Why Are Terrorists Always Called "Cowards" In The Media?

Question

I have mixed feelings about this. A coward implies a weak person who is easily intimidated and doesn't fight back. Terrorists seem to do the opposite; they are not intimidated because if they were they would not be planning and doing their attacks and they do indeed fight back instead of sitting in a corner.

What terrorists do might be considered immoral and brutal but I don't think "cowards" are the right name to use for them.

Answer 1

I think they are referring to the terrorists tactics: refusing to fight face to face, refusing to wear a uniform so they can be distinguished from civilians, refusing to abide by the geneva convention rules for war, and engaging in sneak attacks, rather than "on the battlefield" confrontation.

I understand your point, they'd be annihilated if they tried to take us on in a conventional way...so at least they are fighting.

Answer 2

Coward is the correct term in so many ways. Terrorists could be fighting against the government in their own country not blowing up people in others.

Most insurgents who are say fighting against the US in Irag are not Iraqis. Sure there are some that are indiginous but some other country will control them.

Look at it this way. The Irish had guerrila warfare against England for years. Bombs were places but it was not some fanatic who was willing to die. A vest means unpredicatble and even if a deal is made it won't be honored because there will always be another fanatic.

In Ireland for the most part they went after military and police. There were many cases were the IRA called the police station or whatnot and said you have minutes to clear out...... place is blown, little loss of life and the point is made.

What really stopped all of the violence in Ireland is when a child was killed and people rallied in the streets on both sides.

Real people do what they have to do but the western world says...... no harm to family.

Answer 3

I agree. ruthless they may be, but not cowards. the media simply calls them that because it gives us the moral high ground... something we would have anyway but the more evil they seem the better the stations ratings

Answer 4

you are right,they are not cowards.Just plain brain washed and fu*cking STUPID ! pay attention to my answer ahmed....

Answer 5

If you think of a terrorist as harming others behind a mask or some other form of disguise, it certainly feels like they're cowards who dont seem to have the guts to act outright. Most terrorists also pick on children and other people who dont have a chance to defend themselves. That sounds pretty cowardly to me too. It doesnt really matter what you call a terrorist-they're evil.

Answer 6

Bill Maher got into a lot of trouble for pointing out this same thing with regard to the 9/11 terrorists.

The reason we usually consider it cowardly to make a sneak attack is because the attacker avoids facing the consequences. But the people who participated in those terrorist attacks paid the ultimate consequence.

In truth, notions of "cowardice" and "bravery" are entirely irrelevant when we contemplate the horrors of terrorism. To call a terrorist "cowardly" is to substitute testosterone for morality.

There's a very good article discussing this here:
http://www.slate.com/id/1008268

Answer 7

In Western culture, a coward can mean a person who refuses to fight fair and hurts weaker people in the process. Walking into a markeplace full of women and children and blowing yourself up is not fighting fair. If a person chooses to fight weaker people because they know it's easier to win the bodycount, then he is being a coward.

Answer 8

The US tries to make themselves feel better and courageous so they slap that term on terrorists. If they didn't say that, Americans would feel inferior. Terrorists are probably the complete opposite of cowards. I am totally against radical terrorists, but I think everybody knows that they are far from cowards.

Answer 9

A coward is someone who hides amongst the women and children and uses them as human shields.

Answer 10

I think they are cowards for killing innocent women, children, people of other races. Kill a person for no good reason, who cannot defend himself, and you are rightly labeled a coward.