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We are supposed to wage war against Terrorism - but exactly what we are fighting against in this war, there is nearly no consensus about. And, much worse, nearly nobody cares about this conceptual disaster - the main thing being, whether or not you are taking sides with the good guys. This volume is an analytical attempt to end this disaster. What is Terrorism? Are terrorist acts to be defined exclusively on the basis of the characteristics of the respective actions? Or should we restrict such actions to acts performed by non-state organisations? And, most important, is terrorism already by its very nature to be morally condemned? But, having a clear idea of what Terrorism is, would be only the beginning. Rational moral assessment still needs two further components: The relevant facts; and the relevant values and norms. Now, in a field where systematic disinformation has been even proclaimed to be the official policy, facts are obviously very hard to get at. This volume is mainly interested in Ethics: What's wrong with Terrorism? And what is morally right or morally wrong, respectively, with all the different means of Counter-Terrorism? What are the moral boundaries for waging war agains terrorism? What are the right ways of dealing with terrorists? And what about the alleged anti-terrorism wars on Afghanistan and Iraq?

What is the answer to global terrorism? The fundamental point about terrorism is present in its very name: it is violence designed to achieve political gain by spreading terror. Terrorism is essentially asymmetric and works by cowing people into submission. Which is precisely why it can be answered; after all, who wants to be bullied in to submission? In fact, the fight against terror does not only take place in the dusty hills of Afghanistan, Africa or Asia: it takes place in our own minds. In this book, world expert Paul Wilkinson answers several frequently asked questions about terrorism. What do terrorists really want? What can be done to defeat them? What is the future of terrorism? There is no "one size fits all" solution, instead it is a multi-headed beast constantly mutating and adapting to changes in the political and strategic environment.

The history of terrorism stretches back nearly two thousand years and terrorism, both in the forms of terrorist groups and terror regimes, is an inherent part of the modern world: from Anarchist groups to al-Qaida; from Hitler's Germany and SS to al-Bashir's Sudan and Janjaweed militias. It is a subject of high current interest that is rarely out of the news (not least as the legacy of?9/11') and it is also of enduring interest. As a new volume in the Seminar Studies series, Terrorism has been brought up-to-date and now looks at both contemporary terrorism and its historical.

Examines the development of terrorism, from its earliest history to the present day. It attempts to define terrorism, provides information about the reasons some people resort to terrorism to achieve their political goals, and discusses efforts to prevent terrorist attacks