POLSCI 329S Chapter Notes - Chapter All: Palestine Liberation Organization, Red Brigades, Tactical Objective
11 May 2018
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Politics of Violence
Reading Notes – Theories of Terrorism (Crenshaw)
x Theory 1: assumption that the act of terrorism is deliberate choice by a political actor
o Interpreted as a response to external stimuli
x Theory 2: internal organizational processes within the group of terrorism or among organizations
sharing similar objectives
o Result of organization’s struggle for survival
o Actions do not necessarily reflect ideological values
Instrumental Approach
x Terrorism a form of bargaining
x Power to hurt replaces military strength
x Desire to produce change in the government’s political position
x Cost-benefit analysis
o Value is very high
o Costs are very low
o Status quo is intolerable
o Probability of succeeding is high
x Terrorist organizations usually good at surprise attacks – makes up weakness in numbers and
capability
x Actions determined by incentive and opportunity
x Innovation in terrorism – to maintain the element of surprise as governments begin to learn about
defending against terrorism
x Terrorism is largely a failure given that they cannot obtain their ideological objectives
o Continues because they achieve their tactical objective – publicity and recognition
x Disunity, factionalism – leaders split on political goals/strategy
o Ex: Palestine Liberation Organization
o Ex: Irish Republican Army
x Ideology is motivation and self-restraint
o Ex: Italian Red Brigades sought to involve the masses in the political struggle – would not
commit atrocious violence which may alienate the public
x Escalation of terrorism – primarily response to government actions
x Government action – deterrence or defense
o Defense: forcefully preventing an enemy from attaining his physical objectives
▪ Preemption – halting an adversary who is poised to strike
▪ Require intelligence (unlikely) – involves detecting preparations for mobilization,
not mobilization itself
▪ Preemptive/preventative use of force hard to justify to citizens
▪ Intelligence may be misconstrued as well
o Deterrence: to limit the objective opportunities available for terrorism
▪ Convincing the group that costs of terrorism is very high
▪ Two forms of deterrence – denial and punishment/retaliation
▪ Denying gain to the adversary – to raise immediate cost of contemplated actions
• Doesn’t work for recruits who are willing to die
▪ Punishment/retaliation – threat of the use of military force in response to an attack
after it has been committed
x Policy responses using instrumental theory of terrorism – denying opportunities for terrorism and
affecting incentives to use it
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