Reference no: EM133783476 , Length: Words Count:400

Background:

When we attempt to define terrorism, it can be a very difficult task depending on a person's viewpoint or position in a given society. The meaning of terrorism changes within social and historical contexts. The term terrorism is a social construct-groups construct a framework around a concept, providing a definition through the meanings they attribute to the construct. The social context surrounding the term terrorism influences how it is defined - the historical, political, and criminological circumstances at a given point in time affect the way in which terrorism is defined. The definition can even become more complex in war zones when the media and politicians combine elements of al Qaeda and Taliban into one organization.

While there is no international standard definition for terrorism; however, the consensus definition involves that someone is terrorized and the meaning of the term is derived from the terrorists' targets and victims. Terrorism is a pejorative term, meaning that the term is laden with derogatory meanings and is misunderstood. If we look at the U.S. State Department's view of Hezbollah, the State Department has designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group whereas Jordan views Hezbollah as a legitimate militia.

The early history of terrorism shows that terrorism was used to maintain power or to overthrow those in power. Sicarii Zealots, a Jewish group, is an example of an early terrorist organization that was active during the Roman occupation of the Middle East in the first century. Their name came from the short dagger which they used to commit their murders, mostly against other Jews who were deemed traitors. The assassins were named Sicari (daggermen) by the Romans.

The modern understanding of terrorism originated from the French Revolution from 1789-1799. The term is used to describe the repressive actions of the French government against the masses. The meaning of terrorism soon transformed to refer to guerilla tactics in the Napoleonic wars. In a guerrilla war, guerrillas use terrorist tactics against their enemies and may terrorize enemies and their supporters into submission.

This provides us with a baseline of the understanding of terrorism and the historical context from which it came. It is an evolving concept that probably continue to change in the future dependent on political and social perceptions.

Question:

As you examine the terrorism paradigm, there are both domestic, international, and transnational elements, seeking to do harm to the United States and its citizenry. Identify which terroristic elements who believe to be the most dangerous to the United States and why? There are no wrong answers per se and consider this an opportunity to use critical thinking to address a very important homeland security issue.

Required:

• Post a substantive initial response (300 words minimum not including citations) to the initial discussion question.
• Each reply post must be a minimum of 100 words not including citations.