# Terrorism: Opposing Viewpoints (2000 book)

Terrorism: Opposing Viewpoints is a book, in the Opposing Viewpoints series, presenting selections of contrasting viewpoints on four central questions about terrorism: whether it is a serious threat; what motivates it; whether it can be justified; and how the United States should respond to it. It was edited by Laura K. Egendorf.
It was published by Greenhaven Press (San Diego) in 2000 as a 203-page hardcover (ISBN 0-7377-0137-4) and paperback (ISBN 0-7377-0136-6).

## Contents

| Chapter | Viewpoint | Author | Notes |
| Why Consider Opposing Viewpoints? | | | |
| Introduction | | | |
| Chapter 1: Is Terrorism a Serious Threat? | 1. Terrorism is a Serious Threat | Bruce Hoffman | Excerpt from "The Confluence of International and Domestic Trends in Terrorism," Terrorism and Political Violence, Summer 1997. |
| Chapter 1: Is Terrorism a Serious Threat? | 2. The Threat of Terrorism Is Overstated | Larry C. Johnson | Excerpt from "The Fall of Terrorism," Security Management, April 1997. |
| Chapter 1: Is Terrorism a Serious Threat? | 3. Weapons of Mass Destruction Pose a Terrorist Threat | Sam Nunn | From "The New Terror: Nutcakes with Nukes," New Perspectives Quarterly, Winter 1996. |
| Chapter 1: Is Terrorism a Serious Threat? | 4. Weapons of Mass Destruction Do Not Pose a Terrorist Threat | Ehud Sprinzak | Reprint of "Terrorism: Real and Imagined," in The Washington Post, August 19, 1998. |
| Chapter 1: Is Terrorism a Serious Threat? | 5. Terrorism Against Information Systems Is a Threat | Matthew G. Devost, Brian K. Houghton, and Neil Allen Pollard | Excerpt from "Information Terrorism: Political Violence in the Information Age," Terrorism and Political Violence, Spring 1997. |
| Chapter 1: Is Terrorism a Serious Threat? | 6. The Threat of Information Terrorism Has Been Overstated | William Church, interviewed by John Borland | Excerpt from "Analyzing the Threat of Cyberterrorism," TechWeb, September 23, 1998. |
| Chapter 2: What Motivates Terrorists? | 1. Religious Fanaticism Motivates Terrorists | Magnus Ranstorp | Excerpt from "Terrorism in the Name of Religion," Journal of International Affairs. |
| Chapter 2: What Motivates Terrorists? | 2. Postwar Developments Motivate Terrorists | Joseba Zulaika and William A. Douglass | Excerpt from Terror and Taboo: The Follies, Fables, and Faces of Terrorism (Routledge, 1996, hardcover, ISBN 0-415-91758-1; paperback, ISBN 0-415-91759-X). |
| Chapter 2: What Motivates Terrorists? | 3. Democracy Encourages Terrorism | David C. Rapoport | Reprint of "Fertile Ground for Terrorism," San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 1995. |
| Chapter 2: What Motivates Terrorists? | 4. Economic Distress Motivates Terrorists | Allen Hammond | Reprint of "Terrorism's Roots," The Christian Science Monitor, October 7, 1998. The article was adapted from Which World? Scenarios for the 21st Century (Island Press, 1998, hardcover, ISBN 1-55963-575-4; Shearwater Books, 2000, paperback, ISBN 1-55963-576-2). |
| Chapter 2: What Motivates Terrorists? | 5. Israeli Actions Motivate Middle East Terrorists | Ehud Sprinzak | Reprint of "Learning to Live with Hamas," The Washington Post National Weekly Edition October 27, 1997. |
| Chapter 2: What Motivates Terrorists? | 6. Palestinian Leaders Motivate Middle East Terrorists | David Bar-Illan | Excerpt from "The Wages of Oslo", Commentary, May 1996. |
| Chapter 2: What Motivates Terrorists? | 7. A Combination of Factors Motivates Terrorists | Terrorism Research Center | Excerpt from "The Basics of Terrorism," MediaLink, May 8, 2003. |
| Chapter 3: Can Terrorism Be Justified? | 1. Resistance to Tyranny Justifies Violence Against the U.S. Government | Martin Lindstedt | Reprint of "UnCommon Sense", The Southwestern Missouri Libertarian, July/August 1995. |
| Chapter 3: Can Terrorism Be Justified? | 2. Violence Against the Government Is Not Justified | Bill Clinton | Excerpt from his "commencement speech at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, May 5, 1995. |
| Chapter 3: Can Terrorism Be Justified? | 3. Resistance to British Rule Justifies Bombings in Northern Ireland | Mark O'Connell | Reprint of "Noraid's Galvin Has Doubts on RIRA," The Sunday Business Post, September 13, 1998. |
| Chapter 3: Can Terrorism Be Justified? | 4. Bombings in Northern Ireland Cannot be Justified | Andersonstown News | Reprint of "Stand Down Now, for All Our Sakes," editorial, Andersonstown News, August 22, 1998. |
| Chapter 3: Can Terrorism Be Justified? | 5. American Policies in the Middle East Justify Islamic Terrorism | Osama Bin Ladin, interviewed by John Miller | Excerpt from "Talking with Terror's Banker," ABC News transcript, May 1998. |
| Chapter 3: Can Terrorism Be Justified? | 6. Israeli Occupation of Palestine Justifies Islamic Terrorism | Nida'ul Islam | Excerpt from "Palestine: History, Case, and Solution," editorial, Nida'ul Islam, January/February 1996. |
| Chapter 3: Can Terrorism Be Justified? | 7. The Islamic Faith Does Not Condone Terrorism | Seifeldin Ashmawy | Excerpt from Ashmawy's testimony before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, March 19, 1996. |
| Chapter 4: How Should the United States Respond to Terrorism? | 1. Tougher Aviation Security Measures Will Help Reduce Terrorism | Keith O. Fultz | Excerpt from "Status of Aviation Security Efforts with a Focus on the National Safe Skies Alliance and Passenger Profiling Criteria," Fultz's testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation, May 14, 1998. |
| Chapter 4: How Should the United States Respond to Terrorism? | 2. Tougher Aviation Security Measures Will Not Reduce Terrorism | Robert W. Hahn | Excerpt from "Cost of Antiterrorist Rhetoric," Regulation, vol. 19, no. 4, 1996. |
| Chapter 4: How Should the United States Respond to Terrorism? | 3. The United States Should Retaliate Against Terrorist Groups | Holger Jensen | Reprint of "United States Should Take Cue from Terrorists Themselves," Rocky Mountain News, August 25, 1998. |
| Chapter 4: How Should the United States Respond to Terrorism? | 4. Retaliation Efforts Against Terrorists Are Fruitless | Raymond Close | Reprint of "How Not to Fight Terrorism," The Washington Post National Weekly Edition, September 7, 1998. |
| Chapter 4: How Should the United States Respond to Terrorism? | 5. Expanding the FBI's Powers Is a Necessary Response to Terrorism | Louis J. Freeh | Reprint of "What Can Be Done About Terrorism?," USA Today magazine, January 1996. |
| Chapter 4: How Should the United States Respond to Terrorism? | 6. Counterterrorism Legislation Is a Dangerous Expansion of Governmental Powers | Jeffrey Rosen | From "Shell Game," The New Republic, May 13, 1996. |
| Terrorism: A Look at Three Key Areas | | | Brief overview of terrorism in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, and the United States. |
| For Further Discussion | | | |
| Organizations to Contact | | | |
| Bibliography of Books | | | |
| Index | | | |