Terrorism Future

Terrorism The Future of Terrorism

Introduction to Terrorism Future

Terrorism has existed for at least 2,000 years and is likely to remain a fixture on political agendas, both domestic and international, for years to come. Terrorism provides a means by which the weak can confront much stronger opponents. It therefore has an enduring appeal to the alienated and the disenfranchised, the aggrieved and vengeful, the powerless and the would-be powerful. In addition, it is relatively inexpensive to conduct while offering a vast potential payoff: the ability to evoke fear and alarm and inflict pain and suffering in the hope of compelling agreement to demands made.

Terrorism, moreover, is evolving constantly to overcome governmental countermeasures designed to defeat it. Terrorism thus involves an ongoing search for new targets and unidentified vulnerabilities in its opponents. This quest also raises the possibility that terrorists may pursue unconventional means of attack, such as chemical, biological, or radiological (radioactivity-spreading) weapons, or nuclear weapons. Future terrorist tactics could include cyberterrorism (sabotage using computers to destroy computer networks or systems) or electronic warfare that targets critical infrastructure, such as communications and power facilities, or societies in general.

Throughout the world, terrorism reinvents itself in new and more dangerous forms. As older groups are defeated or exhausted, more radical and more violent successors often take their place. Although terrorism likely can never be completely eradicated, countering its threat requires continuing vigilance. The highly individual nature of terrorism’s causes, the diversity of its perpetrators, and the complexity of its fundamental characteristics present enormous challenges to those who must effectively counter this menace.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Terrorism Future in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Terrorism Future

See Also

Asymmetrical Warfare, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, State Terrorism, State-Sponsored Terrorism

Further Readings

Aldrich, Richard W. Cyberterrorism and Computer Crimes: Issues Surrounding the Establishment of an International Regime. Colorado Springs, CO: USAF Institute for National Security Studies, 2000.
Alexander, Yonah, and Swetnam, Michael S. , eds. Cyber Terrorism and Information Warfare. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications, 1999.
Arquilla, John, and Ronfeldt, David , eds. Networks and Netwars: The Future of Terror, Crime, and Militancy. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2001.
Brenner, Susan W. “‘At Light Speed’: Attribution and Response to Cybercrime/terrorism/warfare.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 97, no. 2 (Winter 2007): 379-475.
Council of Europe Counter-Terrorism Task Force. Cyberterrorism: The Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe Publishing, 2007.
CSIS Global Organized Crime Project. Cybercrime, Cyberterrorism, Cyberwarfare: Averting an Electronic Waterloo. Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1998.
McAfee, Inc Virtual Criminology Report 2009— Virtually Here: The Age of Cyber Warfare. January 2010.
Thornton, Rod Asymmetric Warfare: Threat and Response in the Twenty-first Century. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2007.
Verton, Dan Black Ice: The Invisible Threat of Cyber-terrorism. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
Yourdon, Edward Byte Wars: The Impact of September 11 on Information Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002.