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OnePersonsTerroristAnotherPersonsFreedomFighter?

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OnePersonsTerroristAnotherPersons
FreedomFighter?
MareikeOldemeinen,Jan132010
Thiscontentwaswrittenbyastudentandassessedaspartofauniversitydegree.EIRpublishesstudent
essays&dissertationstoallowourreaderstobroadentheirunderstandingofwhatispossiblewhen
answeringsimilarquestionsintheirownstudies.
OnePersonsTerroristisAnotherPersonsFreedomFighterDoesthisSimpleCharacterisation
HelpusgetClosertoaDefinitionofTerrorism?
Thesimplefactthatthereareoveronehundreddefinitionsofterrorismintheworldpointstothe
problemastohowterrorismistobedefined.Asaresult,terrorismissubjecttoalotofdebateandstudy
notonlyconcerningitsdefinitionbutalsoregardingitscausesandwaysofcombatingit.ZagrosMadjd
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SadjadiandDanielVencillhavecometotermswiththisdifficultybyaskingwhetherthereactuallycan
beatrueandcorrectdefinitionofterrorismanabstractconceptwithnorealpresence?[1]Ifonethen,
however,triestodefineterrorism,thecommonlyusedphraseonepersonsterroristisanotherpersons
freedomfighterwillprobablyspringtomind.Butthereareseveralquestionsthathavetobeaskedin
relationtothistruismandtheywillformthebasisofthisessay.Firstofall,ithasbeenarguedby
scholarslikeLeonardWeinbergthatthisclaimwouldbeaconfusionofthegoalwiththeactivity[2],
ratherthanaguidelinetowardsfindingauniversaldefinition.Also,therehavebeendebatesaboutthe
actualmeaningsofthewordsterroristandfreedomfighterandastohowfarthesecouldbeused
interchangeably.Ontheotherhand,thisworkwillpointoutthatalthoughmaybenotwhollyapplicable,
thetruismisusefulinsomerespect,asitdrawsattentiontoimportantissuesthathavetobeconsidered
whenattemptingtodefinetheconceptofterrorism.
Awidelyagreedproblemconcerningthephraseonepersonsterroristisanotherpersonsfreedom
fighteristheapparentconfusionbetweenendsandmeansthatitentails.Takingthischaracterisationfor
grantedwouldmeanthattheconceptofterrorismshouldprimarilybedefinedaccordingtoitsaimsand
notaccordingtothemeansusedtoachievethosegoals.However,whenlookingatcurrentdefinitionsof
terrorism,itbecomesapparentthattheyprimarilyfocusonthemotivationsoftheperpetratorsandthe
methodsused.LeonardWeinbergfurtherhighlightsthisbyclaimingthatterrorismisatacticandcan
hencebeusedforanumberofpurposes,beittofreeacountryfromoppressionortogeneratefear
(Weinberg,LeonardGlobalTerrorism,2009).Thus,itisnottheendthatjustifiesthemeansinthiscase,
butratheritisimportanttobaseanydefinitionofterrorismonthemeansemployedtoachievewhatever
goalitisthatagrouporindividualisfightingfor.
Anotherdifficultyarisesfromthelanguageitselfusedinonepersonsterroristisanotherpersons
freedomfighter.Although,asLouiseRichardsonsuggests,mostterroristsdontseethemselvesassuch,
butratherrefertothemselvesasfreedomfighters(Richardson,LouiseWhatTerroristsWant2006),it
is,bydefinition,notpossibletolabeloneandthesamepersonasaterroristandfreedomfighter.
ZagrosMadjdSadjadiandDanielVencillhaveelaboratedonthisproblembysayingthatfreedom
fightersuselegitimatemilitarymethodstoattacklegitimatepoliticaltargets.Theactionscanbe
legitimizedwhentheyhavesomepossibilityofwinningtheconflict.Terroristsfailtomeetthis
legitimacy[3]Thisemphasisesthatalthoughitispossiblefordifferentindividualsorstatesdohave
divergingopinionsonanyactofterrorismorfreedomfighting,thisdoesnotholdforthesearchfora
universaldefinitionofterrorismandhencethisgreatlyreducestheapplicabilityofonepersonsterrorist
isanotherpersonsfreedomfightertothisquest.FormerUSPresidentRonaldReaganseemedalsoto
suggestthatthisstatementhaslimitedapplicability,ashesaidatapressconferencein1986that
Thepeoplethatarecustomarilycalledfreedomfightersarefightingagainstorganizedmilitary
forces.[]Terrorists[]arepeoplewhodeliberatelychooseasatargettomurderandmaim
innocentpeoplewhohavenoinfluenceuponthethingsthattheythinkofastheirpoliticalgoals.[4]
Thisstatementalsohighlightstheotherproblemthatarisesifapersonislabelledasterroristand
freedomfighteratthesametime,andthatistheproblemofresponse.AsJessicaSternhaspointedout,
Howwedefineterrorismprofoundlyinfluenceshowwerespondtoit.[5]So,ifaterroristand
freedomfighteraredefinedasthesamepersonthatcouldimplythattheterroristmayescape
