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BOOK REVIEW

TERRORISM – ROOTS, IMPACT, RESPONSES

Lawrence Howard
New York, Praeger Publishers, One Madison Avenue, NY 10010
ISBN O – 275 – 94020 - 9

Terrorism has been throughout history and throughout the world. The use of terrorism by
factions against regimes is probably as old as the repressive terror of rules. The 20 th century
witnessed great changes in the use and practice of terrorism. With technological advancement, new
kinds of weapon and explosive are coming into the possession of terrorist groups. The entry of
criminals individually and criminal gangs, in all countries, has been changing the character from
politically motivated to criminally motivated terrorism. Today, the terrorists around the world are
operating on international linkage based on nationality, religion, race or political ideology. They are
financed, trained, equipped and inspired by agencies outside the countries of their operation. As a
result of international collaboration, the incidence of terrorism has grown alarmingly in recent years.
Hence, if not controlled and put to a halt, the issue is going to have serious implications at the
national, regional and international levels. To understand the dynamics of terrorism problems one
needs to look deeper to unravel the roots of origin, its impact and response. This title under review is
one scholarly attempt to do so. Praeger publication in New York published this book of Lawrence
Howard of United States of America. This book grew out of the proceedings of a lecture series on
terrorism sponsored by the Global Peace and Conflict Studies (GPACS) program at the University of
California, Irvine. The intention was to bring together some of the worlds most distinguished experts
on terrorism to share their insight and engage in dialogue with the university community on the vital
topic of personal and international security.

Lawrence Howard’s book provides a contemporary problem of terrorism with age old
dimension, the impact on various audiences and institutions, and to suggest response that they
believe should form the bases of public policy. Even from a superficial browsing, one can feel the
vigour of the author as a researcher. Ranging from 19 th century history, Middle Eastern culture,
political science and psychology-and the topics surveyed makes this collection both rich and timely.
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The book contains ten chapters. The first chapter argues that as early as the first century, the Jewish
Sicaril and Zealot movement employed it as one of their tactics in a protracted guerilla war against
the Romans. It was from the Middle East that the major impetus to the contemporary wave of
international terrorism arose in the late 1960s. About 20 percent of international terrorism originates in
the Meddle East. Another 15 percent of the total volume of international terrorism comes from the
spillover of guerilla wars being waged in the third world . An additional 15 percent of international
terrorism comes from ideologically and ethically motivated groups in Europe. The author argues that
several new threats loom on the horizon. He also sees a potential for terrorist violence on the part of
dissident student movement in Asia, South Korea and Burma – as well as among Chinese emigrants
from the Peoples Republic of China. Likely growing terrorist violence is also there in the former Soviet
Union. In addition to the issues mentioned, the author argues that there are a no of additional causes
which are not ideological conflicts or ethnic quarrels but very specific issues that have in recent
years manifested themselves in violence . This chapter also argues that three most popular
categories of terrorist targets are diplomatic facilities, airplane and business concern. However
hijacking, bombing, etc has become one of the most alarming trends of terrorism.

The next two chapters examine the historical relationship between insurgency, counter
insurgency and terrorism during Mexican independence. The characteristics and driving force in the
Middle Eastern terrorism, during the decade of warfare leading to national independence in Mexico,
author has examined that the independence war of Mexico presents an interesting case as insurgent
terrorism and state terrorism in the context of a war of national liberation. Mexico had a long tradition
of violence and rebellious that surfaced periodically and whipped an enraged province into resistance
against the Spanish regime. The Spanish regime in Mexico responded to rebellion and insurgency
with counterinsurgency system answered insurgent terrorism with terror of its own. In Mexico, the war
presented with the coupler problem of how to introduce effective counter insurgency. Mexican
Counter insurgency followed three stages of approach. The enormous size and ferocity of the
rebellions convinced commanders to adopt counter insurgency terror to crush the pro insurgents
sympathies and to break the morale of the moves of the population. The insurgent and
counterinsurgent terror evident early in the war of Mexican independence accomplished little more
then to harden attitudes and lengthen the conflict. The author argues that the royalist armies war on
the conventional battlefield could not crush the isolated focus of insurgency. Equally, the guerillas
were able to maintain an existence, but they did not possess the military power to win a definite
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victory. Although the use of spontaneous and planned terror on both sides declined towards the end
of the war and entrenched violence in the secreting. As an independent nation, Mexico embarked
upon a turbulent course. The author opines that the large number of terrorist act committed in or
emanating from the Middle Ease has given rise to speculation that there is an intimate connection
between Islam and little more than the exploitation of religion for political ends. The Palestine issue is
not the single most important stimulant of terrorism emanating from the Middle East, but the
expansionism of several states seeking to play a role out of proportion to their size and population.

