Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Credits
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 The Nature of Terrorism
- 2 Theories of Aggression and Terrorism
- 3 A Brief History of Terrorism
- 4 Two Trajectories of Humankind: Globalization or Clash?
- 5 Religion, the State, and Terrorism
- 6 Nonreligious Extremism and Terrorism
- 7 Technology and Terrorism
- 8 Terrorism throughout the World
- 9 Responses to Terrorism
- 10 Fear of Terrorism
- 11 Preventing Terrorism: Short-Term Approaches
- 12 Preventing Terrorism: Long-Term Strategies
- 13 Balancing Security and Rights to Liberty and Privacy
- 14 Toward a Safer and Saner Twenty-First Century
- Notes
- References
- Index
8 - Terrorism throughout the World
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Credits
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 The Nature of Terrorism
- 2 Theories of Aggression and Terrorism
- 3 A Brief History of Terrorism
- 4 Two Trajectories of Humankind: Globalization or Clash?
- 5 Religion, the State, and Terrorism
- 6 Nonreligious Extremism and Terrorism
- 7 Technology and Terrorism
- 8 Terrorism throughout the World
- 9 Responses to Terrorism
- 10 Fear of Terrorism
- 11 Preventing Terrorism: Short-Term Approaches
- 12 Preventing Terrorism: Long-Term Strategies
- 13 Balancing Security and Rights to Liberty and Privacy
- 14 Toward a Safer and Saner Twenty-First Century
- Notes
- References
- Index
Summary
This chapter applies principles set forth in the preceding chapters to specific historical examples of terrorism in the United States and elsewhere in the Americas, Europe and Russia, the Middle East, and Asia. It identifies the commonalities, differences, and trends in terrorism cross-nationally and concludes with a set of questions as to what might be expected over the coming decades.
Terrorism in the United States
Terrorism was not a major issue in the United States before September 11, 2001. There had been two serious attacks in the 1990s – the World Trade Center (WTC) bombing of 1993 and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 – but neither had the extraordinary domestic and international impact of 9/11. The 1993 WTC bombing was serious but caused just six deaths, and the Oklahoma City bombing, although killing 168 people, was the product of home-grown terrorists. The 9/11 attack was much deadlier than both of the earlier attacks, it involved extensive planning and years of preparation, and it was an attack by foreigners, which gave it enormous international significance, creating a vast divide between Islam and the West and stoking fires of fear and rage on both sides. This attack revealed in a highly sensational way the vulnerability of the United States to serious terrorist attacks. Terrorism suddenly became the dominant national concern and public policy priority.
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- Information
- Terrorism, Crime, and Public Policy , pp. 202 - 249Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008