Recent Inflexion Point on Terrorism

The history of terrorism is as old as humans' willingness to use violence to affect politics.

Thru most of the history groups of dissenting individuals have waged war against an established order, a state, fiefdom, a nation. Such groups were called anarchists, terrorists, traitors etc.

Equally the state attacked dissenting private groups, tribes communities to ensure its writ.

The graphic below eloquently illustrates the accompanying narrative.   

In the 20th century, terrorism continued to be associated with a vast array of anarchist, socialist, fascist and nationalist groups, many of them engaged in 'third world' anti-colonial struggles.

Terrorism began to have a negative connotation when the Americans first experienced violent attacks on themselves abroad, as on the US Embassy in Kenya or on USS Cole during the late 1990s. Finally when 9/11 took place, terrorism was labelled as America’s and by implication the world’s number 1 problem.

This is the first inflexion point : The al-Qaeda changed the meaning and practice of terrorism.

Meghnad Desai made a very interesting observation in a recent article in Indian Express, that once USA suffered it decided to clamp down on the American Irish funding on Sein Finn, which finally helped British to calm its northern borders.

Quote " It was only in late 20th century in Northern Ireland that the terrorist activity became sectarian and directed against civilian population as well. Once the Americans became hostile to terrorism, they withdrew the financial support. After that, peace was easy to achieve in Northern Ireland" Unquote. 

The second Inflexion point

Another interesting change has been, according to Meghnad Desai, that now the terrorist event take place against civilians rather than state or nation so far.

This change in terrorist tactics has given the sinister edge to Islamist terrorism.

Tangentially, if Meghnad Desai's conjecture is fair, Mr Modi's strategic recommendation to identify and cut financing sources of ISIS and other groups must be worked on.