Le terrorisme et son impact

Geopolitics : Terrorism and it’s impact

Introduction :

Although the term is not subject to a universally agreed definition, terrorism can be broadly understood as a method of coercion that utilizes or threatens to utilize violence to spread fear and thereby attain political or ideological goals. Contemporary terrorist violence is thus distinguished in law from “ordinary” violence by the classic terrorist “triangle”: A attacks B, to convince or coerce C to change its position regarding some action or policy desired by A. The attack spreads fear as the violence is directed, unexpectedly, against innocent victims, which in turn puts pressure on third parties such as governments to change their policy or position. Contemporary terrorists utilize many forms of violence and indiscriminately target civilians, military facilities, and State officials among others.

The challenges of countering terrorism aren't new and indeed have an extended history. The term “terrorism” was initially coined to elucidate the Reign of Terror, the quantity of the French Revolution from 5 September 1793 to 27 July 1794, during which the Revolutionary Government directed violence and harsh measures against citizens suspected of being enemies of the Revolution. In turn, popular resistance to Napoleon’s invasion of the Spanish Peninsula led to a replacement kind of fighter—the “guerrilla”, which derives from the Spanish word Guerra, meaning “little war”. As a weapon of politics and warfare, however, the use of terrorism by groups is often traced back to the past, and as noted by Falk, “in various forms, terrorism is as old as government and armed struggle, and as pervasive”. The most target of this module, and the University Module Series as a whole, is on terrorist violence and thus the threats administered by non-State groups and thus the response of the international community, especially States, regional organizations, and thus the United Nations system.

Nice, France attack: Three killed in 'Islamist terrorist' stabbings

« Three people have died in a knife attack at a church in Nice, in what French President Emmanuel Macron said was an "Islamist terrorist attack". »

He said France would not surrender its core values after visiting the Notre Dame basilica in the southern city. An extra 4,000 troops are being deployed to protect churches and schools.

In Nice, one elderly victim was "virtually beheaded", officials said. Another woman and a man also died. A male suspect was shot and detained. Anti-terror prosecutors have opened an investigation into the attack and France has raised its national security alert to its highest level.

French anti-terrorist prosecutor Jean-François Ricard later said the attacker was seriously wounded by police. Mr. Ricard said the suspect was a 21-year-old Tunisian national who had arrived in France earlier this month. He had a document issued by the Italian Red Cross. Police sources earlier named the attacker Brahim Aioussaoi. They said he had traveled by boat from Tunisia to the Italian island of Lampedusa in September. He was placed in coronavirus quarantine there before being released and told to leave Italy.

Two other attacks happened on Thursday, one in France and one in Saudi Arabia. A man was shot dead in Montfavet near the southern French city of Avignon after threatening police with a handgun. A guard was attacked outside the French consulate in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. A suspect was arrested and thus the guard was taken to the hospital. Speaking after visiting Nice, President Macron said: "If we are attacked another time it's for the values which are ours: freedom, for the likelihood on our soil to believe freely and to not consider to any spirit of terror. "I say it with great clarity another time today: we cannot surrender anything."

Police haven't suggested a motive for the attack in Nice. However, it follows days of protests in some Muslim-majority countries triggered by President Macron's defense of the publication of cartoons that depicted the Prophet, Mohammed. There are calls in some countries for a boycott of French goods.

Who were the victims?

All three were attacked inside the basilica on Thursday morning before the first Mass of the day. Two died inside the church: a 60-year-old woman who was "virtually beheaded", and a 55-year-old man whose throat was cut. The male victim was a lay member of staff responsible for the upkeep of the church. He reportedly had a wife and two children. Another woman, aged 44, managed to flee to a close-by cafe after being stabbed several times but died later.

It later emerged that a witness had managed to spice up the alarm with a special protection system acknowledged by the town. Chloe, a witness who lives near the church, told the BBC: "We heard many folks shouting within the road. We saw from the window that there are many, many policemen coming, and gunshots, many gunshots." Tom Vannier, a journalism student who received the scene just after the attack, told the BBC that people were crying on the road. Four cops received the scene at 08:57 standard time (07:57 GMT) and thus the attacker was shot and detained shortly afterward, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor said. Four years ago Nice was the scene of coup de main when a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on Bastille Day, killing 86 people. 

USA AND TERRORISM

The campaign against terrorism is instead much more a bit like the conflict of the past century. a bit like the fight against Soviet communism, today’s campaign against terrorism is perhaps getting to be nasty, brutish, and long. thanks to the varied nature of the threat, the US has no clear vision of when or how the war will end. Complete success within the military operations in Afghanistan won't necessarily mean victory. Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network of terrorists extends well beyond Afghanistan. It could easily reconstitute itself albeit the US captures or kills bin Laden and his lieutenants. Future attacks might even involve the use of sophisticated germ warfare or radiological weapons, if not nuclear weapons.

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