Are Terrorists Justified?

Originally posted by ArchAngel
Terrorism is not ever justified.

But is it any different to walk into a building carrying a bomb, or to drop one from a jet?

If the result is that innocent people die, and the motive was forced political, or social change then it is terrorism.

Planes crashing into buildings, exploding Palestinians in pizza parlors, Israeli rockets fired into Palestinian cities, American bombs dropping in Iraq....All are terrorism, and not justified.

exactly.

Originally posted by Phoenix
If I come by your house and wire it with explosives because I did'nt like your religious or political beliefs, would that be OK ?

That's kind what the US does to any small third world country that we don't agree with. Now, if you did this and, I came and attacked you, that would be like the actions of terrorists. Most terror attacks are to retaliate for some action that we did in the past.

Originally posted by billybob

...osama bin laden, was a saudi, and had no ties with the PEOPLE of afganistan.

I agree not with the people but with the Taliban gov't, if Osama was in Saudi, the Saudi would have given him, if he was captured, to the U.S.

As noted before, killing and terrorism have one thing in common - they can never be justified.

First of all, how can you possibly predict that I have even the slightest care for 'points', I enjoy posting because I enjoy learning and discussing and not how many 'points' that I can then say yay! and get into a 'secret forum' which isn't really anything special (no offense). The point of my posting is to start discussion, without the many people like me, the forums would become stagnant and boring. And I do have plenty of ears to hear with thankyou and will reply to each of my posts soon . TY

Some very good points have been raised, and I know sometimes it's hard especially after what has happened, to even analyse why a terrorist would cause so much destruction. But in the terrorist's mind, he believes that he is justified in killing himself and others for his cause, otherwise he wouldn't do it. A good example is in a movie I saw recently titled collateral damage with arnold schwarzenegger in it. It not only shows you the american perspective but also the terrorists perspective and some good reasons to why someone would commit such an act. The terrorist leader watched his son (I think) die as a result of the american forces, and therefore believed that he was justified in commiting terror on Americans. And who is to say that he is wrong? Every man is right in his own mind. Even you and me.

I dont think intentionally killing civilians is justified. However from the terrorists perspective they arent killing "innocent" civilians.

I can guarantee that if the U.S. was ever in a position of struggle or was overrun by some more powerful invading force, U.S. citiztens would be doing exactly what terrorists do. We would call ourselves "freedom fighters". We're freedom fighting over in Iraq and Afghanistan right now.

But terrorism is never justified.

Originally posted by heelstone
U.S. citiztens would be doing exactly what terrorists do.
But terrorism is never justified.

Terrorisim isn't justified, how about killing for your country?

I doubt that U.S. citizens would do what the terrorists are doing, they will something much worser.

"war is not justified(unless you REALLY are defending your home)."

then if thats the case, justification isnt neccessary (sp?).

phyisically removing a corrupt government is sometimes needed for the people of that country.

Originally posted by Templar
Do you think that terrorists are justified in their actions, or have reason for their beliefs? If you sont think so why?

this is like asking which is better pepsi or coke.

i could give an opinion but i'll just be blasted for it and get a bunch "no you're wrong" responses so i'm going to refrain from giving my own personal opinion on this but....in a not so personal way there is no right or wrong action here. they feel its right, you may or may not agree with this but that doesnt make things so, it only makes it so in your own mind, just like them feeling justified makes it so in their minds. its two different versions of the same reality, our world. neither is wrong and neither is right. i wouldnt try reaching for moral high ground and say they are right or wrong. morality is relative in this kind of situation.

one persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter.

this is not a black and white issue and there is no this way or that way answer to this.

they feel justified, and in their own minds they are and thats all they care about. just like we only care about our own opinions (thats why we have our own opinions and not someone elses, right?) are they justified? they feel they are and thats all they need. you or anyone else saying they arent doesnt make it any more so than them saying they are justified makes it so.

I believe that a central tenent of all existance is the question of 'freewill.'

