The Origins of Terrorism and Jihad Essay example - 2861 Words

America is at war. But who is the enemy that America is fighting? This enemy, known generally as terrorism, lives in a different world than the American superpower. Terrorism is the child of decades of religious disputes, histories of deep national pride, and what is seen as infringement upon Islamic holy grounds. Islamic fundamentalists in the Middle East view Americas presence in Saudi Arabia as blasphemous and intolerable . The preservation of face and appearance of strength are key elements in the world of the Middle East that evidence themselves in various ways. Extreme humiliation and oppression are two of the factors involved in inciting desperate people who feel shamed and weak to violent actions such as terrorism.†¦show more content†¦So many motifs appear in these Arab nations: minority oppression, religious divisions, devout national pride, and a faà §ade of strength. Hopefully, focusing upon these motifs will create a framework within which the current and future problems of this area may be resolved. In large sections of the Middle East, America is seen as hypocritical because she contributes to Iraqi children dying by imposing economic sanctions while speaking of democracy and freedom. These deaths certainly do not uphold humanitarian ideals that America claims coexist with democracy and freedom. America knows that her presence in certain holy lands has been seen as a great offense to many Arabs for quite some time, but their opinions now seem to carry a bit more importance and relevance to the present situation. Why have we chosen to ignore our offensive actions for so long? The answer is simple-we didnt think that the issue was of any importance, even though the issue was central to other portions of the world. Americas view of world issues has been rather narrow until the present. Until now, America has employed no consistent policy to combat terrorism. The threat has been taken seriously only on limited fronts and only when it was deemed absolutely necessary. For example, th ere was a crackdown on security in Turkey after a terrorist incident, but theShow MoreRelatedJihad : The World Is Mindful Of The Term `` Jihad ``1407 Words   |  6 Pagesgroup in the world yet controversial, the world is mindful of the term â€Å"Jihad†. The term has been coined and implemented negatively by the extremists in the name of Islam resulting in a shaken misbalance in the Islamic as well as in the rest of the world. In the light of recent events, the Arabic word â€Å"Jihad† has gained vital attention. The reason I chose this word is to make a little effort providing true and basic insight of jihad as described in Islam. Most people are aware of this term, use and criticizeRead MoreThe Terror Of Osama Bin Laden1120 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"A declaration of Jihad,† on August 23, 1996 deals with Osama bin Laden order to sanction a defensive war (jihad) after he gained refuge in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden is a well-known terrorist and is the lead er and founder of al-Qaeda. In 1979, the origins of al-Qaeda can be traced back to this year because that is when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Originally, Osama bin Laden used al-Qaeda as a way to enlist Muslim into the resistance. After, the Soviets left not shortly after the United StatesRead MoreThe Bombing Of The Boston Marathon1319 Words   |  6 Pagesand dying in the name of global â€Å"jihad†. The two brothers were self-radicalized homegrown terrorists. Existing evidence points to the fact that, while inspired by militant jihadism and in loose contact with terrorists in Dagestan, they operated alone. This is a case study of the radicalization process that led Tamerlan Tsarnaev to adopt violent â€Å"jihad†, kill three people and injure 250 others. Background Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a 26 year old male, was of Chechen origin who had been living in the U.S. forRead MoreAl Qaeda: Origins, Development and Objectives1597 Words   |  7 PagesInternational Relations Al Qaeda: Origins, Development and Objectives Select any terrorist group we studied and explain its origins, development and objectives. Al Qaeda is an international terrorist organization that was founded by Osama bin Laden in the late 1980s in Peshawar, Pakistan. The name is Arabic for â€Å"The Base of Operation† or â€Å"method† (Burke 2004). However, many experts agree that al-Qaeda is more dangerous as an ideology than as an organization. As an organization, it has beenRead MoreAn Explanation of Terrorism1176 Words   |  5 PagesAn Explanation of Terrorism After browsing through Stephen E. Atkins book Terrorism, I soon learned many interesting things regarding the history of terrorism. It seems this form of protest has been around since Biblical times. Also, the main goal of a terrorist is not to do damage to one peticular person or place, but to gain publicity for an idea they support. (page 1) Evidence of this can be found by looking at the recent past of the United States. The Oklahoma bombing was one mans wayRead MoreEssay about An Explanation Of Terrorism1132 Words   |  5 Pages An Explanation of Terrorism After browsing through Stephen E. Atkins book Terrorism, I soon learned many interesting things regarding the history of terrorism. It seems this form of protest has been around since Biblical times. Also, the main goal of a terrorist is not to do damage to one peticular person or place, but to gain publicity for an idea they support. (page 1) Evidence of this can be found by looking at the recent past of the United States. The Oklahoma bombing was one mans way ofRead MoreConflict : The Boko Haram Insurgency1701 Words   |  7 PagesConflict: The Boko Haram Insurgency Type of Conflict: Hot war. Origins Boko Haram is the nickname for the group officially known in Arabic as Jama atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda awati Wal-Jihad--the People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet s Teachings and Jihad. Named by the Northern Nigerian Muslims and subsequently picked up by the press, the name Boko Haram translates to Western education is forbidden and is derived from the teachings of Mohammed Yusuf, the group s early leader, whoRead MoreTerrorism by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad3663 Words   |  15 PagesTerrorism by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad Brandin P. Lea SCTY 488 – Terrorism and Homeland Security December 26, 2010 Professor Eric Witcher Abstract It has been the case that over the duration that mankind has graced the planet there has been group’s hell bent on enacting their beliefs and values upon the rest of the world. As time has passed there have been many times that these groups have changed the face of the planet permanently. You can look at any organized religious group andRead MoreEssay about Islam3215 Words   |  13 Pagesunlimited peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, new issues came to light, such as terrorism. Terrorism is defined by Title 22 of the United States code, section 2656(d) as â€Å"the pre-meditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.† In light of recent terrorist activity in the West, the danger that Islamic terrorism poses to national security and civilian safety has been brought to attentionRead MoreIslamic Extremism And The Islamic World Essay1811 Words   |à ‚  8 PagesMany people think terrorism and islamic militancy is a product of long-lasting religious traditions in the islamic world. However, when delving deeper into the origins of this radical violence related to islam, and the middle east, it becomes apparent it is connected to many different global and political factors that have led to it’s significance on the world-stage. The question arises, why is Islam so directly connected to violence? This can be due to the lack of knowledge, it is essential to recognize