The True Meaning of Terrorism

1. Introduction

The events of September 11, 2001 showed that there are different perspectives on what terrorism is. For some people, terrorism is the use of violence against innocent civilians for political purposes. For others, it is any act that causes fear or terror.

In his article, Sardar considers terrorism to include anyone who lives comfortably at the expense of others, everyone who makes the lives of others miserable and unbearable. He argues that the rich and powerful are the real terrorists and that the War on Terror is a War on the Poor.

The different narratives of “terrorism”

There are different narratives of “terrorism”. The first narrative is that of the Global War on Terror. This narrative was propagated by the US government after the 9/11 attacks. According to this narrative, terrorists are those who use violence to achieve their political goals. The US government used this narrative to justify its military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The second narrative is that of the global war on trade. This narrative was propagated by globalization critics such as Noam Chomsky and Naomi Klein. According to this narrative, terrorists are those who disrupt trade and economic activity. The US government used this narrative to justify its protectionist policies and its opposition to free trade agreements.

The third narrative is that of the war on structural adjustments. This narrative was propagated by development economists such as Joseph Stiglitz and Jeffrey Sachs. According to this narrative, terrorists are those who oppose economic reforms and support protectionism. The US government used this narrative to justify its support for economic reforms in developing countries.

The fourth narrative is that of the war on terror suspects. This narrative was propagated by human rights activists such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. According to this narrative, terrorists are those who are suspected of terrorist activities but have not been convicted in a court of law. The US government used this narrative to justify its detention of terror suspects without trial at Guantanamo Bay and its use of rendition and torture.

The fifth narrative is that of the war on innocent civilians. This narrative was propagated by civil society organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. According to this narrative, terrorists are those who kill innocent civilians in order to achieve their political goals. The US government used this narrative to justify its drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan.

The sixth narrative is that of the war on Muslims. This narrative was propagated by Islamic clerics such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Zaid Shakir. According to this narrative, terrorists are those who target Muslims because of their religion. The US government used this narrative to justify its policies towards Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

7. The real meaning of “terrorism”

The true meaning of “terrorism” is different from all of these narratives. Terrorism is not about the use of violence for political purposes. It is not about disrupting trade or economic activity. It is not about opposing economic reforms. It is not about detaining suspects without trial. It is not about killing innocent civilians. It is not about targeting Muslims.

The true meaning of terrorism is the systematic use of violence to achieve political, social or economic goals. This violence can be physical, psychological or emotional. It can be direct or indirect. It can be done by individuals, groups or governments.

Terrorism is often used to achieve objectives that cannot be achieved through peaceful means. It is often used to create fear and terror in a population. It is often used to force a government to change its policies.

8. Conclusion

Terrorism is a global problem that needs to be addressed by the international community. The different narratives of “terrorism” should be replaced by a single narrative that captures the true nature of this phenomenon.

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