This is the first article to analyze a large sample of terrorist groups in terms of their policy effectiveness. It includes every foreign terrorist organization (FTO) designated by the U.S. Department of State since 2001. The key variable for FTO success is a tactical one: target selection. Terrorist groups whose attacks on civilian targets outnumber attacks on military targets do not tend to achieve their policy objectives, regardless of their nature. Contrary to the prevailing view that terrorism is an effective means of political coercion, the universe of cases suggests that, first, contemporary terrorist groups rarely achieve their policy objectives and, second, the poor success rate is inherent to the tactic of terrorism itself. The bulk of the article develops a theory for why countries are reluctant to make policy concessions when their civilian populations are the primary target.
Comments
Your not answering the question
November 17, 2006 by Anonymous, 3 years 6 days ago
Comment id: 15126
You may claim that acts of terrorism are effective to the extent of killing people, but the author, I think, ment that politically there is nothing to gain with terrorist attacks. Even though you may be a 100% right in your political views, attempting to achive change through terrorism is futile. If Jesus was a terrorist would you be a Christian? The answer is probably NO!
Terrorism just piss people off, it just strenghten the resolve of the victim. Especially if the victim is the western world! The west won't ever give in to terrorists, and thank God for that.
Terrorism on the other hand is a different way of waging war, and is difficult to fight.
Terrorist seldom wear uniforms, so identifying them is difficult, and they are willing to sacrifice themselves for the kill..... How do you fight that?
Yuri
PS my written english may have some mistakes because english is my second language
Why terrisom is effective.
November 1, 2006 by Anonymous, 3 years 3 weeks ago
Comment id: 15013
Obsession: Radical Islam War!
October 31, 2006 by Anonymous, 3 years 3 weeks ago
Comment id: 15004
http://www.obsessionthemovie.com/
Watch the report on what Steve Emerson has to say!!!!
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