A Comprehensive Analysis of the Emerging State of Modern Terrorism

 

   "Yet despite this and the way terrorists portray themselves to the world, in the final analysis, they are nonstate actors that commit violence against non-military targets outside of war zones to fuel an emotional response that will affect the politics of a group, society, nation, or even continent." (Lacqueur & Wall 3)

     Written by American historian Walter Laqueur and national security analyst Christopher Wall, The Future of Terrorism methodically unpacks the current state of terrorism in our world today, along with the numerous events that have helped incite the so-called global "War on Terror". The book systematically works its way through the history of terror, beginning with the Jacobins in 18th century France and the later Bolshevik Revolution in Tsarist Russia, all the way up to the establishment of contemporary organizations such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and various right-wing extremist parties. Overall, the book offers a thorough summary of the myriad of historical occurrences that have more or less set the stage for modern terror groups. 

"...short of the unequivocal embrace of peaceful means, all political violence bares some hypocrisy." (Lacqueur & Wall 28)

     In addition, the book boldly admits that state actors are often equally as guilty of committing acts of terror as paramilitary or guerrilla groups. The cruel phenomenon of state-sponsored terrorism is typically ignored in large-scale discussions of political violence, and oftentimes instances of its use go ignored. In a spirit of candor, Lacqueur and Wall choose to directly approach the issue of state-backed terror, addressing it as the tragic reality that it is. 

"As a parasite, terrorism thrives when political and social milieus create palatable and hospitable environments; it depends on weak states and governments, because chaos begets chaos." (Lacqueur & Wall 241)

     What most distinguishes The Future of Terrorism from other books on the same topic is it's brief, yet compelling call to action. Lacqueur and Wall are frank with their audience, admitting that whether we are politicians, academics, military personnel, or just "average" citizens, ultimately we all play some role in shaping what the future of terror looks like. Maintaining a realist edge to their treatise, the two authors admit that while the problem of terrorism will likely never dissipate in its entirety, it is still up to society as a whole to band together and collaborate on solutions that attempt to both prevent and mitigate the damage inflicted by militant groups. If we collectively continue to take a stand against political violence as a whole, no matter who is guilty of it, we begin to affirm a new universal precedent, that hopefully promotes diplomacy, honesty, and understanding above all else. 

"Terrorism's future depends more on how governments and societies react and learn to anticipate these challenges." (Lacqueur & Wall 15)