Social Problems War and Terrorism
A thought on war: l "When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to hate war. War settles nothing. " l (Eisenhower, Dwight D. , cited in The New Dictionary of Thoughts. Cincinnati: Standard Book Company, 1957. )
War l l l War = the pattern of large groups of people methodically trying to kill one another armed conflict between two countries or groups within a country includes undeclared battles, civil conflicts, guerrilla wars, covert operations, terrorism relies on collective violence as opposed to interpersonal violence Audio Lecture #7 by Robert Brym on War, 2002
Brym on War l l Societal warfare has replaced interstate war Risk of war varies by: l l l Type of government (democratic, authoritarian, or intermediate) Level of prosperity Democracies and autocracies lower risk of war, but intermediate high because of lack of stable government ie Iraq now
Other Factors Related to War l In authoritarian states: l l l a secondary consequence of a military-state connection is designed to engender patriotism and to justify penalizing political dissidents. Decentralized leadership less likely to be warlike than is centralized leadership
Other factors l l Ideologies and religion also influence politics and war Politics occur between states World system theory (Wallerstein) and unequal relations between core and peripheral nations Advances in military technology l Technology has made warfare more lethal § Human consequences § Ecological consequences
Terrorism l l l any act by an individual or by a group that is intended to undermine the legitimate authority of a government or state roots of terrorism found in religious, ethnic nationalist, political, economic, and social differences Audio Lecture #5 by Robert Brym on Terrorism
Other Types of Terrorism l l l Narcoterrorism- use of violence in the trafficking of drugs State terrorism refers to the terrorism of the government against their own people Revolutionary terrorism- to bring about total political change
Ecoterrorism l l destruction of environment as a weapon U. S. military's use of Agent Orange in Vietnam destruction of Kuwaiti oil wells by retreating Iraqi military forces during the 1991 Persian Gulf War see: http: //www. worldcentric. org/consciousliving/militarism-and-conflicts
Origins of Terrorist Groups l Many terrorist groups have originated out of troubled areas of the world Middle East § Northern Ireland § l l l Political radicalism is a source of terrorism Terrorism can have its origin in cults Terrorism can originate out of the State to maintain power
Origins (cont. ) l Characteristics of terrorist recruits Well educated § Young § Upper-middle class or middle-class background § l l Terrorism emerges out of the despair bred by the economic deprivation in parts of the world Terrorists operate on a belief system based on salvation through violence
Terrorism and Religion l l l Terrorists groups are often motivated by deep religious convictions Not religion that is the actual motivation, but the presence of a totalitarian belief system Violence is often committed against known and unknown victims Random victims § Select targets because of their prominence in society §
Terrorism’s Impact on Society l The primary impact of terrorism on society are: § § § Increased fear and heightened security Erosion of civil liberties Economic consequences Health consequences Political consequences
Social and health consequences of war and terrorism on individuals l Social: l l l kills many people costs a lot of money shattering of morale use of children in warfare Health consequences for both veterans and civilians: l l Also affects civilians who are sheltered from combat itself. Exposure to war increases the risk of health problems, and lowers life expectancy. Veterans suffer from psychological disorders. Victims of terrorism at risk of psychological trauma
Are Anti-Terrorism Measures Working? l l l Terrorist attacks worldwide are increasing For example, here is an msnbc newsclip indicating terrorist attacks in 2006 up 25%. . http: //www. msnbc. msn. com/id/21134540/vp/1 8404895#18404895
Example: Recent terrorist attacks against U. S in 2008. … May 26, Iraq: a suicide bomber on a motorcycle kills six U. S. soldiers and wounds 18 others in Tarmiya. l June 24, Iraq: a suicide bomber kills at least 20 people, including three U. S. Marines, at a meeting between sheiks and Americans in Karmah, a town west of Baghdad. l June 12, Afghanistan: four American servicemen are killed when a roadside bomb explodes near a U. S. military vehicle in Farah Province. l July 13, Afghanistan: nine U. S. soldiers and at least 15 NATO troops die when Taliban militants boldly attack an American base in Kunar Province, which borders Pakistan. It's the most deadly against U. S. troops in three years. l Aug. 18 and 19, Afghanistan: as many as 15 suicide bombers backed by about 30 militants attack a U. S. military base, Camp Salerno, in Bamiyan. Fighting between U. S. troops and members of the Taliban rages overnight. No U. S. troops are killed. l Sept. 16, Yemen: a car bomb and a rocket strike the U. S. embassy in Yemen as staff arrived to work, killing 16 people, including 4 civilians. At least 25 suspected al-Qaeda militants are arrested for the attack. This is only against the U. S…. . every day there are reports of attacks against others, including our Canadian soldiers in Afganistan l l
