Terrorism, are they winning?

[vizi]

ter⋅ror⋅ism [ter-uh-riz-uhm]
–noun
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.



As I sit here filling out paperwork for the local school district, so I can get on the payroll and receive payment for my services...I am signing an affidavit, really, stating that I am not a member of any terrorist groups. And that I have answered truthfully to six questions. If I answer yes or fail to answer know, I am testifying that I am in fact a terrorist or have knowingly aided a terrorist. And by signing the document, I must immediately report any terrorist activity to the US Department of the State. etc...etc...etc...etc...

So, who thinks the terrorists are not winning?

(Al-Hamali Sweets Bakeries, I have to stay away from them now...same with the Communist party of Nepal, the International Sikh Youth Federation and the Islamic Renewal and Reform Organization to name a few. My dreams of tasty sweet rolls! Shattered!)

[Watchman]

Skeptical about the "winning", but at least they've been very succesful in convincing the USA (and AFAIK the UK, albeit to a lesser degree) to act like a scared headless chicken and make life very onerous for its inhabitants.

Oh yeah, and create a "state security" pork-factory industry that swallows up incomprehensible amounts of money in return of regurgitating blatant alarmist nonsense.

[saglam2000]

Skeptical about the "winning", but at least they've been very succesful in convincing the USA (and AFAIK the UK, albeit to a lesser degree) to act like a scared headless chicken and make life very onerous for its inhabitants.

Oh yeah, and create a "state security" pork-factory industry that swallows up incomprehensible amounts of money in return of regurgitating blatant alarmist nonsense.

more of a scared, blind giant...that can deal a devastating blow to the terrorists if it hears them

also there isnt a way of saying who is really winning

[vizi]

It starts out small. A good revolution is patient. They wait. Allow the state to make life miserable for it's citizens. Builds sympathy for the revolution.

These documents just annoy the hell out of me...and now, before I would have to worry about the FBI, Local Police, State Police and NSA knocking down my door. Now I have to also worry about DHS...and whatever else they created to waste more money.

[Watchman]

:hmmm:...what revolution ?

[Captain Jin]

It starts out small. A good revolution is patient. They wait. Allow the state to make life miserable for it's citizens. Builds sympathy for the revolution.

Too bad life isn't miserable for our citizens. Not anywhere near, in fact.

[Bwaho]

first of all, who is this "terrorism"?

there is no ONE terrorist organization. There a vastly different terrorist organizations all over the world with different goals in mind. Not all terrorists are Muslim fundamentalists. Stop believing American news media propaganda that is oversimplifying everything for their dumb viewers.

[vizi]

I can give you the whole list...there are a ton of revolutions listed...I found the Bakery to be the best. You don't shop at Al-Hamali Bakeries do you?

[Watchman]

???

[Manco]

I presume with terrorists you mean Islamistic terrorist movements. (since terrorism itself is merely a tactic)

I'd say they are not winning, their goal is not to make Westerners feel unsafe or to make Western governments more authoritarian or paranoid. Their goal is - depending on the specific movement of course - driving out Western invaders, creating a strong political Islam, spreading Islam, defending it from perceived threats, ... and so on.
Those goals have not been reached, although in some cases they have made significant gains.
(as a caveat: if they have the complete destruction of the 'infidels' as goal, which only a few movements have, then these are of course victories aswell)

However I would say the Western world has had significant losses. Increased paranoia, xenophobia, increasing authoritarianism, loss of privacy and individual liberty's, a less tolerant mindset,... are all in contrast with the Humanist and Enlightenment ideals on which our 'liberal democracy's' were based.

[JP226]

of course they aren't winning. The problem is we give them too much credit. It's a bucnh of cavemen with rusted russian equipment. We all like to take the high road and pretend that the "bad guys" are big and bad but that's not the case. Their technological superiority is what? SOme cellphone scheme to delay us in finiding anything and everything about them no matter where on the face of the planet they are? Is terrorism winnin? Of course not, if they were we'd been hit several more times. Hell a nuke shoulda gone off by now. These aren't exactly "James Bond Villians." They are James Bond Villian's retarded brother.

[cottontail]

If their goal is to create the huge Islamic caliphate then, no, they are not winning. They've made it worse for them now.

[Musthavename]

The American system is really overboard.

I remember my Dad telling me of how a workmate went over to the US for something, so upon landing they asked him "Are you, or have ever been a member of a communist party?". For a joke he put Yes, and thus got kicked out. It begs the question though, why would any Terrorist admit it. It's a pointless question.

But no, no-ones winning. There's no-way of telling.

[Manco]

Wait, you can't go in the US as a communist? Something tells me your dad's friend was pulling your leg.

[Musthavename]

Nope, no joke.

Went around the workplace like wildfire. After all, it was a business trip!

[Serious Spamurai]

I think it's cute how worried some people look when a pakistani man gets on an underground train.

[Panzerbear]

of course terrorists are not winning. not even close. in fact, if not for US govt propaganda and media hype, we would have rarely even heard about terrorism.

you guys do realize that like x1000 more people die from being overweight than being killed in a terror attack?

[Babur]

of course terrorists are not winning. not even close. in fact, if not for US govt propaganda and media hype, we would have rarely even heard about terrorism.

you guys do realize that like x1000 more people die from being overweight than being killed in a terror attack?

And the Russians do a better job at killing people anyway

[Babur]

I think it's cute how worried some people look when a pakistani man gets on an underground train.

LOL yeah

But seriously if I saw you getting on an underground train with your keffiyeh I would myself

of course terrorists are not winning. not even close. in fact, if not for US govt propaganda and media hype, we would have rarely even heard about terrorism.

you guys do realize that like x1000 more people die from being overweight than being killed in a terror attack?

And the Russians do a better job at killing people anyway (through plenty of practice)

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

I see the same problem with the term 'terrorism'. As you pointed out in the OP this is merely a question of a definition.

use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.

If we accept these definition all those governments who use threat or physical coercion for political purposes are terrorist governments. And since all states use threat or physical coercion for political purposes (think of armies, prisons, government agencies) all states are terrorist states. (The welfare of the society, justice, social peace, self-defense are political purposes.)

From the governments' point of view terrorism is a question of outlawing those organizations who threaten their citizens / cross their interests. Problem: there are a vast number of terrorist organizations in the world (as Bwaho pointed out), including anarchist groups and other political groups that use violent methods to reach their goals, f.e. the Communist party of the Nepal. Why does the government have the right to restrict my political freedom stating that I can't be a member of this party?