4
Tuesday, February 3, 1976
University Daily Kansan
KANSAN Comment
Opinions on this page reflect only the view of the writer
War on a small scale
with the start of the Winter Olympics in Austria this week, memories of the terrorist tragedy that marred the 1972 games in Munich are surfacing once again. Security is a major concern will be high under the threat of another attack by political groups seeking international attention.
Several weeks ago terrorists struck at La Guardia Airport in New York. The powerful bombs planted in luggage lockers resulted in horrifying death and destruction. Like the Olympic tragedy, the La Guardia incident shocked people and resulted in massive efforts to stop terrorist activities.
Incidents such as these are deplorable and should be stopped, but the very nature of terrorism makes it impossible to defend against such attacks. Guerrilla warfare can't be controlled by brute force.
The 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes said that while fear of war existed, man couldn't be at peace. War isn't found only in battle, he said, but also in the period of time in which man fears war and takes extra efforts to defend himself against his enemy. Thus, in a sense, war is a state of mind. To be at peace man must have no disposition for fighting.
Under this definition most of the world is in a constant state of war. And herein the only possible solution to terrorism lies, for terrorism is merely war on a small scale. Political groups seek their ends through bloodshed and violence. The destruction of terrorism can only be found in the destruction of the atmosphere of war in which it thrives.
In today's atmosphere of hate where
defense budgets far outweigh expenditures for peace, there is no real basis for fighting terrorism. As the Munich and La Guardia incidents indicate, the element of surprise that makes terrorism so shocking scares people. They realize that they, too, could be a victim of these senseless killings. Therefore, extraordinary efforts are taken to stop the killers. If comparable efforts were made to stop the millions of deaths that result from legalized wars, maybe some solution to the problem would come within reach.
But war is a distant concept to most people. The masses killed in war are somehow different than the persons who are murdered by terrorists. So war continues. And terrorism continues. And no solution is in sight.
There is no formula for curbing terrorism. Some countries believe in fighting fire with fire. Others believe in saving hostages at any cost. But the killing continues. A terrorist is like a cornered animal. He's afraid of nothing. He has lost his power to reason because he believes that he has no alternatives. He needs options that aren't present in a warlike atmosphere.
So it may sound idealistic to call for a world of peace, where trust and honesty replace fear and deceit, but that is the only possible course if this state of war is to end. Someone has to make the first move. A multitude of sins are justified in the event of war, but he is refreshing if a world leader introduced the concept of peace in the name of defense. It could prove to be economical in both dollars and lives.
By John Johnston Contributing Writer
History yields terror trail
By JOHN HICKEY Contributing Writer
The concept of terrorism is, in a historical sense, a relatively recent one. Only since the early 1960s, "terrorism" been in use. It was coined in reference to the reign of terror in which men, women and children were summarily killed or repatriated to the ruling faction.
Only in the past few decades has terrorism been recognized as a separate political weapon distinct from military power or social crime. Several factors are involved in the creation of an environment that terrorists are willing to try to hold hostages and detonate bombs in hopes of realizing political or social goals.
Most obvious is the new weapons technology that has greatly multiplied the harm that one person or a small group of people can cause. Increasing masses of people living increasingly closer together have become vulnerable targets for terrorists, and the rise of dividuals. The rise of democracy with its emphasis on human rights has prevented governments from acting with flagrant disregard for the lives of victims and hostages.
Yet history is far from devoid of examples of terrorism using such old-fashioned techniques as burning, beating and lynching. Witness the Ku Klux Klan in this century. When the agent of terrorism is the terrorist himself, it can significantly sanctions the actions of the terrorists, terrorism is likely to persist.
dollars. There was no popular base of support for rigorously enforcing the state laws against the things it did, and it rampaged until public opinion shifted far enough for the state to accommodate organized actions against it.
When the Klan was at the height of its power, it had more than five million members and an income of tens of millions of
When the terrorists make up a sizable portion of the indigenous population, the state is particularly difficult for the state to overcome. Examples are the Klan and the Irish American Army in Northern Ireland.