Can Terrorism Be Prevented? l A Homeland Security Report 2007 used a case study approach to determine what factors were effective in deterring or preventing terrorism l “results indicated that the most influential factors determining the success or failure of a terrorist attack are those that occur in the pre-execution phases. While safeguards and controls at airports and rail stations are critical, they are most effective when coupled with factors that can be leveraged to detect the plot in the planning stages” l (http: //www. homelandsecurity. org/hsireports/reasons_for_terroris t_success_failure. pdf, retrieved Apr. 3, 2008)
Early Prevention Strategies (Homeland Security Report, 2007) l Major cause of failure of a terrorist attack is poor terrorist operational security. Need to capitalize on this when possible… l l Encourage increased vigilance amongst both the public and security services Create better awareness by utilizing “terrorist profile indicators” Increase information sharing both laterally and downward Enhance international cooperation
The Cost of War l l Globally: $1 trillion dollars on military, for making weapons and training people to kill U. S. : approx $450 billion Report of the UN Secretary-General put the economic costs to the international community of seven major wars in the 1990 s, not including Kosovo, at $199 billion See http: //www. worldcentric. org/conscious- living/militarism-and-conflicts
The Cost of War (cont. ) l Loss of life in battle: l Between 1100 and 1925 about 35 million soldiers were killed in 862 wars l During World War II 17 million soldiers and 35 million civilians were killed
Social Costs l l In 2004, about 2 million veterans were receiving compensation from the U. S. government for warrelated disabilities War takes a psychological toll on soldiers § l l Posttraumatic stress disorder war victims who are civilians has increased from 5 per cent to over 90 per cent at least half of victims now are children 1986 -96: approximately 2 million children killed in armed conflict (3 times that amount were injured or disabled in wars) See http: //www. unicef. org/graca/
Social Costs (Children) l l "More and more of the world is being sucked into a desolate moral vacuum. This is a space devoid of the most basic human values; a space in which children are slaughtered, raped, and maimed; a space in which children are exploited as soldiers; a space in which children are starved and exposed to extreme brutality. “ Graça Machel, “The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, ” 1996 Report submitted to UN
Social Costs (cont. ) l War is a major factor in mass migration of populations § l Between 1986 and 1999 there have been over 1. 3 million refugees were granted asylum in the United States Government policy during war has also forced population migration § WW II and German relocation policy of Jews and others
Biological theories of the origins of war and terrorism l l humans are “naturally” prone to violent behaviour Sociobiological theories l l Konrad Lorenz l l l Aggression and violence as a genetic trait to enhance survival of the human species Aggression as an instinct in humans Aggression is linked to territoriality Edward O. Wilson l Genetic predisposition to aggression l Aggression channeled through culture
Psychological approaches l l war is a natural phenomenon that develops when resources fought over are scarce or when superiority and victory are central to a group's identity psychologists study how 'normal' people can change during wartime into soldiers capable of killing and injuring others seemingly without hesitation and remorse Famous experiments – Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Study, Milgram’s Authoritarianism Study
Would war change you? ? l l “War is an environment that will psychologically debilitate 98 percent of all who participate in it for any length of time. And the 2 percent who are not driven insane by war appear to have already been insane – aggressive psychopaths – before coming to the battlefield. ” (from On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, 1995)
Structural Functionalism l War fulfills a variety of functions such as increasing social cohesion and group identity, increasing employment and production, and facilitating new scientific and technological innovations l Did 9/11 and the war in Iraq increase solidarity and cohesion in the U. S. ?