prosecutionunderthecoverofbeingcalledafreedomfighter,fightingforajustcause.Hence,overallit
hasbeenshownthatthecharacterisationonepersonsterroristisanotherpersonsfreedomfighterisnot
onlyaconfusionoftheendsandmeansofanyaction,butalsoacontradictioninitself,asittriestoapply
tocompletelydifferenttermstooneindividual.
Atthesametime,however,itispreciselythiscontradictionthat,althoughitmightnothelpassuchto
findadefinitionofterrorism,stillservesavitalpurpose:thatofdrawingattentiontothefactthatwhen
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searchingforadefinition,itisimportanttoincludeadistinctionbetweenlegitimatefreedomfightingand
illegitimateactsofterrorism.YasserArafatinhisspeechattheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyin
November1974hasunderlinedtheimportanceofincludingsuchadistinctionwhenhearguedthatThe
differencebetweentherevolutionaryandtheterroristliesinthereasonforwhicheachfights.For
whoeverstandsbyajustcauseandfightsforthefreedomandliberationofhisland[]cannotpossibly
becalledterrorist[6]Interpretedinthisway,thestatementonepersonsterroristisanotherpersons
freedomfighteralsopointstothedifferencesamongpoliticalculturesandreligionsthathavetobetaken
intoaccountwhendefiningterrorism.RikCoolsaethaspointedoutherethatAPalestiniansuicide
bombingattackwillbeconsideredanactofterrorinIsraelwhereasitwillbehailedasanactofheroism
inalargepartoftheArabworld.[7]Thus,thisstatementshowsthatalthoughthetruismisnotvery
usefulwhenactuallydefiningtheconceptofterrorism,itcontributestothethoughtprocessthatprecedes
this.
Ontheonehand,ithasnowbeenshownthat,ingeneral,Tosuggestthatfreedomfighterisan
alternativetoterrorististoconfuseendsandmeans[8]andthatdefiningterrorismisprimarilyabout
themeansusedtoachieveanykindofgoal.Ontheotherhand,ashasbeenpointedout,thestatementthat
onepersonsterroristisanotherpersonsfreedomfighterisnotwhollyuseless.Itservestheimportant
purposeofdrawingattentiontotwoissuesthathavetobeincorporatedwhentryingtodefinetheconcept
ofterrorism.Forone,itisvitaltoincludesomeformofdistinctionbetweenterroristsandfreedom
fightersandmaybeeventoincludesomeformofdefinitionforsomethingthatcouldbecalledjustifiable
terrorism.Furthermore,wheninterpretedasaconflictbetweendifferentviewpointsandopinions,the
truismpointstotheneedofanappreciationofpolitical,culturalandreligiousdifferencesamongstates
regardingtheinterpretationofterrorismandhencetheneedforincorporationofthisintoauniversal
definitionofterrorism.
Firstofall,whentryingtofindauniversaldefinitionofterrorism,itisusefultolookatexisting
definitionsfromdifferentpolitical,culturalandreligiousbackgroundsinordertogetabroaderpictureof
thecurrentmeaningandusageoftheword.Thisissomethingthatthephraseofonepersonsterroristis
anotherpersonsfreedomfightercanbesaidtoreferto,asthecontradictionofsomeonebeinga
terroristtoonepersonandafreedomfightertoanotherpointstotheobviousdifferencesinopinions
andperceptionsofoneandthesameact,individualorgroup.LouiseRichardsonhasidentifiedsevenof
thesecommoncharacteristicswhichmostmodernofficialdefinitionsofterrorismshare:ithastobe
politicallyinspireditmustbeinvolvingviolenceorthethreatofviolenceitisintendedtocommunicate
amessagetheactandthevictimcarrysymbolicsignificanceitis(usually)committedbyasubstate
actorthevictimoftheviolenceandtheaudienceatwhichthemessageisdirectedarenotthesameand
terrorisminvolvesthedeliberatetargetingofcivilians(Richardson,LouiseWhatTerroristsWant2006).
However,whenthentryingtodeductacommon,universaldefinitionfromthis,thoseinchargeofthis
taskhavetobecarefulnottoarriveatadefinitionbasedon(current)ordinarylanguage[9]andonehas
tobecarefulastowhatoneistryingtolabelorachievebyauniversaldefinitionofterrorism.
AsGusMartinpointsout,Establishingformaldefinitionscan,ofcourse,becomplicatedbythe
perspectivesoftheparticipantsinaterroristincident,whoinstinctivelydifferentiatefreedomfighters
fromterrorists,regardlessofformaldefinitionsandhence,particularattentionmustbepaidnottofall
intothispatternwhenformallydefiningterrorism.Thus,ashasbeenshown,fortheactualprocessof
findingadefinition,thetruismonepersonsterroristisanotherpersonsfreedomfighterisnotvery
useful,asitmirrorsonlythesubjectiveunderstandingoftheindividualsinvolvedandrepresentsa
confusionofendsandmeans.Whendefiningterrorism,thisshouldbebasedonthemeansthatanactor
