I have already posted to Hulett that you are right on target on
 this.

 Are you sure you don't want to change your mind?

 EC> Bob A. is correct in a pure sense of what "terrorism" is
 EC> all about. Terrorists go for maximum exposure and
 EC> visibility.  They also kill in the process, but the
 EC> visibility of the killing is more important than the number
 EC> killed.

 EC> There is a reason that the World Trade Center was targeted
 EC> - twice - and the White House and the Pentagon.  They are
 EC> visible symbols.  The goal was not to kill the maximum
 EC> number of people.

 EC> Suicide bombers are a mixed group.  Some are primarily
 EC> terrorists.  Some are just killers.  Kamikaze attacks were
 EC> attempts to kill people and sink ships, not to terrorize
 EC> the public. But when a suicide bomber goes into a
 EC> restaurant in Israel at lunchtime and blows up himself and
 EC> five bystanders, the goal was not just to kill five people
 EC> but to scare the whole Israeli population into fearing
 EC> attack any time and any place.

 EC> To some degree he is right about publicity.  The anthrax
 EC> attacks got far more publicity than they deserved, and
 EC> increased the terror impact while inspiring copycats and
 EC> hoaxers.  But when 200 people get killed in Bali or when
 EC> sarin gas is released in Japanese subways it is hard NOT to
 EC> publicize the stories.


BOB KLAHN bob.klahn{at}sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

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