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March 2007                                                                            Volume 12 - Number 3

Perspectives...

A View on Terrorism
By: Tracy Krauss

My view of terrorism has changed over the years.  I think growing up in the United States, we feel sheltered and safe from the turmoil overseas; naïve, maybe, thinking that I nor my friends or family would ever be affected by terrorism.  Of course, the events of September 11th made most of us realize that terrorism is reality here, an ocean away from enemies we barely realized we had. Even now, though, I still see terrorists as those radical Islamists—masked figures with warped ideologies. In other words, it is still an enemy to be fought over there.  

While there are many definitions of terrorism, one seems to be the most apt: “All criminal acts directed against a State and intended or calculated to create a state of terror in the minds of particular persons or a group of persons or the general public".  Through studies here at George Washington University and long debates with my husband, I have come to believe that any act of violence toward an organization or nation when not at war is an act of terrorism.

The realization became clearer when my husband asked me simple questions.  If we (the United States) bombed another country’s government, embassy, manufacturing buildings, or railways could this be considered terrorism? My initial response was yes, but what if we did it because in our eyes we were protecting ourselves against what we perceived to be threats against or nation.  It seems almost justified based on the beliefs of our nation.
When we reverse the situation and someone bombs or attacks the United States or our allies whether it be a bus, plane, buildings or a government target we perceive it to be an act of terrorism. What if the one’s attacking are standing up for their beliefs? Is the United States committing acts of terrorism? Any acts of violence, then would be acts of war. The term acts of war and terrorism seem to almost mirror each other.

I am like so many people I know are naïve enough to believe that that someday it will end on all fronts.  I want to believe that my children will not have to worry about traveling to other countries.