Conflict Theory l l War benefits groups such as corporations, politicians, and the military Marx and Lenin on War l l Karl Marx- war was based on the interests of the economic elites to acquire raw materials and to expand capitalism Vladimir Lenin- saw warfare as stemming from competition among capitalist nations for the expansion of global economic dominance
Symbolic Interactionism l l l Meanings and definitions influence attitudes and behaviours toward conflict and war Media plays a large role in shaping beliefs and attitudes Media main vehicle for propaganda used by government to influence public opinion l Eg: newsreels used during WWII to recruit soldiers and to persude women to fill vacant jobs, and then to return to the home after the war (Rosie the Riveter)
Feminism l l l Note that wars have been primarily fought by men The association of masculinity and militarism begins with childhood socialization. Feminists also study the effects of war on women.
Other Theories About War and Its Origins l l Institutional Forces Within Nations C. Wright Mills and “The Power Elite” Economic institutions and the military elite have come to shape economic life around their view of the world and the interests of the military Politics and the forging of public opinion in support of war (media and propaganda) § Nationalism and warfare
Other (cont. ) l Harold Lasswell and “The Garrison State” Military leaders impose dictatorial power on society § Channel state resources for military use § Control public support through propaganda §
Social Constructionism and the Role of “Moral Entrepreneurs” l l “Social problems are created through the actions of others which raise our consciousness to issues in society” Moral entrepreneurs have power to label and define the problem Moral entrepreneurs use “claims making activities” (Specter and Kitsuse) to bring public onside (See Intro Lecture)
Claims Making and the 2003 War in Iraq l Stage 1: Problem Definition l l Stage 2: Legitimacy l l - get acceptance from U. S. public and other allies (Britain, Australia, Canada, etc. ) Stage 3: Reemergence of demands l l - get public to recognize and accept that Saddam Hussein and Iraq behind 9/11 attack - find “evidence” to support claims Stage 4: Rejection and institution building l - measures to “solve” the problem: war, Homeland security, international cooperation in “war on terror”
Creation of a Moral Panic l l “You’re either with us (the U. S. ) or you are with the terrorists (essentials of Bush position) With the aid of the media, created a global moral panic and international cooperation for war in both Afghanistan and Iraq
CBC Video: The Lies That Led To War l l l Produced by The Fifth Estate (2007) A tale of the deceit and propaganda used to convince Americans (and others) to support war against Iraq Watch: The Lies That Led to War
Aftermath: Doubt about 9/11 and the role of the U. S. l A recent survey of 16, 063 people in 17 countries (Globe and mail, Sept. 11, 2008) by World. Public. Opinion. org found little consensus about 9/11 attack l l l Overall, only 46% thought al-Qaeda responsible But 15% said U. S. , 7% said Israel, 7% said “other”, 25% “don’t know” In Turkey 33%, Mexico 30% and Germany 23% thought U. S. while in Egypt 43% thought Israel
How can we prevent war? l According to Tepperman et. al. , by: l l developing policies that are aimed at reducing conflict. limiting the production and sale of arms by redistributing economic resources more equally among nations making better use of international bodies dedicated to peacekeeping
International Efforts to Curb War and Terrorism l l League of Nations and later the United Nations are examples of attempts to arrive at global cooperation among nations Global conflicts and the U. S. as peacekeepers § l l Less than successful International trade and the economic incentive for peace International peacekeeping institutions and international law
International (cont. ) l l The war in Iraq, a growing crisis over North Korea, Iran’s threats to renew their production of nuclear weapons, and other events have made the world situation increasingly gloomy There has been a rise of negative feelings about the United States in that the country is not exerting positive leadership in seeking world peace
International (cont. ) l l Unsuccessful attempts at arms control United Nations § l l l International Atomic Energy Commission was formed in 1945 to ban nuclear weapons Nuclear test ban treaties Nuclear anti-proliferation policies Controlling the arms merchants
International (cont. ) l l Dealing with Terrorism Policy of no-concessions to terrorist groups Public awareness in controlling terrorism Homeland Security Act of 2002 in U. S. and the Anti. Terrorism Act 2001 and the Public Safety Act 2002 in Canada l l Are our rights and civil liberties being eroded? For more on Canadian security, see: http: //www. cbc. ca/news/background/cdnsecurity/
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