The Case of State Terrorism:
Beginning the Discussion on the
"Roots of Terrorism" & Changes in
How Conflict Occurs in IR Today
US National Security Policy
Fall 2009
Masaryk University
Dave McCuan
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Moving to the "Roots of Terrorism" & How Changes in
Conflict Affect Nat'l Security
* Contending "Roots" Theories: 3 Broad Areas
­ Macro Level of Analysis:
* Broad Economic, Social, & Political forces combined w/ Cultural & Historical factors =
"Terrorism" (E+S+P/C+H = Terrorism)
* "Commonsense" explanations, usually invoking "radicalized," visible sects or
radicalists.
* Popular among policymakers (External conditions, driven by internal, ind'l factors =
Drive to Terrorist Actions)
* Problem of a limited argument (Why not everyone?)
* Assumptions are faulty: Ltd. Hiearchy, ind.orgs.  coordinated, thought out activities
like bombing campaigns. Collective dimension is downplayed.
* Cultural determinists (Huntington, for ex.) ignore or downplay dynamics among
movements & T.Orgs.
­ Micro Level of Analysis: Most Common Level
* Psychological, Psychiatric Levels of Analysis
* Mental Health Emphasis (Backgrounds & Case Histories)
* "What made them do that?" The T Gene Factor?
* Limits to this (Spread/Dispersion; Assumption of Differences; Neglects Situational
Factors)
­ Middle Level of Analysis: Marc Sageman's Thesis
* Combine on-the-ground approach w/ terror groups interactions across borders &
influence of leaders, ideas, ideologies. Environmental factors as key here.
* Link the interaction of: radicalization, mobilization, motivation, separation = level of
activies
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* Assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister (Rafik
al-Hariri) as an example of "State Terrorism" in action:
­ Terrorist attack as "catalytic event" or critical incident that
accelerates underlying political escalatory dynamics
* Played out over next weeks to see if violence
accelerates
* Demonstrates difficulty of determining entity or entities
involved in attack
­ Strong evidence of Syrian gov't planning, logistical,
and operational support
­ Uncertainty amplifies damage of attack
­ Misattribution of attack
­ Forensic evidence and assessment of origin of attack
* CNN coverage of attack and aftermath:
­ You can "Google" this and examine coverage from 02/15/2005
* Int'l Court, The Hague, takes up the issue of this
bombing and assassination later this week and early
next week.
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* Terrorism and Coercion (State Terrorism, as
Macro Level Theory)
­ Definition(s) and Interests
* Paul Pillar's argument
* Rummel's argument, data
­ Summarizing preceding discussions
­ Legitimacy and Illegitimacy
­ Legality and Illegality
­ Generalizable Theories
* Levels of analysis / Cases
­ Macro, Meso, Micro
* Actors here?
* Structure vs. Agency, Temporality
* Motivations
­ Cases (individual, small n, large n)
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State Terrorism ­ Definitional Concerns
* States as Terrorism "Sponsors" predicated on
Coercion:
­ Three Categories Here (Paul Pillar 2001, 2003, Chapter 6):
* "Sponsors:"
­ Seven states typically ID'd by USG (Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, N Korea,
Sudan, & Syria). Venezuela more recent add.
­ Reduced recently as a phenomena.
­ Difficult to ID along two lines here (current involvement & importance
of terrorism activity relative to US interests)
* "Enablers:" Typically move off the FTO; problematic relation to deal
with given US ties (Greece; Pakistan)
* "Cooperators:" CT value here for USG; Defined by shared interest
& shared value for secrecy
* Might envision these three categories as:
­ Separate, yet connected;
­ Running along a "single spectrum;" and
­ Consisting of different mixtures of conflict, cooperation,
coercion & evasion.
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* Case #1:
­ RJ Rummel - Univ. of Hawaii Emeritus Prof.
* Genocide: among other things, the killing of people by a
government because of their indelible group membership
(race, ethnicity, religion, language)
* Politicide: the murder of any person or people by a
government because of their politics or for political
purposes
* Mass Murder: the indiscriminate killing of any person or
people by a government
* Democide: The murder of any person or people by a
government, including genocide, politicide, and mass
murder
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* Rummel Graph:
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* Cont'd.:
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* Cont'd.:
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* Rummel:
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