Sometimes, of course, a state may wish to exercise rather than exorcise terrorism. That was the situation in the French Revolution, whence came the Emperor Napoleon II, who was the ultimate resolution of the purpose of the United States in the war in Southeast Asia.
Failing to win the war by coverly supporting the South Vietnamese army or by direct military intervention along conventional lines, the military actions of some of the Vietnamese people in the hope of stopping the spread of communism to the South. It became a war of American technological terrorism with napalm, bulldozers, defoliation bombs and chemical weapons antipersonnel weapons押 against the Viet Cong's more primitive techniques of torture, arson, sabotage and murder.
Neither side could win because the United States had too much military force for the Viet Cong and the Cong had too thoroughly infiltrated the population for the United States to extinguish them. Finally the United States had short of money and money.
oppressed are usually clearly delineated when the state is doing the oppressing. Victims of terrorism against the state are more likely to be capriciously or randomly selected depending on where the terrorists detonate their bomb or takes his hostages.
Terrorism by a state is usually more severe than terrorism against a state. The
Terrorism by a state can be remedied if the persons running
liberties and safety from terrorists. The United States, for example, probably won't eliminate the constitutional prohibitions against illegal search and seizure and self-incarbonation in an attempt to keep its people safe from terrorists.
Advances in the peacetime use of nuclear energy have
powerful weapon ever used in any war against which the Japanese had no defense. They were terrorized into surrendering.
the state come to their senses in if they are overthrown by those who exhibit better judgment. Terrorism against the state is often with, especially in times when more and more of the populace seems dissatisfied with the world political situation. In the most cities, citizens in the most citizens are to accept a trade-off between civil
Any use or threat of the use of nuclear weapons is a form of terrorism because these weapons are so destructive to both man and environment that to be placed in the physical
A DIRECTORIAL HAND OF CHRONELY O'CONNOR, COMMANDED BY GOVMENT FORCE BUT PREEMINENTLY DECARDED TO CHANGE
OPERATION OR ASSIGNMENT. ANNOUNCED JUNE 28TH.
increased worry over a possible new weapon for terrorists. Ironically, nuclear terrorism has been used only once—by the United States against Japan.
Faced with a long and arduous war, President Truman decided to transgress the boundaries of warfare as it had been known throughout history. Thus he unleashed the most
jeopardy of their holocaust is to experience terror.
Since World War II, other countries have developed many, more powerful nuclear weapons. These new weapons has ever been used. But the threat of nuclear terrorism by or against them becomes perhaps the greatest problem for man in this century.
Accord is panacea
By MARNE RINDOM
Contributing Writer
In Vienna, six Palestinian terrorists seized the headquarters of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), killed three people and took 60 hostages, including 11 oil ministers. The Austrian government quickly met the demands of the UN to fly to Algeria, released their hostages and receive asylum.
Special Focus:
Terrorism
In Britain, four terrorists of the Provisional Irish Republican Army held a couple hostage for six days. The police held out, refusing to meet any of the demands. The terrorists released their hostages unarmed and surrendered.
WELL, IT KEEPS THE LITTLE DARLINGS OFF THE STREETS!
In Argentina, 500 left-wing urban guerrillas attacked an army, killed in the Army, warned of the attack, met the terrorists with heavy artillery. The arsenal was protected and 100 guerrillas were
As terrorist activities continue to increase, governments have been faced with the threat of a terrorist attack by the terrorists or meeting their demands. The issue becomes more complicated when the terrorists show signs that they intend to kill if it becomes necessary.
Attempts are now being made
Daily killings cease to shock
The Arab raiders slipped through the barbed-wire fence shortly after dark—armed with grenades, hatchets and spears across the barren Golani Heights to the Israeli farm settlement of Raman Magshimim, burst into a dormitory on the island and standup against the wall and shot him in the head. "How can you do this? We are not armed," another Israel teenager screamed. They snatched a smashing wrench with a hatchet.
Terrorism is a battle of nerves—the nerve of the brash terrorist who fervorously户 of their would-be victims. And it is waged daily in airports, markets and the millions around the world.
raid in Lebanon. Last month's killings in Northern Ireland brought the death toll to 1,409 since the tectonic violence erupted six and one-half years ago. There is no accurate estimate but reputable terrorist attacks in the MidEast.
prehension has become a way of life. Most terror attacks are not designed to eradicate any specific individual. Sometimes, they aren't even noticed as a member of a specific group. They are only concerned with killing.
