Pluto Journals Policy Perspectives: This Content Downloaded From 35.154.245.7 On Sat, 04 Apr 2020 07:56:59 UTC
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Perspectives
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Terrorism and War against
Terrorism:
Some Fundamental Issues'
Khurshid Ahmad *
Abstract
[There is no standard, encompassing and universally acceptable definition of te
available so far. Terrorism is neither contemporary nor one-dimensional. It is an
phenomenon. Its forms vary, tactics dissimilar, and the underlying causes and the
outcomes catalytic toward earning it different names at different times. The h
evidence indicates that combating such acts with a tit-for-tat mindset are often sh
and rarely bear the desired fruits. The paradigm shift and the adjectives reshuffle
the sole prerogative of the super powers of their time. Extreme injustice, viol
abuse of power by the states, groups or even individuals involved in target killing
termed as heroics. Most just causes and resistance against tyranny and oppre
the contrary, can be treated as the acts of terror. The infliction of repressio
powerless by the powerful is bound to fail in addressing the scourge permanently.
'This paper was presented as part of the case study on terrorism in the 35th se
of Erice International Seminars on Planetary Emergencies, jointly organized by
Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture held in Italy during 18
- 22 may 2006.
* Senator Prof. Khurshid Ahmad is the founder Chair of the Institute of Policy
Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan as well as the Islamic Foundation, Leicester, UK. He
has served as the Member Senate of Pakistan for three terms: 1985-1991, 1991-
1997 and the current six-year term will end in 2012. He has authored or edited over
sixty publications. He is the recipient of the Islamic Development Bank Award on
Islamic Economics (1999) and King Faisal International Award (1990).
[1]
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Policy Perspectives
1 Though far from exhaustive, this list illustrates the immense variety in the nature
and context of terrorism in the world. Detailed and thorough research is essential to
understand how and why different people resort to violence in their quest for diverse
political objectives. Interesting material is available in Martha Crenshaw, ed.,
Terrorism in Context (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995); Walter Reich, ed.,
Origins of Terrorism: Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, States of Mind
(Washington: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1998); RG Frey, ed., Violence,
Terrorism, and Justice (Cambridge University Press, 1991); Harry Henderson, Global
Terrotism: The Complete Reference Guide Henderson (New York: Checkmark Books,
2Ö01); and David J Whitaker, ed., The Terrorism Reader, (London: Rutledge, 2001).
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Terrorism and War against Terrorism: Some Fundamental Issues
Schmid lists over one hundred different definitions of the term.2 The
UN General Assembly has not been able to arrive at a consensus definition
so far. While there is some general agreement "that all acts of deliberate
violence against innocent civilians and other non-combatants directed
towards achieving specific political objectives belong to the genre of
terrorism," there remain serious differences in respect of violent reactions
and resistant movements that emerge in situations where processes of
peaceful resolution of political conflicts are denied and people are forced to
struggle against repression, occupation or aggression. This is why people's
struggle against foreign occupation, even if violent, could not be bracketed
with terrorism in any consensus document.
Aggression against other states and nations (i.e., actions not covered
by the UN Charter) must also be treated as acts of state terrorism. Respect
for the UN Charter and the principles established by the Nuremberg Trials
define the cornerstone of legitimate state behavior. A high-level UN Panel
has, in 2004, warned against stretching Article 51 of the UN charter too far.
It affirms:
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Policy Perspectives
"If certain acts of violation of treaties are crimes, they are crimes
whether the United States does them or whether Germany does
them, and we are not prepared to lay down a rule of criminal conduct
against others which we would not be willing to have invoked against
us.. .We must never forget that the record on which we judge these
defendants is the record on which history will judge us tomorrow. To
pass these defendants a poisoned chalice is to put it to our own lips
as well."3
3. Another lesson that is not difficult to draw from history is that every
occurrence of terrorism has a limited life. While there have been episodes
of terrorism in all ages and all regions, they have ended at some point. This
means that terrorism is neither uncontainable nor uncontrollable. Every
expression of this phenomenon has to be understood in its socio-historical
context and appropriate strategies worked out to contain, control or
eliminate it. In the last analysis, in most cases, terrorism is the end-product
of the failure of the processes of crisis management and conflict resolution
in a society.
3 Quoted by Noam Chomsky in "A Just War? Hardly," Khaleej Times, reproduced in
The Daily Times (Lahore, May 10, 2006).
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Terrorism and War against Terrorism: Some Fundamental Issues
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Policy Perspectives
5 See Joseph EB Lumbard, ed., Islam, Fundamentalism and the Betrayal of Tradition,
(Indiana: World Wisdom, 2004). Serious reflection on issues raised in Chapter 6,
"The Economics of Terrorism: How Ben Laden is Changing the Rules of the Game,"
by Waleed El-Ansary (pp 191-236) is highly recommended.
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Terrorism and War against Terrorism: Some Fundamental Issues
6 Robert A Pape (2005). Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism. New
York: Random House. p4.
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Policy Perspectives
and "nation-building"? Has America won the confidence, love and respect of
the people of the world? Or has it caused an increase - even at an
explosive rate - in the discontent and hatred against America the world
over, and made the world on the whole a much more insecure place to live
in? It must be admitted that vast political landscapes that were peaceful
before the War against Terrorism have now been turned into fertile grounds
for the emergence of terrorisms: what was limited to a few orbits of
discontentment has been turned into a global phenomenon.
The effect is also felt within countries. Minorities in many parts of the
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Terrorism and War against Terrorism: Some Fundamental Issues
world are being subjected to greater state repression. The War against
Terrorism is being used by more than one country to suppress its own
people. Indeed, the real magnitude of the "collateral damages" of this "war"
is assuming menacing proportions.
In the wider context, all people of goodwill should realize that, in the
current phase of globalization, it is only through honest acceptance of each
other, respect for plurality of systems, religions and cultures, and safeguard
against all hegemonic and colonial adventures that real peace and security
can be established on the globe.
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Policy Perspectives
About the alleged clash between Islam and the West, Huntington
claims:
Huntington is only party right. Islam and the West do represent two
distinct civilizations. He is terribly wrong that the two must clash with a
view to overwhelm or annihilate each other. Clash is not the natural
demand of being different. Conflict and clash arise because the more
powerful believe and regard it as their right, an imperative, to use their
overwhelming power to impose their values and their rule over others. It is
this alleged "obligation to extend that culture throughout the world" that
gives rise to clash, not the mere fact of diversity and plurality. It is this
cultural terrorism that is at the root of the current crisis and confusion -
pushing mankind towards war, terrorisms and bloodshed. If genuine
plurality is accepted as the norm, then co-existence, cooperation and
healthy competition amongst civilizations could become the hallmark of
humanity. The operationalization of this vision - the paradigm of pluralism
and not hegemonism - can ensure a world order of peace and justice.
Then the clouds of a clash of civilizations may disappear, and the phantom
of terrorism laid to rest. Then only can the road to peace, security and
prosperity for all be successfully paved. Has the time not come to think
and strive for moving Beyond Terrorism ? Can mankind afford to ignore this
alternative?
10
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