The key point of terrorism is to use a force multiplier to advance a terrorist attack to be more damaging than just a typical attack. First, what is a force multiplier? A force multiplier is a method that allows an increase of striking power without increasing the number of combats troops in military (White 2009, p. 98). Meaning, that terrorist are trying to find a tactic that will cause catastrophic damage without losing members of their organization. This allows terrorists to use a specific force multiplier to enhance their choice of tactic . Either terrorists use technology enhancement of weapons, or transnational support, or media coverage, or religious fanaticism that will allow for an increase in striking power (White 2009, p. 98). Force multipliers allow terrorists to be capable of increasing striking power for a specific tactic of terrorism. Meaning, adding more striking power to an attack leads to a more destructive outcome, which is a typical for terrorism. Some might argue that why do terrorists need these four types of methods just for one tactic, bombing. But what some might not realize is terrorists do not have just one tactic, but have multiple tactics to carry out an attack.
Bombing is a well-known tactic of terrorism because the media constantly shows coverage of an attack that has to deal with a bomb. Yes, bombing is one of the tactics of terrorism, but terrorist also use hijacking, arson, assault, kidnapping, and hostage taking (White 2009, p. 98). Terrorist would use hostage taking for the means of taking over a building to cause a massacre. Terrorist would use assault as sending a message to the people that this organization is serious when it states that they will take violent measures in order to send a message. Tactics are allowing terrorists to be able to send a message through violent means. For example, suicide bombing is considered to be a means of propaganda for terrorism (White, 2009). Terrorists are known to seek media attention for the reason of advertising their organization to the world. This is why you see a majority of terrorists attack having to do with a bomb. Bombs are destructive, cause catastrophic damage, and instill fear within the people, all goals of terrorism.
A majority of terrorist attacks deal with some type of a bomb, but why a bomb? Well if you think about it, bombs are extremely destructive. The more you increase the striking power the more destructive the attack will become. This is a goal for many terrorists. The more destructive the attack, the more successful the terrorists organization will become. Terrorist groups are seeking media attention and in order to gain attention, bombs are used as a tactic to get media coverage. Many people generally fear bombs and when a terrorist uses a bomb, their goal is to instill fear in the people. For example, hijackers first used a bomb in order to take over the planes on September 11th (White 2009, p. 99). This allows for the terrorists to gain control because it has instilled fear in the people on the planes. The event of September 11, 2001 had attracted attention of the world to the threat that was imposed by terrorists, whom were determined to die for reaching their targets (Azam 2005, p. 175). These terrorists use technology to enhance the striking power of their attack. The terrorist used the tactic of bombing in order to gain control over the planes and then took those planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center.
Terrorists will continue to increase the striking power of their attacks as long as technology continues to enhancement dramatically. For example, terrorists will use technology to help find other ways to make bombs more destructive. The more destructive the bomb, the more the striking power will increase. Terrorist use technology to enhance their striking force in order for their organization to gain attention. For example, On March 11, 2001, a bomb went off in Madrid where it killed 191 people and injured 1,800 people. The bomb went off during morning rush hours on a bus where bombs were found in backpacks and were detonated using a mobile phone (Clarke, 2005). Technology has enhanced to the point where terrorists have found means of using a cellular device to detonate a bomb from a distance. As technology continues to enhance in the future, terrorists will find more creative ways in order to increase the striking force of any tactic of terrorism. If nothing is done to stop this, then terrorist groups will continue to find means of causing more destructive attacks through force multipliers.
References:
Azam, J. (2005). Suicide-bombing as inter-generation investment. Public Choice, 122(2).
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Clarke, S. (2005). Major terrorist attacks since 9/11. Retrieved on April 13, 2011, from
White, J. (2009). Terrorism and Homeland Security. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
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