The best way to express freewill in a physical environment such as the one we are in is via votes and majority rule, most of the time (sometimes it is tyranny against a minority too).

Thus, a terrorist is only as legitimate as that percentage of the population which supports him. Otherwise, he or she is an extremeist and thus should not impose his will on the majority.

The only time a minority can exert their will on a majority legitimately is when their perspective is proven technically to be correct (or when they can be proven to have most concern for the entire body of people).

The minority cannot be legitimate due to wealth, power or control granted, nor via selection only.

Terrorism is never justified?

Boy, then we should strike the stories about the the Boston Tea Party and other great American PATRIOTS.

Terrorism is how this country started. In the end, the justification is in the end result.

In our case, we won, so it's cool. Right?

Originally posted by KrazyJethro
Terrorism is never justified?

Boy, then we should strike the stories about the the Boston Tea Party and other great American PATRIOTS.

Terrorism is how this country started. In the end, the justification is in the end result.

In our case, we won, so it's cool. Right?

and had we lost we would have been labeled in history books as traitors to the crown and vilified.

winners write the history books you know...

Terrorism has never worked and will never work to get a message across. No one is going to care why you did something when the end of that reasoning means attacking innocent people to get your point across. Ears that might have been open to hear your message and reasons for your cause will turn deaf because the moment you crossed the line from being an activist seeking to spread the word of your cause to harming others you are now a criminal and no one cares what a criminal has to say.

No, terrorists aren't justified. Gurilla warefare is acceptable, but not terrorism. You're attacking a state by killing innocents, and nothing justifies that. If the terrorists just targeted military targets, that would be a different story. That would be an acceptable form of warfare. That' in fact, is the only form of warfare most nations could use against the US.

But terrorism is different. It attempts to cause terror by killing people not involved with the military side of the government at all.

An example of what this is like:
You don't like Microsoft. You can't stand their products, and you hate Bill Gates. So in order to get him back, you kill the middle aged mother who is his neighbor. Then you kill a child in the neighborhood, too. Then another child, then another mother, maybe even a father (but they are more likely to fight back...better avoid them!). Why? To inspire terror in Gates, and make him wonder which of his neighbors/friends is next, and will it be him.

Terrorism against innocents is sick and wrong.

Originally posted by Templar
Do you think that terrorists are justified in their actions, or have reason for their beliefs? If you sont think so why?

As it says.

"One persons terrorist anothers freedom fighter."

So US are terrorist in Middle East and Extreme Muslims are terrorists in US eyes.

Out,
Russian

No, terrorists aren't justified. Gurilla warefare is acceptable, but not terrorism. You're attacking a state by killing innocents, and nothing justifies that. If the terrorists just targeted military targets, that would be a different story. That would be an acceptable form of warfare. That' in fact, is the only form of warfare most nations could use against the US.


Maybe if the military did not hit civilian targets (intentional, or not) then the terrorists would not hit civilian targets.

But that is not possible. In war civilians will die, and the soldiers who die are humans too.

i am in no way condoning the actions of terrorists but on the other hand in a way you have to wonder what makes these people do what they do. a lot of these terrorists grow up learning nothing but to hate whoever it is they are learning to hate be it americans or whoever. they believe that by doind what they do is there passage into heaven, so for them and those that admire them they are justified. wrong but justified. there is a lmost a lack of education in these people they are only taught certain truths or beliefs and with no way of finding out the truth they get wrapped into all this. i mean if you ask most people in america they hate all types of middle eastern people they are all terrorists to most, we forget there are people there too, just trying to live. and at the smae time they do the same of us, they see us as evil.

Unfortunately that is war. I feel like crying when I hear that an attack our government launched went wrong because it bothers me that non-combatants had to die. Does it bother me when America dropped a bomb on a headquarters of the republican guard and dozens of their troops died? Not really. (hey at least i'm honest). Does it bother me when I hear a missile attack took out a building and a couple of kids were killed by the damage? YES! It's horrible! But does that justify people responding by murdering other civilians walking by on the street? Hell no.