Deck 6: Violence by Nonstate Actors: Civil War and Terrorism

Question 1

Which of the following is a country-level factor that could lead to organized opposition groups?

A)Whether religious groups seek the safety of their own group against the state
B)Whether the group can gain aid from foreign countries
C)Whether the group can gain arms from foreign countries
D)Whether it is difficult for the state to find and defeat rebels due to high population

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In terms of the U.S.wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,what has made the second phase of those conflicts so difficult?

A)Although conventional operations between states were easily won,the cost of doing so made it difficult for the United States to carry out the second phase.
B)The conventional phase of the U.S.invasion was completely unsupported in both cases,creating drag on the second phase.
C)The first phase was essentially an interstate invasion,but the second phase in both cases resulted in a domestic struggle for power.
D)In both cases,the United States did not have a clear opponent in the initial phase of either conflict.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

How are nonstate actors unlike state actors?

A)Nonstate actors lack identifiable interests.
B)Conflict with nonstate actors tends to be "cheap" for the state.
C)Nonstate actors deal with unique concerns about mobilizing their members.
D)Nonstate actors cannot be fruitfully thought of in the context of a bargaining model.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which example demonstrates a nonstate actor facing a collective action problem?

A)The U.S.government trying to convince people to turn out and vote in an upcoming election
B)A student group collecting signatures for a petition to stop environmental damage
C)Al Qaeda releasing a new video on the Internet
D)The United Nations releasing a new report on human rights abuses in the United States

Question 5

Which of the following is a reason why a book on interstate conflict should address the question of civil war?

A)Civil unrest within small countries is the responsibility of the United Nations,and therefore it is important to international relations.
B)Civil wars put great strain on domestic legal systems through social media.
C)There may be spillover effects from one state's civil war that affect other countries' stability and security.
D)Terrorism tends to be contained only within their host countries.

Question 6

Which of the following would be an example of an irredentist rebel group?

A)A band of Texans of Mexican descent seeking to return Texas to Mexico
B)Canada declaring that it owns Minnesota
C)Californians voting to secede from the United States and form their own country
D)A rebel group of Californians trying to take over the statehouse in an effort to secede from the United States

Question 7

Which country did the United States invade for hosting Al Qaeda in 2001?

A)Iraq
B)Iran
C)Afghanistan
D)Pakistan

Question 8

South Sudan:

A)was the first state to be created since the end of the Cold War.
B)has never been colonized by a European power.
C)is one of numerous states to gain independence since the end of the Cold War.
D)has yet to be recognized internationally as a state by others in the international system.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of terrorism?

A)One state bombs another state's population to create fear and to drive the other state to respond.
B)Your cousins threaten to break the television unless they get to eat dessert first.
C)An animal activist group threatens to set a store on fire unless federal laws regarding the treatment of animals are changed.
D)The United Nations threatens a military intervention if human rights are not respected in Syria.

Question 10

A separatist rebel group demands:

A)subnational autonomy over a region.
B)for a particular region to join another state.
C)control over the economic resources of the state.
D)the ability to create an independent state.

Question 11

An irredentist rebel group demands:

A)subnational autonomy over a region.
B)for a particular region to join another state.
C)control over the mechanisms of the state.
D)control over the economic resources of the state.

Question 12

In negotiations with a government to gain independence for their peoples,two different rebel groups have formed.Both claim to speak with the will of the oppressed in the territory.This could most likely lead to what problem of bargaining?

A)Information asymmetries
B)Commitment problems
C)International intervention
D)Brinkmanship bargaining

Question 13

Which of the following is the best example of asymmetrical warfighting?

A)One military tries to fight face-to-face,the other by hit-and-run.
B)One military tries to block the other military's drones with surface-to-air rockets.
C)One military attempts to encircle while the other tries to break through enemy lines.
D)One military uses land power,the other air power.

Question 14

What makes asymmetrical war asymmetrical?

A)One side wanting to fight more than the other
B)The kind of leadership-authoritarian versus democratic
C)The economies of the two states-capitalist versus socialist
D)Unequal military capabilities

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of a civil war?