Chapter 4 & 5 presents the magnitude and complexity of terrorist thinking, what psychology
can contribute understanding terrorism and the social and individual antecedent of becoming terrorist.
Howard insists three points should be remembered to understand the psychology of terrorism. One is
that the group performing the act of terrorism is more significant than the individual, Second is
important to the people who use terrorism to be able to justify what they do . The last is the stated
good of terrorism may not be what the perpetrators really want. The author rejects the easy inference
that the outcomes of an act of terrorism reveals the purpose behind it. Terrorism may be more petty,
more incremental and more erratic than we think. Chapter 5 explored the psychological and social
psychological antecedents of political terrorism. This chapter addressed the conditions that produce a
movement towards social and political change, the dynamics that turn such a movement to violence
and why has terrorism acquired unprecedented dimension in the last two decades. Theories of inter
group conflict and recent proposition about the social psychology of minority groups provide a
framework within which the condition that produce a movement towards social and political change.
The condition that lead to the rise of such groups, driven by ideology rather than by adversity, has yet
to be specified by social psychological and psychological theory.

Chapter 6 focuses on the terrorism and the media relationship, freedom of information VS
freedom from intimidation. The relationship between terrorism and media is quite special in nature. At
times the relationship tends to give an impression that both the counterpart harbor animosity. With the
revolutionary changes in the field of media world , the invisible curtain has now been removed . In the
democratic environment of governance, whether in Bangladesh or any part of the world, hardly
anything remains secret today. The author agrees that there can be three school of thought about
the relationship between the terrorism and the media. The media reduce uncertainty about acts of
violence . By informing about terrorism they prevent rumor and panic. In this perspective media
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coverage reduces the impact of terrorism. Secondly, terrorism existed long before. Today’s media
and that the mass media, are just one more modern commodity used by terrorists as well as by other
people. Finally the media inspire and encourage terrorism that they are the oxygen terrorist need to
stay alive.

Howard also tells that the relationship between terrorists and the media should not be
considered in isolation. It is part of a relationship between terrorists, victims, public, government and
media. Each party has its own agenda and when something happens each one tries to control the
event by steering the effects of it in direction which fits the open or hidden agenda of the protagonists
of the social drama. The author thinks that the victims of terrorism have an ambiguous relationship
with the media. Sometimes they are used with deadly consequences, but at the same time, their own
use of the media can enhance their chances of survival. However, there are minor problems for which
solutions can be found with some good will. The author can see three major problems. These are
agenda setting, contagion and intimidation. Agenda setting by the media and contagion of violence
through the media can result in intimidation from the media.

Chapter 7 & 8 present the preserving liberty in a society under seize together with terrorism
and guerilla warfare in the coming decades. The author carried out a case study on “Guildford Four”.
The Guildford episode is about coerced and drug induced confission, suppressed and fabricated
evidence, and of a society under siege rushing to judgment. But it is also a story about the media.
The author agrees that the dramatic episode is in many ways a natural experiment in miniature. It
permits us to observe close up, unintruded upon by laboratory conditions, and in great depth the
working of a society’s political and legal system under actual conditions. Howard believes that a free
people, given free access to ideas, will recognize truth over falsehood, then we have less to fear from
media access than from censorship. As the Guildford case was ultimately the belated triumph of
justice in a free society, so, too, it was the triumph of a free media.

Chapter 8 assess the implications of the trends of terrorism and guerilla warfare in
contemporary international conflict on low intensity conflict. The author agrees that the vast majority
of the globe’s terrorism is fueled by nationalism, irredentism, and religion rather than ideology. On the
contrary, as the bi-polar international order loosen and superpower influence deadness, regional
nationalistic and ethnic tension combined with intercommoned religious antagonism may erupt to
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produce even greater level of international terrorism. Author also agrees that terrorism’s assumes a
transcendental dimension and its perpetrators are unconstrained by the political, moral, or practical
constraints that affect other terrorism. The author suggest that the world will face a new are of conflict
that will necessitate rethinking as well as re-budgeting if we are to respond effectively to these
challenges.

