The terrorist hopes to make the targeted citizenry progressively more passive and confused. In fact, terrorism had already made significant psychological inroads in influencing Western and Canadian foreign policy, which has been casual about terrorists. ( How is it possible that our government has not come out against supporting Syria, a known terrorist state, for a spot on the UN Security Council, no less?) Or we criticize those who defend themselves. Thus Western governments like Canada, thinking themselves immune, have criticized Israel for proactively raiding and killing known terrorists. And when the victims of terrorism are unknown to us, we also become tempted to say, "A plague on both your houses," to both the terrorist and his victim, implying there is a moral equivalence between them. When we do, we sound even-handed, but we do so to decrease our own anxiety. It's like saying: Since we never resort to violence, no violence will be turned on us. More wishful thinking.
taken from a article on terrorism.
nationalpost.com |
