Deck 6: Terrorism by Dissidents

Question 1

______ refers to the threat or use of political violence aimed at effecting complete revolutionary change.

A) Sub-revolutionary terrorism
B) Revolutionary terrorism
C) Establishment terrorism
D) Separatist terrorism

Answer 1

B

Question 2

______ refers to the belief that only scientific truth could end ignorance.

A) Nihilism
B) Marxism
C) Nationalist
D) Sectarian

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following refers to the threat or use of political violence aimed at effecting various changes in a particular political system (but not aimed at abolishing it)?

A) separatist terrorism
B) revolutionary terrorism
C) sub-revolutionary terrorism
D) establishment terrorism

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Communal terrorism refers to ______.

A) significant degrees of violence between population groups
B) group against group terrorism
C) communist-inspired terrorism
D) uprisings by communities against government oppression

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a modern nihilist dissident terrorist group?

A) Red Brigade
B) Basque Fatherland and Liberty
C) Tamil Tigers
D) Red Army Faction

Question 6

Which of the following involved conflict between populations that have distinct histories, customs, ethnic traits, and religious traditions?

A) ethno-nationalist communal terrorism
B) revolutionary terrorism
C) nihilist terrorism
D) nationalist terrorism

Question 7

Which of the following reflected the global rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union?

A) ethno-nationalist communal terrorism
B) ideological communal terrorism
C) religious communal terrorism
D) revolutionary dissident terrorism

Question 8

Chlorine gas is an example of a ______.

A) chemical agent
B) biological agent
C) nuclear weapon
D) radiological agent

Question 9

A dirty bomb is an example of a ______.

A) chemical agent
B) nuclear weapon
C) biological agent
D) radiological agent

Question 10

Organisms or other contagious substances that are manufactured in order to spread disease or cause death are referred to as ______.

A) biological agents
B) chemical agents
C) nuclear weapons
D) radiological agents

Question 11

Antistate terrorism is directed against specific governments or interests.

Question 12

Palestinian resistance has taken on the characteristics of communal terrorism since 2000.

Question 13

Communal terrorism occurs in varying degrees of intensity and in many contexts.

Question 14

Sectarian violence refers to conflict between religious groups and is sometimes one element of discord in a broader conflict between ethno-national groups.

Question 15

Briefly discuss the motivations behind "lone wolf" acts of political violence.

Question 16

Briefly discuss one example that illustrates religious conflict.

Question 17

Discuss why, from the perspective of revolutionary nationalists, terrorist violence may sometimes be acceptable and/or necessary.

Question 18

Describe the evolution in motivation and ideology within the Palestinian movement. Why did a movement like Hamas become so prominent?

Question 19

In your opinion, is nihilist violence ever justifiable? Briefly explain your answer.

Question 20

Briefly discuss whey Yasir Arafat and other leaders are vilified by their opponents but defended by their supporters.

Question 21

In your opinion, are rebels sometimes labeled too quickly as terrorists?

Question 22

In your opinion, what is the most likely threat scenario for the use of biological weapons?

Question 23

In your opinion, what is the most likely threat scenario for the use of radiological weapons?

Question 24

Discuss the threat from asymmetrical warfare.

Question 25

In your opinion, what is the most likely threat scenario for the use of chemical weapons?

Question 26

In your opinion, what is the most likely threat scenario for the use of nuclear weapons?

Question 27

What are the reasons behind the rise in cell-based organizational arrangements among revolutionaries, and the decline in paramilitary arrangements? Describe the characteristics of cell-based and paramilitary arrangements.

Question 28

Compare and contrast the motives of nihilist and revolutionary dissident terrorists. Why would dissidents adopt a nihilist vision rather than a revolutionary vision? In your opinion, does the logic of one make more sense than the other? Explain your answer.

Question 29

Using the case of Chechen violence against Russian interests, critique the new dissident terrorist morality. Are the Chechens fighting on behalf of a just cause? Is their war fighting methodology morally understandable under the circumstances? Explain your answer.

Question 30

Discuss the factors which give rise to communal dissident terrorism. Why do population groups engage in massive degrees of violence against other groups? Is such violence ever justifiable or otherwise understandable? Explain your answer.

Question 31

In your opinion, is selection of hijackings and other international violence by nationalists necessary from their perspective? Was it justifiable?

Question 32

In your opinion, should the international community intervene when genocidal communal terrorism occurs? Discuss circumstances when this would be a necessary policy option.

Question 33

Discuss why the new terrorist morality occurred.

Question 34

Why do some dissidents adopt anti-state terrorism as a strategy? What do they hope to accomplish?

Question 35

In your opinion, what explains sectarian violence in societies which have long histories of residing together, such as Lebanon, Yugoslavia, and Northern Ireland?

Question 36

Discuss the feasibility of obtaining weapons of mass destruction by terrorists. Which weapons are more easily obtained? Which weapons are less easily obtained? How would they be obtained in the first place? Explain your answer.

Question 37

The gun and the bomb are traditional terrorist weapons that still predominate in the arsenals of violent extremists. How have these weapons been wielded in the era of the New Terrorism? Explain how the threat from these traditional weapons has evolved in the modern era.

Question 38

Discuss the threat from suicide attacks. In your opinion, why did suicide attacks become a common tactic in some conflicts? What impact has the concept of martyrdom had on such attacks.

Question 39

In your opinion, what are the likely implications of the availability of information on the Internet from the perspective of extremists?