Last two chapters examine the observations on the relationship of freedom and
terrorism, and whether European Community can have a concerted policy on terrorism. To do
so the author examined the relationship of state terror and the struggle for freedom; terrorism
and freedom in the world; terrorism in liberal democracies; and terrorism in the international
order. He argues that, a sort of aggrassive nationalism in the interwar period and the
nineteenth century was a source of great strife that plunged Europe into terrible wars. He
said, the Arab- Israeli problem has shown little sign of resolution. The tragic looms like a
shadow not only over the whole Middle East but also presents a danger to the stability and
peace of the world. The author agrees that in any truly operative liberal democracy must be a
totally illegitimate means of pursuing political ends. Chapter 10 chronicles whether European
community can develop a concerted policy on terrorism. The author agrees that the primary
causes of the bitter ethnic and ideological conflicts that spawn terrorism are political. It is not
enough to address legal procedures to staunch violence. The community should be urgently
and actively promoting measures of conflict prevention, conflict avoidance, and mediation in
troubled situations. Howard suggests that strengthening the rule of law for its own sake is
useless unless it is done in harness with efforts to enhance human rights.

This scholarly work highlights roots of terrorism, terrorist activities in their various
manifestation, such as, kidnapping, abductions, hijacking, hostage seizures, extortions, assassination
and bombing around the world. The book also highlights impact of terrorism on various audience and
institutions and suggests responses. Several scholars provided invaluable advice during various
stages of writing this book. The author agrees that every society, no matter how it is structured, is
entitled to protection from terrorism. A democratically elected government must uphold the rule of law
and strike a balance between the essential measures to protect the lives, the freedom from abduction

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and bombing, and the tranquility of the public, and the preservation of their civil liberties. On no
account, however, must the “right” of militant minority to kidnap and kill be given priority over the
“right” of majority to live in peace. Prevention depends primarily on government policy, in political
contexts, or on simple law enforcement, in non-political contexts.

The author is a prolific writer. He is well known to the readers for his over fifty books. His
contribution to bring together some of the world’s most distinguished experts on terrorism to share
their insight and engage in dialogue on this vital topic of personal and international security, is a
success. That way, this book is indeed a major contribution not only to the study of terrorism but also
to the study of terrorism in Middle East and European Community. Not only the data extremely rich,
but has taken great care to go for “Case Study“ to relate his findings in the light of media revolution.
Like most good books, present study leaves the reader with lots of new fresh ideas to be explored.

With this book, there is little question in fact that a new horizon of thinking has been turned in
the study of terrorism. Many wide spectrum of terrorism like contemporary problem with age old
dilemmas, historical relationship, Meddle Estern terrorisms, terrorisms and media, terrorism and
guerilla warfare in the coming decade, have a bearing on this topic, These connections are well
made. This book will go a long way towards helping the policy makers, scholars and anti terrorism
authorities to understand the issue to reinforce their work in eradicating the problem. Hopefully, his
collection, and findings will have profound influence on practical political reasoning for the American
and European public policy in the twenty first century.

However; one area where the book is lacking is in its rather sparse treatment of terrorists
danger as an emerging threat to national, regional and international security. It may be worthwhile to
note that while a consideration of the danger to security is certainly present, the protective measures
against terrorists threats have drawn scan attention. Many governments have come to regard
terrorism as a security problem. The possibility of terrorists having international linkage cannot be
overruled. The terrorists around the world are operating on international linkage. Many countries of
the world are now facing threats from a variety of terrorists. In military par lace such threats have
been defined as non traditional military threats. Often such terrorists carry out dangerous action and
thus compound the threats to security. Hence there is undoubtedly scope for further research based
upon its exploration.
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On a more minor note, the work suffers from lack of suggestions regarding training of security
forces to face future threats in the modern era. Many in the defense forces are concerned about
terrorism. Thus, in addition to the defined scope, an overview of the modern training to face future
terrorist threats could have helped the reader to understand the complexity of the terrorism from a
broader perspective.

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