usesinordertoachieveanygoalbeittheliberationofhiscountryorsomeotherpoliticalorreligious
aim.Ithasalsobeendemonstrated,thatbydefinition,anyact,individualorgroupcannotbeaterrorist
andafreedomfighteratthesametime,asfreedomfighters,accordingtoformerUSPresidentReagan,
arefightingagainstorganizedmilitaryforces[10]whoareinsomewayrelatedtotheaudiencetheyre
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tryingtoreach,whereasterroristsaresaidtochoosetheirvictimsatrandomandhencethevictimandthe
audienceareoftennotrelated.However,ithasalsobeenshownthat,althoughthecharacterisationone
personsterroristisanotherpersonsfreedomfightermightnotbeusefulintheactualprocessoffinding
andestablishingadefinitionofterrorism,itneverthelessdoeshavesomeimportanceinsofarasthatit
pointstoimportantconsiderationsthathavetobemadebeforeformallydefiningterrorism.Thefirsthere
isthatthereisaneedforacleardistinctionbetweenterroristsandfreedomfightersinthedefinitionand
maybeeventheinclusionofsomethingresemblingadefinitionforjustifiableterrorism.Secondly,the
truismhighlightsthepolitical,culturalandreligiousdifferencesinunderstandingoftheconceptof
terrorismthatdoexistandthathavetobeaccountedforinanyformal,universaldefinitionofterrorism.
Thus,overall,thesimplecharacterisationonepersonsterroristisanotherpersonsfreedomfighterdoes
notassuchhelpusgetclosertoadefinitionofterrorism,butitdoesemphasisesomeimportantconcerns
thatmustnotbemissedinanyattemptatdefiningtheissue.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Literature
1. Baylis,JohnWirtz,JamesGray,ColinS.andCohen,EliotStrategyintheContemporaryWorld,
2ndeditionOxfordUniversityPress(2007)
2. Burns,VincentandPeterson,KateDempseyTerrorismADocumentaryandReferenceGuide
GreenwoodPress(2005)
3. Coolsaet,RikAlQaedaTheMyth,TheRootCausesofInternationalTerrorismandHowto
TackleThemAcademiaPress(2005)
4. Martin,GusUnderstandingTerrorismChallenges,Perspectives,andIssuesSagePublications
(2003)
5. Richardson,LouiseWhatTerroristsWant:Understandingtheenemy,containingthethreat
RandomHouse(2006)
6. Stern,JessicaTheUltimateTerroristsHarvardUniversityPress(2000
7. Weinberg,LeonardGlobalTerrorismTheRosenPublishingGroup(2009)
Journals
1. MadjdSadjadi,ZagrosandVencill,C.DanielOntheProblematicDefinitionofTerrorism
JournalofDiplomaticLanguageVol.2,No.1(2005)pp.6680
2. Teichmann,JennyHowtodefineTerrorismPhilosophyVol.64,No.250(Oct.1989)
pp.505517
3. Turk,AustinT.SocialDynamicsofTerrorismAnnalsoftheAmericanAcademyofPolitical
andSocialScienceVol.463,InternationalTerrorism(Sep.1982)pp.119128
OnlineResources
1. McCormack,WayneandBreinholt,JeffreyDefiningTerrorism:PerfectionasEnemyofthe
Possiblehttp://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.141/pub_detail.asp(lastaccessedon
05.12.2009)InternationalAssessmentandStrategyCenter(17thJanuary2007)
2. Arafat,Yasser(November13,1974)http://mideastweb.org/Arafat_at_un.htm(lastaccessedon
05.12.2009)
[1]MadjdSadjadi,ZagrosandVencill,C.DanielOntheProblematicDefinitionofTerrorism
JournalofDiplomaticLanguageVol.2,No.1(2005)p.67
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[2]Weinberg,LeonardGlobalTerrorismTheRosenPublishingGroup(2009)p.8
[3]MadjdSadjadi,ZagrosandVencill,C.DanielOntheProblematicDefinitionofTerrorism
JournalofDiplomaticLanguageVol.2,No.1(2005)p.68
[4]Burns,VincentandPeterson,KateDempseyTerrorismADocumentaryandReferenceGuide
GreenwoodPress(2005)p.4
[5]Stern,JessicaTheUltimateTerroristsHarvardUniversityPress(2000)p.12
[6]Arafat,Yasser(November13,1974)http://mideastweb.org/Arafat_at_un.htm(lastaccessedon
05.12.2009)
[7]Coolsaet,RikAlQaedaTheMyth,TheRootCausesofInternationalTerrorismandHowtoTackle
ThemAcademiaPress(2005)p.11
[8]Richardson,LouiseWhatTerroristsWant:Understandingtheenemy,containingthethreat
RandomHouse(2006)p.26
[9]Teichmann,JennyHowtodefineTerrorismPhilosophyVol.64,No.250(Oct.1989)p.505
[10]Burns,VincentandPeterson,KateDempseyTerrorismADocumentaryandReferenceGuide
GreenwoodPress(2005)p.4

Writtenby:MareikeOldemeinen
Writtenfor:ProfAndrewWilliams
Writtenat:UniversityofStAndrews
Date:2009

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salyne 6monthsago

veryphilosophical

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Andperhapsyouarerightthatthereisstill
someconfusionleftinmyexplanation.

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