What possess someone to become a terrorist?

Answer 1

I don't think any of what we call terrorists consider themselves 'terrorists'. I don't think they would define themselves as the 'bad guys', but more believe in what they are doing. -And believe it's right. You've probably heard several different versions of the term "Freedom Fighter" since the Iraq situation first started. Everyone's got their own agenda. Their own beliefs. Their own points of view.

Answer 2

'Terrorist' is a ridiculous word for a start. It's deliberately emotive and inflammatory word that politicians love to use to spike the fear vote. And our news networks, with a shared interest in the same kind of scaremongering, love to oblige. I in no way condone some of the acts of violence the world has seen in recent years, but nor is any of this black and white. There are legitimate issues with US and others foreign policy, legitimate issues with exported consumerism, all kinds of stuff. None of this is simple yet we have this need to develop a simple vocabulary and describe these people as 'evil', 'enemies of freedom' and stupid expressions like that, because the easiest route is to pigeonhole things we can't wrap our heads around.

If you want to know what possesses someone to become a 'terrorist' - well the answer will be different for every person. There are many groups out there attached to many different causes, all over the world, with memberships ranging from rich to poor, educated to uneducated. There isn't a single answer, each of these people have a full life story that brought them to the point in their lives where they decided to take such extreme action. It'd be nice if it was quick and easy to explain, but we can't expect it to work like that. We can start by recognizing that the world is complicated, and we can start rejecting the dumbed down salesmans vocabulary our politicians repeat and repeat, until we think they're our own thoughts.

Answer 3

Depends on how you define terrorist and who is doing the defining. The early colonists who fought for American independence were classified as terrorists by the English but called freedom fighters by the French. From about 1946 to 1956 many acts we would call terrorism, including random bombings of civilians, were committed by Jewish terrorist organizations like the Irgun fighting for the independence of Israel. One of the most hunted of these was a man named Menachem Begin, who later would become Prime Minister and win the Nobel Peace Prize. He was, as a young terrorist, on Interpol's most wanted list and was believed to be the mastermind behind the bombing of the King David hotel in 1946 (among many other acts of terrorism).

Right now the reason that the Israelis are so hated by the Palestinians is exactly the same reason so many Native Americans hated and hunted Americans 150 years ago. The Israelis occupy land that was stolen from it's original owners. Of course the Israelis that live there now were born and raised there, just as most Americans are native to the places they now live. But, just as some Native American descendants are still a bit miffed over what they still see as blatant theft so many Palestinians feel the same way. Other Arab nations, naturally, tend to side with the Palestinians rather than the Israelis because they see them as interlopers and invaders.

Answer 4

Being faced with an enemy whose force is much greater than their own. How can anyone fight the U.S.? Many diplomatic struggles come to war, why do we get so angry when we lose 3,000 lives. The U.S. has caused far more destruction, we have violated human rights we have been responsible for slaughters of innocent people, you can research the examples yourself. Why do we lead this campaign of hate, terrorists are retaliating against the U.S.'s imperial war mongering from the past. Sure the people of 9/11 did nothing to deserve what they got, but neither do the civilians who die from our bombing campaigns. The only way one can fight a superpower like the U.S. are with tactics we call cowardly, its just a matter of survival, they fight for what they believe in, what belief are we fighting for? freedom? human rights?

Answer 5

Only one answer even came close. People who live in a tribal atmosphere are trained to act as they are told by custom. They don't think, they don't wonder, they don't imagine, they just do what there told to do and when there asked to end their lives by suicide, we with our indifference support such mindless actions. One of the ways that this mindlessness can be combated is by identifying every person we allow into our country with on the spot personality tests and having systems to handle the threats, active. It is possible, but is it ecconomically feasible? Is a free Iraq feasible?

Answer 6

Mental instability. Narrow-minded environments. Limited education. Low self-esteem. Bizarre religious convictions. Lack of regard of life. Naive about the virgins upon death. Misunderstanding of what makes a man a man. Etc.

Answer 7

Lots of factors, including developing and holding extreme political ideologies, peer pressure (if you have friends in radical groups), and disdain for an enemy nation's foreign policy. The prospect of having 72 virgins probably sealed the deal, as not even I have broken in that many virgins (yet).

Answer 8

My guess would be desperation - mixed with a lack of concern for civilian lives. They don't have the military strength to accomplish their political goals via a regular war, so they strike out at "the enemy" the only way they know how.

Answer 9

hatred and the need for revenge. usually people become terrorists because of soemthing traumatizing in their childhood. whether it was bullying, or something, when they grow up they would want to get revenge and kill people similar to those who hurt him/her. but they really don't realize that by hurting and killing others, it won't help their own suffering go away. terrorists are blind.

Answer 10

from what i have read or been told they start out when these people are children and they are raised with this hate everyday..
Granted its not right to hate anyone and we could all learn from each culture but its just not how they do it..sadly i dont even know if they know any different because it is put into them so strong..I am thankful for our freedom over here and that we are allowed to be who we are...