Terrorism in all forms
Aug 11, 2011
The attacks in Oslo, Norway had all the hallmarks of an Al Qaeda operation in the early hours of the news reporting. The certainty of the massive bomb blast being a terrorist attack was clear but the subsequent shooting rampage of teenagers at a youth camp added a complicated factor. While the second prong of the attack cohered with operational practices of Al Qaeda, the abject shooting of teenagers did not. As analysts around the world were watching and waiting to learn the identity of the attackers, the rampage on the island left 69 teenagers dead. And the attacker emerged as a lone wolf, a Norwegian. This was a case of domestic terrorism. But what exactly is terrorism? There is no singular definition that every one agrees aptly covers the scope of terrorist activities. But terrorism is essentially about political power. Whether domestic or transnational, terrorists seek to change the political system that exists. The targeting of civilians is the tactical goal. Terrorism is about using the weapon of "terror" to move those in power, as well as the populace, in a direction that favors the aims of the terrorists. Those who utilize terrorism have relegated the usual means to change entrenched institutions to those who collaborate with the corrupt authorities. And in some parts of the world, there are few avenues to bring about political change. Terrorists often conclude that their actions, though reprehensible are the only viable path to affect change. Terrorism may include elements of protest and other factors, but it is fundamentally about political power. In the case of Norway, this was the rational of Anders Behring Breivik . But domestic terrorism is particularly injurious because the attack on the system also evidences a sector of society that is prone to violence against one's own countrymen and women. Domestic terrorism is a double shock. It injures the social psyche in a different manner than an attack from an outside entity. An outside enemy typically rallies the core populace against the threat. A threat from within is far more disturbing and unsettling. Norway will undergo a protracted period of self-examination. But if the response from the Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is any indication, Norway will not give the threat of terrorism the power to fundamentally alter the way of life that Norwegians value. This is a proper response and one that will not reward those who determine that the death of civilians is an effective means to bring about an alteration in direction of a nation.
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