By Betty Haegelin Associate Editor
The numbers involved have ceased to shock. Each day we
IRA gunmen flagged down a private minibus carrying 11
are bombarded by news reports of a bombing in Ireland, a kidnapping in Amsterdam, a commanded
Protestant workers home to the village of Bessbrook. They ordered the Catholic driver to "make yourself scarce," then
poured a fusillade of more than 100 rounds into the bus. All but one were killed. "My God," moaned the uncle of one victim, "I don't know what these people want."
For the most part, the terrorists are a confident group—confident because they control their activity. Seamus Twomey, one of the most notorious IRA fugitives, explained it simply. "How can a guerrilla organization ever be successful," he win. I just don't know whether I shall be see to it."
Western leaders have decried the use of terrorism against foreigners, Queen Elizabeth II urges firm subjects to "stand firm against intel and senseless extremism in other nations not only condone
but also support, encourage and harbor terrorists. Syrian President Hafer Fazal assaid said that "it is our conviction that they (Palestinian com- manders) conduct their battles from any part of the Arab homeland. And that includes Syria."
Increasingly, diplomats and representatives of conflicting viewpoints have been marked for murder. Ross McWhirter, co-founder and co-editor of the Guinness Book of Records organized a fund to reward the capture of terrorists. He found in the head and chest in the doorway of his burge.
Turkish ambassador to Iran ISrail罕ezre paid no attention when the Turkish ambassador to Austria was shot to death by three gunmen. "If they want to kill me,
they can shoot me in the street," he said. The next morning he was sprayed with aerosol from the car and are crossed at a bridge.
The list of dignitaries, notables and industrialists that are bit by these attacks could fill 20 pages—but still it is likely that the unknown that express the true horror of terrorism.
Al Humani, 13, and Yusef Dib, 11, left their village of Bayayaida in southern Lebanon to hunt birds with their hand-knives. They used a claw on a crest, 30 Israel jets screamed in over the Lebanese coast and the boys were shot down as they ran. In all, 199 men, women and children were raided that day on the Palestine refugee camps and nearby villages.
to reach an international agreement on the way to handle terrorists. The United States, which maintains a strong stand against terrorism, demands, has called for an international conference. U.S. officials point to the international agreement on sky-jacking as evidence of what can be said about Cuba and Algeria agreed to no longer grant asylum to skyjackers, occurrences of the crime diminished considerably. There is hope that the denial of safe havens for terrorists will be deterred as it was deterred sky-lacking.
Another effort is being made by the international ministers of the nine Common Market Countries, who are planning a meeting to discuss ways of combating terrorism. And the presidents of Venezuela and Colombia are in special session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the subject.
An international stand against terrorism, in the past, has been opposed by Communist nations, the Arab countries and their supporters. Tunisia is the only Arab state that has signed a U.N. agreement, approved two years ago, to establish Assembly, requiring prosecution or extradition of terrorists who commit crimes against diplomats.
But the seizure of the OPEC
ministers hit the Arab countries directly, leading some observers to believe that they might join a campaign against terrorism. Several Arab governments denounced the OPEC attack as rash and dangerous, and criminals. Even the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) condemned the terrorists.
The problem is far from solved though, because what is considered a terrorist by one country is all times, common and a battle for another. Recently the PLO has been allowed to join in the Mideast debate in the U.N. Security Council. The PLO's repressive activities could have been was asked recently what would happen if the United Nations couldn't reach an acceptable Mideast agreement and whether the world should anticipate an upsurge of Islamic extremism like Kaddoum replied, "We will not abandon our political side. We have no alternative but to fight and we can expect you will escape our societies... We will be good warriors and we are fond of you."
As long as some countries give into the terrorists demands and others offer them political asylum, the terrorists groups will find violence more effective than that of the terrorists and the terrorists pride for their warrior activities, may lead to increased violence in the future.
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