Discouraging terrorism: some implications of 9/11

Description

This report addresses the question of what terrorists hold in value. This question is posed in order to assess some means and strategies for deterring, deflecting, or preventing terrorist activities. The report approaches the question on several levels, moving from the use of short-term deterrent strategies to the modification of the broader contexts and conditions conducive to terrorist activities in the long run. The report focuses on contemporary Islamic extremist terrorism but deals with generic dimensions in many instances. Contents: 1. Preface -- Executive summary -- terrorists' motives, values, and organization (deterrence of terrorism, audiences for terrorists: six subsets, organization of terrorist network) -- Conditions and contexts of terrorism (historical givens of contemporary terrorism, political considerations, demographic and economic considerations) -- Conclusions and recommendations -- References. Responsibility: Panel on Understanding terrorists in Order to Deter Terrorism, Neil J. Smelser and Faith Mitchell, editors ; Center for Social and Economic Studies, of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council of the National Academies.