For LA ISSS group discussion

ISSS-NATO
2004 09 21 J E D Cline
Ideas for ISSS proposal re Counter-Terrorism to NATO RFP:

Technique for this idea-writing is to use the redundancy technique where each sentence is followed by another sentence which correlates with the first one on the major points communicated.

In school I was taught that correctly & exactly defining a problem, was to have already half solved the problem.

So I explore here factors for defining the problem of "terrorism" so as to enable more optimum approaches for "Counter-Terrorism."

A1. A "rule of thumb" is that any given person of any given competency, is capable of destroying 10 times as much as he/she can construct, using an equal amount of effort for either.
A2. It is usually a lot harder to build something than it is to destroy it.

B1. Since if everybody, or even 1 out of 10, did the destructive mode, we would long ago ceased to exist; therefore, people generally don't do the destructive mode.
B2. Something normally keeps people in the constructive mode.

C1. "Terrorism" has changed operational definitions several times: as a youth a half-century ago, "terrorism" was what the schoolyard bully did in wrath to those who "squealed" on them.
C2. Or sometimes the schoolyard bullies terrorized others just to again prove their ability to instill fear in their neighbors, to elicit compliance with the bully's everyday routine demands, particularly the girls' compliance to submit to the bullies demands.

D1. In more recent decades, the word "terrorism" suddenly re-appeared, being the word used to describe a form of "guerilla warfare" in which a non-strategic target would be destroyed, followed by a group claiming to have done it and demanding compliance with the groups demands, to prevent further "terrorism."
D2. "Guerilla" warfare was a destructive activity as part of political turmoil; "terrorism" was part of that, except involved situations which would not announce violent conflict about to happen to non-combatants.

E1. A characteristic of "terrorism" was that the damage was done to non-strategic, but cherished, parts of the opponent group/nation/gang, was immediately followed by a declaration of responsibility by a specific group and included demands of compliance required to avoid more of the same from happening; the Palestinians vs. Israelis quarrels over ownership of territory for homes was an example.
E2. "Terrorism" was a form of guerilla warfare characterized by assault against opponent's non-strategic parts, often involving the active assaulter to not survive the assault, and that a following message would declare what group did it along with explicit or implied demands for compliance to prevent more of the same from happening.

F1. More insidious were variants where, in a land where peace reigns and the internal guard is down, and all is vulnerable, "accidents" or "mishaps" are done by saboteurs of secretive groups who have political and/or commercial power agendas, so that the opposition only sees a very consistent trend of tragic losses where normally things work fine, yet it is very hard to prove assassination and sabotage by the clever secret group, so as to gradually instill fear only in the target person or group.
F2. "Terrorism" by a group can come from within a country or group, as well as from outside; and it can target the whole opponent group, or even only one targeted individual.

G1. A new variant of "terrorism" began with the "9/11" events, where no one claimed responsibility, nor made demands for some kind of compliance to prevent future occurrences.
G2. Even lacking a demand for compliance about something like handing over territory, such an event as "9/11" is sure to instigate a widespread paranoia-driven security system empowerment, like an immunization response to an infection or vaccination.

H1. "Beware violent destruction when you least expect it" is part of big and little terrorist activity, so as to instill a continual fear and watchfulness, which blocks the target group/nation/individual's higher mental cognitive activity most of the time.
H2. Keeping the target group's members in an internal state of fear, serves the purpose of excessive R-Complex time in main control, making people tend to be be predictably reactive instead of responsible, thus they become easy to predict and easy to control.

I1. "Terrorism" is a form of "bullying", each using deliberately instilled irrational fear to force compliance, and to block higher cognitive processes that might have provided better solutions for coping with the bully.
I2. Therefore, the study of "bullying" and successful ways of counteracting it, is foundational to the study of terrorism and possible ways to counteract it.

J1. Insight into the nature of the "bully" can be found in the archetype: the bull that has the herd of cows to himself, spends all his time attacking other males of his kind and quickly impregnating the cows when in heat, and does not defend the herd but seeks protection in the ring of horned cows, like their calves.
J2. The herd's cows thrive on the food and water of the herd's territory encircled, but the bull depends on protected space and food within the herd's boundaries, thus is predatory on the herd itself so as to propagate his violent genes.

K1. Understanding the archetype and seeking its playout in specific drama, there is a chance of escaping the trap of sparring with the bully; the bully thrives on high drama which is implying his power over others, drawing obedient excited followers.
K2. Avoid playing the bully's game on his terms, so as to deprive the bully of rewards for his abuses done to others, making the game too dull and unrewarding to play anymore.