What is a terrorist?

Answer 1

I could give you the textbook definition that basically says that terrorists are those who use violence, etc.. to terrorize whomever it is that they oppose. I good example of a true terrorist would be a bully at a school. The bully uses fear of ones weaker than he is in order to get whatever he wants.

Now pay close attention because this is where my definition of terrorism differs from most. I'll explain.

I actually see the USA as the terrorist and Al queda and the insurgents in Iraq as the victims of us that have decided to finally fight back in the only way they can. Like the bully example, the weaker kid can't take the bully head to head because he is stronger so in order to fight back he must become 'sneaky' etc...otherwise he must give up and let the bully continue to control his life.

Now before you get excited and say I am not a patriot or hate my country etc.. let me clarify that real quick: just because I see this truth does not mean I hate my country. It does not mean I agree with those trying to hurt us. It means that I see what is going on and want to fix/change it.

Many politicians and historians told Bush when he first started all this that he should instead be looking at what we did to make them hate us so much rather than use cowboy diplomacy to bully the world. He did not listen and now we are the brink of ww3.

If you listen to Bush, he says that the terrorist hate freedom and are Islamic Fascists. That is just something he made up to motivate the masses. Al Queda led by B.Laden spawned out of Afghanistan after a long war there against Russia. You see, we funded B.Laden in that war because we didn't want Russia to win. Then later we basically dropped B.Laden like a hot potato causing them a lot of despair after we were done using them.. there is a lot more but that is where their hatred for us came from.

Then you have the insurgents in Iraq. They are simply ppl trying to defend their country and their way of life from an occupation. Sure we may not agree with their way of life but wouldn't we do the same if the shoe was on the other foot?

Lastly you have Hezbollah and the Palestinians... this one goes deeper and farther back. This argument has no one side that is right and no one side that is wrong. This battle is all about who has the right to Jerusalem.

Now, if you examine each scenario I gave you, you see that what we are calling terrorist are those that do not have the military capabilities others have so in order to fight, they must resort to other means. Means much like our militia here used to defeat the British during the American Revolution. We could not take the British head to head on the battle field so we did what we had to do.

This is my opinion on terrorism. You may not agree but I do hope I helped you understand both sides.

Answer 2

A terrorist is a person or network who target civilians (non-military) with violent acts in order to stir up a sense of 'terror', which they hope will result in the ruling body/government acquiescing (caving) to whatever demands the "terrorists" want.

The difference between a "terrorist" and a "militant" or "freedom fighter" is not whether or not they agree with the U.S., as so many cynics like to say; it's whether those people are primarily targeting civilians or military targets. (I say "primarily" because there always will be civilian casualties, to some degree, in a war zone.)

Answer 3

the one who terrors the civallions is called a terrorist.

Answer 4

The most famous one lives in the white house from Mondays to Fridays, but spends the weekend at camp David..
does it ring a bell to u?

Answer 5

One person's terrorist can be another's freedom fighter, when they start murdering people to create terror their all no good.

Answer 6

If one uses the simple definition of one who inflicts terror, then the the nuns who taught me piano when I was 4 must be included.

Answer 7

Terrorism is the systematic use or threatened use of violence to intimidate a population or government and thereby effect political, religious, or ideological change.[1][2] Acts of terrorism are not intended to merely victimize or eliminate those who are killed, injured, or taken hostage, but rather to intimidate and influence the societies to which they belong. Modern terrorism has come to be defined in part by the influential power of the mass media, which terrorists co-opt in their efforts to amplify and broadcast feelings of intense fear and anger. As a type of unconventional warfare, terrorism is designed to weaken or supplant existing political landscapes through capitulation or acquiescence as opposed to subversion or direct military action.

"Terrorist attacks" are usually characterized as "indiscriminate," "targeting of civilians," or executed "with disregard for human life." The term "terrorism" is often used to assert that the political violence of an enemy is immoral, wanton, and unjustified. According to the definition of terrorism typically used by states, academics, counter-terrorism experts, and non-governmental organizations, "terrorists" are actors who don't belong to any recognized armed forces, or who don't adhere to the laws of war, and who are therefore regarded as "rogue actors"." Those accused of being "terrorists" rarely identify themselves as such, and instead typically use terms that refer to their ideological or ethnic struggle, such as: separatist, freedom fighter, liberator, revolutionary, vigilante, militant, paramilitary, guerrilla, rebel, jihadi or mujaheddin, or fedayeen.

Terrorism has been utilized by a broad array of organizations to further their objectives, including both right-wing and left-wing political parties, nationalistic and religious groups, revolutionaries, and ruling governments.

Good examples are the Bush administration and the Israeli government.

Answer 8

Terrorist are people who spread fear, like Bush telling the American people after 911 to "Be Afraid" and "we are no longer safe". What a awfully think to tell the people.

Answer 9

Hi Catty
I think bia bia and beach bum are 100% right in both their definition and examples.

Answer 10

Anyone who uses a civilian as hostage.