What is terrorism.

Essay by rotimi May 2004

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What is terrorism?

In the past years we have all experienced or heard about some sort of attack that has made a huge impact on us. A few years ago, 9/11 caught us by surprise and had an overwhelming effect on us. This time powerful figures were targeted such as the World Trade Center which symbolizes America's influential economy, the Pentagon, which represents America's military power, and if it were not for the courageous passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 the White House would have been another target. There have been other attacks such as these, some of which have also taken place on an airplane like the Egyptair Flight 648 that was heading to Cairo from Athens on November 23, 1985. Instead the hijacking took place in Valletta, Malta. The group responsible for this attack was part of the Abu-Nidal Organization. Other attacks have targeted U.S. Embassies in foreign countries such as Kenya and Tanzania.

A little point being put across here is how a number of attacks have made symbols of U.S. polity and sometimes economy, such as the attacks on the World Trade Center a target. We all know that the United States is the "land of opportunity"; to some people this has been an advantage and to others a threat. These attacks on the U.S. especially from foreign civilians have been concluded as being terrorist attacks. I am not saying that terrorist attacks only occur in the U.S. or have to do with anything relating to the U.S., but instead I'm pointing out that since these attacks had to do with politics, they might be considered terrorist attacks. There have been attacks in other countries that had nothing to do with the U.S. that have also been believed to be terrorist attacks.

Terrorist attacks or terrorism...