A)The United States fighting against the Taliban in Afghanistan
B)Spain being attacked by Al Qaeda in Madrid
C)Iraqi Security Forces fighting against Shia Islamists in southeastern Iraq
D)A border skirmish between Colombia and Venezuela

Question 16

What was the effect of the involvement of neighboring countries and cross-border flows of fighters in the Rwandan genocide?

A)Multi-state intervention created conditions for peace and stability.
B)The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)descended into its own civil war.
C)Uganda and Angola began warring with each other.
D)The United States intervened to halt the genocide with the aid of neighboring countries.

Question 17

What are the two general variables thought to drive civil wars?

A)Separatism and violence
B)Ideology and culture
C)Religion and territory
D)Greed and grievance

Question 18

Which of the following has been identified as a causal factor in civil war?

A)Differences in identity within a state
B)Differences of religion within a state
C)Differences of culture within a state
D)Discriminatory economic and social policies within a state

Question 19

What are the primary factors affecting whether violent nonstate actors,such as rebel and terrorist groups,can mobilize?

A)Organizing people and garnering resources in order to commit violence
B)Overcoming people's natural inclination against violence and protest
C)Organizers struggling to maintain passion for their cause in the face of adversity
D)Indoctrinating adherents to the cause,and how to fight and conduct violence

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of a proxy war?

A)The Confederacy declaring independence from the United States to start the U.S.Civil War
B)The United States invading Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power
C)China sending troops into Tibet to ensure the region remains a part of China despite independence movements there
D)China giving help to North Korea and the United States giving help to South Korea during the Korean War

Question 21

Which of the following is an example of how international institutions can help resolve the harms done by civil war?

A)The United Nations can facilitate negotiations and make it more costly for sides to return to violence.
B)Doctors Without Borders can force the country to stop killing its own citizens.
C)NATO can intervene militarily in order to replace the regime.
D)Syria can give more funding to the Red Cross.

Question 22

Terrorism may prolong a conflict by:

A)avoiding direct confrontation with a state's military.
B)making the public too fearful to fight.
C)triggering United Nations inspections.
D)making the military poorer.

Question 23

Economic downturns are likely to cause what kind of bargaining problems for rebels and states?

A)Information asymmetries
B)Commitment problems
C)Issue indivisibilities
D)International intervention

Question 24

What are thought to be some of the causal factors driving the Arab Spring?

A)Religious and cultural differences with the state
B)Unemployment and high food prices
C)Social media
D)Dissatisfaction with international intervention

Question 25

Why does Russia continue to engage in a costly war against Chechnya instead of granting it autonomy?

A)Russia believes that if appeased,the Chechens would just ask for more.
B)Russia believes that other potential separatists would then start their own campaigns for independence.
C)Russia does not have the authority to grant autonomy to republics.
D)Russia is concerned that Chechnya would not be able to exist on its own.

Question 26

Which of the following is an example of a rebel group facing a commitment problem within the group?

A)A state cannot guarantee it will not wipe out a rebel group once they lay down their weapons.
B)The rebel group refuses to show how strong it really is.
C)A rebel leader cannot force other rebels to abide by an agreement.
D)A rebel leader refuses to negotiate with another state.

Question 27

Which of the following is an example of insurgent methods?

A)Taking the enemy's territory and expanding once that foothold is established
B)Growing a well-groomed and official-looking military
C)Capturing enemy buildings and cities
D)Attacking a government building and then disappearing back into the city

Question 28

In 2006,the U.S.military's counterinsurgency focus shifted away from:

A)attempting to win the hearts and minds of the people.
B)search and destroy missions against insurgents.
C)providing safe zones for civilians.
D)increasing security by doing joint patrols with army and police forces.

Question 29

The Rebel Alliance has started a civil war against the Empire in order to restore the previous republican form of government.The Alliance wants to keep the nation as one but with a new,more democratic government.This is an example of what problem for bargaining in civil wars?

A)Information asymmetries
B)Issue indivisibilities
C)International intervention
D)Brinkmanship bargaining

Question 30

A group of Minnesota residents organize and arm themselves,then threaten to attack the airport unless they are given ruling autonomy over Minneapolis.This is an example of:

A)terrorism.
B)irredentism.
C)insurgency.
D)guerilla warfare

Question 31

The Taliban in Afghanistan has been effective:

A)at downplaying their own violence against civilians and exploiting the deaths caused by outsiders.
B)in fighting a conventional war against U.S.forces.
C)in providing care and aid for all in Afghanistan.
D)in ensuring governing stability in Afghanistan.

