Terrorism and Globalization

Defining Terrorism
• Globalization is not responsible for terrorism, but it
allows terrorism to exist on a global level
• Debatable Assumption
– Terrorism: Use of violence to reach political ends
• Weakest form of warfare = little change
• Debatable Assumption
– Realist – States have a monopoly on terror
» State Sponsor v Non-State Sponsor
• Palestine v Israel
• IRA v British
– Four Types
• Left-Wing
– Communist
• Right-Wing
– Fascism
• Ethno-nationalist/Separatist
– Decolonization
• Religious
– Islam
 Terrorism: Global Phenomenon
• Prior to 1968 Terrorism was a domestic/internal
problem for a state
– Three factors of transnational terrorism
• Expansion of Commercial Air Travel
– Hijackings skyrocketed
• Televised News Coverage
– Message to the masses or show public a threat
• Broad political and ideological interest
– Relationships of convenience
– Decade of Terror – 1980-90
• Decrease in deadly and indiscriminate targets
– Fall of Marx-Leninist terrorist groups decrease, while a rise in
militant Islamic terrorist groups
• Increase in sophistication of attacks
• Increase in use of suicide
 Globalization and Terror
• September 11, 2001
– A globalization terrorist event
– Who is Al Qaeda?
• Debate
– Multi-dimensional sub-state actor or extremist Islamic
Militant group
– Single group or global movement
– Three Explanations
• Cultural Explanation
– Backlash to western products and materialism
» Free Market Capitalism challenging traditional views
– Regain or preserve one culture/identity
» Western, Confucian, Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, Slavic-
Orthodox, and Latin
• Is there homogeneity in each classification?
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– Economic Explanation
• 9/11
– World Trade Center= attack on symbol of capitalism
– Western Economic Imperialism
» World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)
dominated by west
• Privatization and Interest Rates
• North-South Gap = winners/losers of globalization
– Wealth = security and violence
» Criminal v. Political violence
• Economic alienation and lack of opportunity = youth
suicide bombers
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– Religion Explanation
• Postmodern or “New” Terrorism
– Religious motivation for terror
» Promise of divine reward
» Attack on non-believers
– Jihad = reaction to oppression of Muslims?
» Extremist view of Jihad (No Compromise) differs from
historical/religious meaning (Compromise)
» More inclined to use suicide then economic/cultural
terrorist
• Few leaders, coordinators, planners make martyrs of
themselves
 Technology and Terrorism
• Terrorism have become more pervasive
worldwide due to the process and technologies
of globalization
• Improved terrorist in the following areas
– Proselytizing
» Cheap computers and Internet to convey or beliefs
• Greater volume, range, sophistication of message
» More difficult to remove virtual presence then physical
• Instant communication
• Video feed of accomplishments
– Coordination
» Communication technologies allow coordinated attacks
» Planning can take place between various cells located in
different geographical locations – local and global
• Internet/E-mail
• Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
• Global Fund Raising
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– Security
» Use technology for surveillance and counter-Surveillance
techniques
• Coordinating surveillance
• Allows mobility – can operate anywhere
• Encryption communications/documents
• Etc…
» Cell Terrorism
• Autonomous with little information on hierarchy or
other cells
– Mobility
» Reduction of size and power of hardware provided mobility
» Global Trade allows mobility of terrorist and their goods
• Relaxed control and regulation do to trade volume
– Lethality
» Fear = terrorist gain weapons of mass destruction
» Dirty Bombs, biological and chemical, etc…
 Combating Terrorism
• Requires collaboration from governments and
non-government organizations
– Difficult process today
• Disagreement on definition of terrorism
• Disagreement on who is a terrorist
• Disagreement on how to deal with terrorist
• Easy to silence messenger, but not the message
– Global Counter-Terrorism Network (GCTN)
• America’s “War on Terror”
– War on non-state organization and ideology seems impossible
to beat?
– Does war on terror create terror?
– Is it’s purpose to impose an Orwellian System?