessary or productive for their day-to-day routines. In ball club for many deal to understand these differing viewpoints on act of terrorism, I think it is classical to focus on how different hoi polloi may define an act of terror.In December of 1994, the Unite Nations General Assembly Resolution 49/60, Measures to pass by International Terrorism, describes terrorism as guilty acts intended or cipher to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for policy-making characters are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. Later, in 2004 at UN tribute Council Resolution 1566 a definition is given, stating acts of terror are Criminal acts, including against civilians, act with the intent to baffle death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a political relation or an international organization to do or to terminate from doing any act.The united Nations adds to the definition again in 2005 at a panel, stating the definition of terrorism as each act intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non- combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a disposal or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act. ( miscellaneous Definitions of Terrorism) The united Nations has no rancidicial definition of terrorism, because close to would argue that thither is no real distinction mingled with a terrorist and a freedom fighter. Therefore, the United Nations descriptions of the term are vague and always take on that terrorism is intimidating or that it provokes terror on a group of people. The first description listed comments on the justification of these acts, which most others do not. Now, I would like to point out the differences in he definitions that are released by the Arabic Community and the united States. In 1998, the Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism was implemented by the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior and the Council of Arab Ministers of judg e in Cairo, Egypt.They defined terrorism at this convention as Any act or threat of violence, whatever its motives or purposes, that occurs in the feeler of an individual or collective criminal agenda and seeking to sow in panic among people, causing devotion by harming them, or placing their lives liberty or security in danger, or seeking to cause damage to the surroundings or to public or private installations or property or to occupying or seizing them, or seeking to jeopardize national resources. Various Definitions of Terrorism) The United States has many different definitions of terrorism in or so every disposal organizations code. In national Criminal Code Title 18 of the United States defines terrorism and lists the crimes associated with terrorism.In Section 2331 of Chapter 113(B), defines terrorism as activities that involve violent or feeling-threatening acts that are a violation of the criminal honors of the United States or of any State and calculate to be int ended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population (ii) to influence the policy of a government by determent or coercion or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping and(C) occur primarily inside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States FBI definition of terrorismThe culpable use of stick or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a Government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. The definition of terrorism apply in the United States Army Field Manual FM 3-0, contour line 2001 is The calculated use of guilty violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear. It is intended to coerce or intimidate governments or societies to attain political, religious, or ideological goals.The Dictionary of Military Terms used by the Department of Defense defines terrorism as The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the seeking of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological. (Various Definitions of Terrorism) I think the difference in the way our governments define a term that the United Nations finds so debatable shows a huge cultural difference in where the priorities for our countries lie.Obviously, since the September 11 attacks, the United States has spent an extensive amount of meter coming up with more and more to add to the definition of terrorism and run through worked to almost make ourselves seem like more of the victim. Our Federal Code includes mass destruction and assassination, but states that it primarily occurs within the United Stated jurisdiction. This is open to interpretation, as is all code, but it staple fibreally path that we are always the victim of acts of terror and can hardly ever be accused of committing the crime.However, in the FBI definition, it says that terrorism is using violence and force to coerce a government and its civilians of political and social objectives. Are we not using force and asserting ourselves on the Iraqi government, and every other government that we kick in been at war with? Has it not all been for a political gain? Then the military definitions add that actions can exclusively be defined in that way if they are being move for political, religious, or ideological reasons. However, I think that most Americans, if asked would only include religion in the definition.We afford been trained to think that way, to only see terrorism as acts of Jihad, extremist Muslims. Americans, since I can remember film always been exceedingly proud. We are all truly blessed to sire from a country that has a strong military backbone, free, accessible education, a comparably thriving economy, and the opportunity for social mobility. That being said, the majority of Americans are very ignorant and one-sided on a lot of po litical issues. Most are content with obtaining the easily accessible learning from the parole or internet and word of mouth.Most do not take the time to educate themselves on social issues that they comment on daily. This is why people are so opposed to those who practice Islam using their first amendment right to freedom of religion, especially in the south where most are extremely prejudiced. The news and the coverage of the September 11 attacks and the war are to unsaved for this phenomenon of fearing those who are different. In Packaging Terrorism Co-opting the sweets for Politics and Profit, Susan milling machine criticizes the way the media chooses which stories to run. Threats, danger, fear.These words grab the attention of the readers and thats what the media want. Your attention. Be afraid. Be very afraid. She shows that there are many more options of global stories that our topical anesthetic news stations could run, but those that involve Americans or anything invo lving conflict in the Middle East, or even stories of al-Qaeda action in other countries, will engender higher ratings as Big Stories over stories like the huge crisis of bombings in Mumbai in 2006, which is a place and event that Americans, in general, go through no solid connection to.However, our society is also very vain, and there are even international events that are very important to us and the action in the Middle East that constantly get trumped by larger house servant stories. A 2006 suicide bombing of the princely Mosque, which was close to triggering an Iraqi civil war was overshadowed by the Winter Olympics that year. A 2005 bombing was completely overshadowed by the kidnapping of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. The American people are more likely to be interested in our domestic actions than the stories of foreign events, especially when these events seem to run together and are so similar every time they are covered.One thing that is extremely polemic in covering those authorized acts of terror is the fact that most terrorists really want the attention on them. If someone is taken hostage and taped, or there is a huge event, like the 9/11 attacks, those who commit these actions are doing so for the attention, and for the media to show these events to the public, some can argue that those who consider the news are just giving them what they most desire to have all