How Does It Work?

We had a block on terrorism in my Intro to Political Science class in Colorado. Unfortunately we don’t have a parallel course for two-year colleges in Texas—all we offer is American Government and Texas State/Local Government. That’s too bad.

The terrorism discussion was always enlightening for students and became even more so after 9/11. There’s a distinction between revolution and terrorism. Most folks aren’t aware of it or haven’t considered that there might be a difference. It’s critical to understand what is happening in the world to recognize it.

Revolution occurs when a significant faction is unhappy with the existing governmental structure. It is critical to have significant numbers for your revolution. Without that critical mass, you are simply a rabble in the streets, largely ignored and ineffective. With the leadership, the organization, the weaponry in hand, you can rise up to overthrow the oppressive regime. Lacking any of those components you are doomed to failure. The seeds of the revolution are usually sown by the government itself.

Terrorism, on the other hand, doesn’t have the numbers necessary to attack the structures of governmental power. These are small groups of extremely disaffected people. They might have motivation, leadership and weapons, but they don’t have the critical mass to make them effective against the powers of society represented by the government. They must do something else.

The tactics of terrorism are to strike at random. Strike viciously and without remorse against any target of opportunity. No one is immune to the threat. You don’t have to be in government service, working for a government entity, a member of the military, occupying a governmental building. You can be a soccer mom driving the SUV to the mall after a game and be killed when an IED blows up in front of Chuck E. Cheese. There is no rhyme, reason or pattern to the violence. In short order you are terrified.

The public then demands that their government perform the most basic function of a government, provide security. That mission is neither cheap nor easy. To make you secure the government will inevitably become intrusive and oppressive. Failure to act exacerbates the terror and the demands. Action to secure the society results in oppression and a rising resistance to government. Ideally, in the terrorists view, the response to the terrorism creates sympathy for the terrorists. “If we just understand them, they will leave us alone.”

There are two alternatives. We seek security by acceding to their demands, or we begin to express dissatisfaction with our government and its ability to protect us. Either one is a victory for the terrorists.

Read this:

We Will Be Visited Again

See the pattern in action there?

We will be hit again. It very probably might not be of the scale of 9/11. It could be a pattern of much smaller, more dispersed and more random attacks across the nation. Recognize where this leads and also that we simply aren’t ready for that.