Question 32

What is the principle of self-determination?

A)That every individual has the right to freedom
B)That groups have the right to determine how they should be governed under whose authority
C)That each country has sovereignty and should not be invaded
D)That every religious organization can determine their place of worship

Question 33

Insurgents:

A)are primarily concerned in taking military objectives against a conventional army.
B)fight conventional battles against state armies.
C)rarely wear distinctive uniforms and attempt to blend in with the population.
D)win by defeating opposing military forces.

Question 34

A rebel group hiding its true strength is likely to cause what problems for bargaining?

A)Information asymmetries
B)Commitment problems
C)Issue indivisibilities
D)International intervention

Question 35

What is the essential credible commitment problem for rebel groups to lay down their arms for peace?

A)Rebels are rising in power so they have no reason to lay down arms.
B)The state is ceding power and will be weaker than the rebels,so it isn't a committed deal.
C)Rebels will no longer have the reputation of being willing to do violence.
D)Once they disarm they have no way to be sure that the government will keep the deal.

Question 36

Which of the following is an example of what a foreign state might gain from supporting another country's rebellion?

A)U.S.support for Syrian rebels may influence the regime to step down.
B)Egypt pays Saudi Arabia to quell its own rebellion.
C)South Sudan experiences higher taxes on imports from Sudan.
D)France builds a wall between itself and Germany.

Question 37

The majority of civil wars end:

A)with one side winning the conflict.
B)with the two sides reaching their own negotiated settlement.
C)with international intervention leading to a negotiated settlement.
D)with peacekeeping forces maintaining a settlement.

Question 38

While economic downturns typically weaken a state's position in bargaining,they are:

A)likely to hurt the rebels just as much.
B)rare in countries experiencing civil war.
C)usually only temporary.
D)usually mitigated by international intervention.

Question 39

The one of the best ways to reduce the likelihood of civil war is:

A)disarming governments.
B)disarming rebels.
C)encouraging economic development and democratization.
D)establishing effective international institutions that can abolish war.

Question 40

Which of the following is a potential group-level explanation for citizen mobilization?

A)Cohesion and trust between individuals of the same ethnic identity
B)Corrupt political leaders
C)The collapse of a country's economy
D)Pressure from a neighboring state

Question 41

Attacking a vulnerable population within a state in an attempt to encourage retaliation by the state is an example of which terrorist tactic?

A)Coercion
B)Spoiling
C)Outbidding
D)Provocation

Question 42

What role did ISIS attempt to take on during its rise?

A)ISIS attempted to play the role of negotiator between the Syrian rebels and the Syrian government.
B)ISIS began to take up the role of government by applying laws and collecting taxes.
C)ISIS tried to foster global terrorism,particularly in Russia.
D)ISIS implemented national voting reform in Iraq.

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of increasing defensive measures against terrorism?

A)Adding additional armed soldiers to seek out and arrest terrorists
B)Employing drones with cameras to follow suspected terrorists
C)Building a wall around a city and using body scanners before people can enter
D)Increasing budgets for preemptive warfare

Question 44

States refusing to negotiate with terrorists are trying to overcome what kind of problem created by bargaining with terrorists?

A)Commitment problems
B)Issue indivisibilities
C)International intervention
D)Brinkmanship bargaining

Question 45

The inherent political weakness in terrorist groups generally:

A)allows them to beat governments.
B)encourages hierarchical command structures.
C)encourages decentralized,network-based command structures.
D)allows them to directly confront military targets.

Question 46

Threatening to destroy a national monument unless a state reverses a particular policy is an example of which terrorist tactic?

A)Coercion
B)Outbidding
C)Provocation
D)Propagandizing

Question 47

Airport security measures and armed guards at national monuments are examples of what tactic to combat terrorism?

A)Negotiation and compromise
B)Criminalization
C)Defensive measures
D)Preemption

Question 48

If Al Qaeda demanded that the leadership of the United States converted to Islam,what kind of bargaining problem would this represent?

A)Information asymmetries
B)Commitment problems
C)Issue indivisibilities
D)International intervention.