eyes on them.There is also an opinion, however, that if this footage is shown, it will show Americans the true brutality of the people who our military is fighting against, and that it will show that there truly is a threat, encouraging Americans to further support our military and develop a unifying experience that promotes patriotism. This was shown in the case of the kidnapping of reporter, Daniel fall in Pakistan in 2002 by al-Qaeda operative Khalid Shiekh Mohammad. The video of his functioning was made available to news networks, and a portion of Pearl public speaking was show n on CBS.The full video shows his throat being slit and his separate head held up with a voiceover speaking out against the enemies of Islam. After much debate of whether or not the video should be seen by the public, whether it would intermit the rights of Pearls grieving family, and whether the American people should be allowed to be exposed to witnessing a persons get through, Peter Kadizis and Stephen Mindich of the Boston genus Phoenix posted a link to the video with a note supra stating, This is the single most gruesome, horrible, despicable, and horrifying thing Ive ever seen. . That our government and others throughout the world, who have had this tape for some time have remained unsounded is nothing less than an act of shame( Moeller). While our media is the largest source of information for Americans and is the largest reason that Americans have an instilled fear of anyone of the Islamic religion, the USA Patriot proceed passed in 2001 as a response to the terrorist attacks is one of the triggers that set off this fear, and is a constant reminder of the attack.This Act was instated based on the possibility that if there is a threat to national security, the public is more ordain to allow for harsher policies and increased restrictions of civil liberties. The Act includes reduced restrictions in law enforcement agencies gathering of intelligence within the United States expanded the Secretary of the treasurys authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities and broadened the fineness of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts.Even though support for the Patriot Act has decreased, though not dramatically (from 60% classifying it as necessary in 2001, to a 39% in 2006), President Barack Obama write a four-year extension of the act to include, searches of business records that would assist in an probe underta ken to protect against international terrorism, and surveillance of lone wolves, individuals suspected of terrorist-related activities not linked to terrorist groups. (Borgeson, Valeri). This, eleven eld later is an act that is still perfectly in tact, and is still restricting our rights.It isnt the most invasive law, but it does cling over the heads of those who do business internationally and those who immigrated form other countries, because they are constantly under the threat of being watched and studied by the government. Since Americans have media coverage and restrictions that help to shape the idea of terrorism and the way we savvy terrorism and acts of violence, it is only logical to realize that the Iraqi people, have their own way of defining Terrorism in their country.It is important to realize, when analyzing their views, that the United States have been seen as a threatening force to them for the outgoing eleven years by imposing on their land and declaring warfar e on their reason leader and having our military staying within their civilian quarters. Though Iraq has been liberated for the past five years, American promenade were just recently sent home, and they are suffering from terrorist attacks against them from other outside forces as well.Most of those who practice the Islamic religion believe that warfare should only be used to suppress insurrection or to defend against imposing armies. They do not believe in starting wars, because the punishment is not in their hands, violence should only be used for protection. Yousuf Baadarani, a popular writer defending the Islamic culture, states in an interview with Asia times states, Since Islam forbids terrorism, than no terrorist could be labeled Islamic. He would have had to abandon the Islamic path to become a terrorist (Abedin).Jihad is only say to be used to protect the Islamic religion against those who attack it, not to create terror in those who do not practice Islam. This counter s a popular theory Americans have that all Muslims are destined to commit acts of terror and that they are instilling values that promote suicide bombings and murder of those who do not practice Islam. Al-Qaeda was born out of Osama stack away Ladens leftover defense force he collected together for the Saudi Kingdom, but it was rejected after they allowed US troops to use Saudi Arabia after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.Al-Qaeda means the nucleotide or the base. It is extremely problematical to find out the members of this organization and to visualize out who is rump certain attacks. The chain of command is extremely difficult to follow. It has one goal to hit the West wherever and whenever it can, in night club to further polarize the Muslim and Western worlds and effect an eventual success of the Islamists, who claim leadership over the Muslim world(Reuter).This terrorist group- and there is no debate from anyone as to whether or not they are a terrorist group- has affi liated too many suicide bombings and killings of innocent westerners to name. They are the group behind the infamous September 11 attacks, and are the ones who created all of the fear of terrorism in the United States. This group of people is founded on a basic principle hate for all Westerners, and the desire to completely sever ties between those who practice Islam and Westerners.This is not a group based on jehad the exception to the Islamic law against violence, which should only be allowed when defending the Islamic religion. It is simply a hate group against Westerners that wears a mask of religion. In conclusion, there is a lot that is not perceived correctly when it comes to the idea of terrorism. Every citizen of Iraq is not a terrorist, and neither is every member of the Muslim community. A select few extremists have ruined the reputation of a religion in the United States, with the help of the media and politics.I hope that every American citizen at some point realizes t he difference between the terrorist attacks of September 11, and the Iraqi family that walks down the street. It is important to me and our country that people see that most Muslims do not support al-Qaeda and that the group of extremists is not practicing their religion properly. I hope that people will start to realize the importance of acquire information from other sources than the popular media and that some will start to attend up more information on important domestic and international events.Most of all, I hope that I have been able to properly study viewpoints on terrorism in different parts of the world accurately. Bibliography Abedin, Mahan. Asia Times Online Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs. Asia Times Online Asian news hub providing the up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Asia. N. p. , 29 Dec. 2009. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. Arena, Michael P. , and Bruce A. Arrigo. The terrorist identity explaining the terrorist threat. New York New York University Press, 2006. Print. Baudrillard, Jean. The spirit of terrorism and requiem for the Twin Towers.London Verso, 2002. Print. Borgeson, Kevin , and Robin Valeri. Terrorism In America. Boston Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2009. Print. Moeller, Susan D.. Packaging terrorism co-opting the news for politics and profit. Chichester, U. K. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print. Reuter, Christoph. My life is a weapon a modern history of suicide bombing. Princeton, NJ Princeton University Press, 2004. Print. Various Definitions of Terrorism. Department of Emergency & Military Affairs (DEMA). DEMA, n. d. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.