How Terrorism Stops Terrorism
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in In The News, The War On TerrorismThe Basque separatist group ETA has declared a permanent cease fire. Although it’s always hard to trust a terrorist group, ETA is apparently serious about giving up terrorism as a tactic.
Along with the IRA’s recent decision to surrender all their weapons, it appears the war on terror is going splendidly�at least with regard to the subset of Western European separatist terrorism.
Of course, the war on terror has never been focused on anything except Islamic extremist terrorism. Which is why it’s interesting to note that the Islamic extremists have something to do with the moderation of the IRA and ETA. Why? Well, as Ann Althouse remarked: “So great is the ugliness of Islamic extremist terrorism that it has destroyed the charm of terrorism to those who once believed in it.�
I would add that the horror of Islamic terrorism has also prompted many governments to crack down on the domestic terrorist groups in their midst. Plus the IRA was winding down even before 9/11. But I will certainly agree that the outrageously brutal attacks across the world and in Madrid and London in particular have clearly exposed terrorism for what it has always been: an unforgivably inhuman tactic.
When a group like the IRA or ETA is only murdering a few civilians and officials every year, it’s easy for them and their supporters to view such barbarism as the necessary deeds of freedom fighters. Such low-grade terrorism is simply not dramatic enough to horrify the masses But when Islamic extremists go out and use the same tactics to commit wholesale slaughter, it becomes very difficult to explain how the less deadly terrorism of ETA or the IRA is different in anything but degree.
Simply put, the societal revulsion towards terrorism has made the tactic useless to ETA and the IRA. Any attack would only stiffen opposition and increase the likelihood of harsh retaliation.
This phenomenon isn’t even unique to Europe. The Jordanians, if you remember, were enraged over the al Qaeda attack that killed many in a Jordanian wedding party. But Islamic terrorism is unfortunately much more brutal, much more widespread and possessing of much grander (and darker) goals than either the IRA or ETA. Negative public opinion will simply not be enough to get al Qaeda and others to stop their attacks.
Still, it’s good to see that at least some terrorist groups are forgoing their violent ways. And it’s important to note that terrorists have a very difficult time operating in a society that has zero tolerance for terrorism.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 22nd, 2006 and is filed under In The News, The War On Terrorism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
March 22nd, 2006 at 8:43 pm
In the specific case of Spain, the fact that the Basques and other Spaniards now share a common, mortal enemy with designs on reconquering their territory (Spain, aka al-Andalus, was Muslim-ruled for several centuries, and both al Qaeda and Hamas have called for its re-reconquest along with other formerly Muslim lands.)
March 22nd, 2006 at 8:45 pm
Whoops, didn’t quite finish that thought. As I was saying, the fact that the Basques and other Spaniards now share a common enemy probably has a little bit to do with ETA’s change of heart.
March 23rd, 2006 at 8:49 am
Tony Blairs made the distinction that the issue with Al Queda is not a war between civilizations but a war about civilizations. The IRA and ETA are civilized groups aiming for independence. They have almost identical values as the people they were fighting. The Islam terrorists are trying to destroy our culture.