Political Terrorism and the US Imperial Project

Achin Vanaik:
after 9/11 : statement of the US

1. global war on terrorism
2. doesn't distinguish between countries which host and perpetrators -> worldwide imperialismli
3. takes decades 8-10 years

=> US SOFTWARE OF WAR

Definition of international political terrorism:
concepts of intimidation and violence


Understanding of terrorism:

• criteria:
• ancient/modern phenomena ?- historical form?
• acts/regimes/campaigns/tactics/strategy
• neutral definition?
• morality? 1944 attempt to assassinate Hitler as positive example?
• broad/narrow definition of violence? - policy of poverty?
• objective/subjective definition?
• philosophical: only acts which knowingly kill civilians? also acts which consequential kill civilians? (US foreign policies?)

Modern, ethic, acts and campaigns

- Acts: threats and carrying out
- by state terrorism and individual groups


differences:
- framework for understanding

• non-state terrorism
• 2-ways-directional (opponents and supporters)
• “propaghanda of the deed”: symbolic aspects of non-state terrorism
• local
• arbitrary/random character

state terrorism

• one directional
• blatantly open organisation: morally de-sensualised population
• question of scare and scale: very huge in contrast to non-state terrorism e.g. US killed people in numbers of millions
• grandios character of the “end” of state terrorism: “in the name of fighting communism” / ”in the name of democracy”
• state-terrorism is not that random
• usually takes place away from home population

Non-state terrorism can never defeat the other side militarily.
State terrorism is our biggest problem today.

Ideology - can be opposed

Global War on Terrorism

• militarise the solution to the problem
• violence promoted in order to oppose violence terrorism is used to oppose terrorism
  more aggressive than state terrorism during cold war

1. Discourses:
2. War on Terror
3. WMD
4. Humanitarian Internvention
5. Democracy -> regime change
6. Failed States
7. War on Drugs

Effective and Impact on:
- domestic population
- Middle East
- government and elites in other countries


-> to understand the impact
-> discourse: messianic and paranoiac

1. Advantages:
2. duration: long times
3. geographical scope
4. addresses failed problems within US public
5. vasted interests justified and further followed up
6. neoliberal
7. WMD – nuclear terrorism
8. demonisation of Islam and Muslims

-> religion got connected with terrorism
=> historic: stronger resistance against imperialism, historical consistency against imperialism

West Asia and Central Asia


What do we do?

1.Fighting Empire:

-> politically defeat it
=> contest of wills
Progressive Politcs: initiating that will to resist!


2. universal
- morally
- politically (terrorism of the strang)
- emotionally (universalist)


“Never again …to my people.”

long-term struggle, adjust political context, push for international and national laws

UN court tribunal:
- US, Israel, China, India not members