Question 49

What is NOT a traditional way in which terrorists can achieve their aims?

A)Coercion
B)Spoiling
C)Provocation
D)Conquering

Question 50

Which of the following meets the definition of an extremist?

A)Someone who is extremely agitated and screaming for justice
B)A person who participates in a densely populated march against a government
C)A person whose political views are frequently ignored because no one agrees with them
D)A person from an ethnic minority

Question 51

Which of the following is an example of coercion?

A)Taking and holding hostages until your demands are met
B)Breaking into a building and taking the cash register
C)Holding negotiations without a mediator
D)Invading another country to create a new regime

Question 52

What is the difference between a moderate and an extremist?

A)Extremists are dedicated to using violence.
B)Extremist views are less widely shared.
C)Moderates have a higher education level.
D)Moderates come from a lower socioeconomic status.

Question 53

Terrorist groups being unable to rein in "loose cannons" represents what kind of threat to bargaining?

A)Information asymmetries
B)Commitment problems
C)International intervention
D)Brinkmanship bargaining

Question 54

The Islamic State was largely formed:

A)by a group of Islamic clerics hundreds of years ago.
B)shortly after the 9/11 attacks to continue the campaign against the United States.
C)shortly after the 2003 U.S.invasion of Iraq.
D)during the 1980s,while the Soviet Union was fighting in Afghanistan.

Question 55

How is coercion different from brute force?

A)Coercion is the same thing as brute force.
B)Coercion uses less violence than brute force.
C)Coercion imposes costs to create change,while brute force simply makes the change.
D)Coercion is more violent than brute force.

Question 56

Terrorists:

A)tend to be moderates.
B)do not pursue their interests.
C)are irrational.
D)are rational.

Question 57

Why might terrorists have to engage in violence before bargaining even starts?

A)It is the only way a state will recognize that they have legitimate grievances.
B)It shows the state they have tried nonviolent alternatives first.
C)Specifying threats can undermine their capability to carry those actions out.
D)A state will not know who credibly speaks for the larger population until the group is identified as terrorist.

Question 58

Committing a terrorist attack in an effort to derail a peace negotiation is an example of which terrorist tactic?

A)Coercion
B)Spoiling
C)Outbidding
D)Propagandizing

Question 59

When the United States and Cuba signed an agreement in 1973 to return any hijackers to the country from which they fled,that was an example of which method of dealing with terrorism?

A)Negotiation and compromise
B)Criminalization
C)Ignoring terrorists
D)Defensive measures

Question 60

What was the effect of the Syrian state's retraction from control over all of its territory?

A)The creation of a Sunni-Shia treaty to rule Iraq
B)The expansion of U.S.forces into those territories to control and overturn the Syrian regime
C)A power vacuum that resulted in the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
D)An invasion by neighboring Iraqi forces

Question 61

What characteristics of a state make civil war more likely,and why?

Question 62

Will the United States ever be able to completely eliminate Al Qaeda? Elaborate on your reasoning.

Question 63

When is terrorism most likely to be adopted by a group as a strategy? Why would a group adopt terrorism instead of insurgency? When would a group conduct both?

Question 64

How do rebels overcome the collective action problem? What strategies are the most successful and why?

Question 65

What can international actors do to prevent civil war? What can they do to stop an ongoing civil war? How do international actors sometimes make civil wars more likely,and how do they sometimes make civil wars worse?

Question 66

When and how should foreign countries intervene under conditions of domestic conflict in other countries?

Question 67

How can different types of rebel demands (e.g. ,separatism,revolution,and irredentism)change the nature of a conflict,and how do the strategies that states use to respond to rebel groups change based on the nature of the demands?

Question 68

How does counterinsurgency work?

Question 69

In what ways are rebels and terrorists similar? In what ways are they different?

Question 70

Explain two different strategies terrorists adopt to achieve their goals.When might one strategy be superior to the other?

Question 71

What is the relationship between greed and grievance,civil war,and ethnic/religious identity?

Question 72

Why did the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last so long?

Question 73

How do rebels and terrorist organizations complicate analysis in international relations?

Question 74

Why do some grievances lead to civil war and others do not?

Question 75

Can states effectively prevent or deter terrorism? Why or why not?