Thursday, March 15, 2007

"Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism"

Pape, Robert A. "The Strategic Logic Of Suicide Terrorism." American
Political Science Review
97.3(Aug. 2003): 343-361.

(pg. 344) "For states, air power and economic sanctions are often
the preferred coercive tools.For terrorist groups, suicide attacks
are becoming the coercive instrument of choice."
in my own words: i'm still trying to figure out right now if i can
work it that a coercive government is governing by example. so if
the government is using coercive action, terrorist groups see that
and use their own coercion. a repressive government is sometimes
coercive, so in a country with a government as such, i would expect
to see to see more violent terrorist groups.

(pg. 344) "Groups using suicide terrorism consistently announce
specific political goals and stop suicide attacks when those goals
have been fully or partially achieved."
in my own words: Although suicide terrorist groups are extreme,
they are not that different from "regular" terrorist groups, or
those that do not use suicide attacks. Terrorist groups announce
their decidedly political goals. If the goals are met, obviously, they
will have nothing left to fight for and they will stop fighting.
Likewise, if a government doesn't listen to their wants and needs (as
is typical of a repressive/authoritarian regime), they will continue
to attack and increase the intensity of attacks until the government
gives them some sort of solution. So, in a democratic nation, where
the government is responsive to what the people have to say, terrorist
groups would not be forced to take such dramatic actions and become
violent because their needs will be met, or at least the group will be
heard and compromised with. In a government that is less politically open,
solutions are unlikely to be met, so terrorist groups will keep attacking.
Political violence will rise.

(pg. 345) "Demonstrative terrorism is directed mainly at gaining publicity."
in my own words: terrorists commit violent acts to get attention.
they have learned that violence will always get media attention, and
with media attention comes followers (pape) and with more followers comes
more power. a repressive government doesn't allow the freedom of speech, and
in nations that are more closed politically, the media aren't allowed to
cover incidents from an unbiased point of view. also, groups may not be
able to pass out fliers or pamphlets in at attempt to gain followers. so,
because these groups have no way to get their word out there legally and
peacefully they must resort to violence that is large and (no pun intended)
explosive, so big that it will be hard to miss. in a more politically open
nation, where all viewpoints are at least allowed, these groups would be
able to pass out brochures to people, hold rallies, write in to newspapers,
etc., without having to resort to dramatic, violent means.


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