I think the United States track record speaks for itself. We have given humanitarian aid to several countries through the years. Billions of dollars to rebuild countries with food, medicines, etc...

 

"Terrorist" countries can't say that. At least the U.S. seems compassionate at times. When we have attacked other countries, it's mostly been based on retallition.

Does attacks on civilian populations for "retaliation" make it any less terroristic? But lets forget about direct terrorism by the U.S. for the moment. What about our support of "rebels'" that perform terroristic acts?

Lots of good discussion.

 

I look at the Fire Bombing of Dresden as one of our blackest eyes.

 

Wholesale slaughter of Indian nations would be included. What about Sherman's "total war" run through Georgia to the sea? What about some of the Vietnamese tactics?

 

However, to me, the A Bomb was designed on the surface to break Japan. Problem for me was they could have done just as well by bombing something more military than Hiroshima.

 

I like what HHS said: A terrorist is your enemy and a soldier is your guy.

 

We do have a good record of rebuilding from WW II but that's not true with every war.

 

 

Terroism is, to me, the targeting of people and places with the intent of instilling fear, not military and strategic gain. It's also usually the effort of a group that is too weak to fight a traditional war.

In history, the winners get to tell the story. In politics, whoever has the taller soapbox and the louder megaphone gets to be right. What is terrorism? Depends on who you ask.

 

In my mind, Hatz has it right: terrorism is an act (or series of acts) designed and carried out with the aim of instilling fear in a population. Perhaps that fear will lead to their government doing something you want or act in a certain way. In the end, it is 100 percent designed with fear in mind. Whether it's the national landmarks attacked on 9/11 or subway stations by the IRA or the beheading of priests during the French Revolution... its all about fear.

So terrorism is when people from other countries do bad things to us.

Good point, HHSDad.

Definition of Terrorism

[source: Patterns of Global Terrorism. Washington: Dept. of State, 2001: vi]

No one definition of terrorism has gained universal acceptance. For the purposes of this report, however, we have chosen the definition of terrorism contained in Title 22 of the United States Code, Section 2656f(d). That statute contains the following definitions:

The term "terrorism" means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant (1) targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.

The term "international terrorism" means terrorism involving citizens or the territory of more than one country.

The term "terrorist group" means any group practicing, or that has significant subgroups that practice, international terrorism.

The U.S. Government has employed this definition of terrorism for statistical and analytical purposes since 1983.

Domestic terrorism is probably a more widespread phenomenon than international terrorism. Because international terrorism has a direct impact on U.S. interests, it is the primary focus of this report. However, the report also describes, but does not provide statistics on, significant developments in domestic terrorism.

No because it was in response to their attacking us first.

 

Monte Cassino, Wurzburg and Dresden.