The Threat Of Terrorism - By: Syed Waris Shere

Terrorism has now become more deadly and remains a real threat to the safety and security of mankind. According to the Department of Homeland Security manifesto, "Today's terrorists can strike at any place, at any time, and with virtually any weapon."  The Encyclopedia of Britannica describes terrorism as, "the systematic use of terror or unpredictable violence against governments, publics, or individuals, to attain a political objective."  This is the approach that terrorists use in attempting to change a situation that they do not agree with. “Effectiveness of terrorism is first and foremost measured by the fear inspired in the target – population and government alike.” , writes  Alison Jamieson, author and consultant who has written extensively in English and Italian on issues of political violence. Despite the shrill public discussion of U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, the most important front of the war in South Asia continues to be Pakistan, which is the world's most dangerous jihadists says Brian Fishman an Associate in the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. The growing terrorism of religious extremists has mounted crises of democracy in that part of the world. Terrorism in the region has originated from extreme intolerance against  democratic values. Growth of terrorism never remains confined within one's own boundary but has also international ramifications. Religious militants captured power in Afghanistan, and now they have developed their foothold in neighboring countries. In recent days Pakistan's slide towards state failure is gathering momentum. Violence in Pakistan has been on the rise and according to South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), a terrorism database, 2,155 civilians were killed in terrorist violence in 2008 and nearly 1800 civilians have been killed in the first ten months of 2009 as compared to around 1600 civilian deaths from 2003 to 2006. This new generation of terrorists is also more willing to engage in suicide attacks; journalist Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, in a new documentary (CBC), reports that the Taliban are recruiting younger and younger children to carry out suicide attacks. According to SATP, there were nearly sixty suicide attacks in Pakistan in 2009 as compared to only two in 2002. Not only Pakistan but the whole world is experiencing terrorist activities. In Pakistan some ascribe the terrorism and these terrorist activities to the political instability, economic conditions, standard of living of the masses. Others attribute it to the religious extremism. Some are of the opinion that the injustices done by World super powers towards the third world countries and Muslim countries have led the world to this situation. In her essay titled "What effect does terrorism have on people in the 21st century?", Kate Royans of Flinders University, Australia, writes that the threat and occurrence of violence on a global scale towards civilians has increased as conventional global wars no longer operate as they did in the first half of the 20th Century. Wars between democratic nations and their armies since then no longer occur, however, civilians are now targets of large-scale violence by groups without direct management from national leaders. The damage caused by terrorism is threatening peace and democracy and abusing human rights. Religion appears, no doubt, as a political force in South Asia and that the religious militancy develops from the practice of using religion to achieve political goals, according to Gyasuddin Molla, Professor of Political Science, University of Dhaka. In the final analysis, we must unite to eliminite this cancer once and for all to make it a model of Peace and Prosperity for the nations of the World.
About the Author: WARIS SHERE was educated at the Aligarh Muslim University, University of London and Technische Hochschule, Aachen Germany. He has authored eight books in the field of Applied Mathematics, International Affairs and Academic Futures: Prospects for Post-Secondary institution. He has taught Applied Mathematics at the University of Manitoba, Canada and Red River College, Canada for several years. His work on critical issues of International Affairs has been published globally. His main interests are Emerging International Order, Security and the Prospects for East-West relations and Dilemmas in Policy-Making for Education.