| Description |
v, 12 pages : digital, PDF file |
| Series |
Carlisle papers in security strategy |
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Carlisle papers in security strategy.
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| Summary |
Taking hostages and ritually beheading them has recently emerged as a popular terrorist tactic for radical groups. Using camcorders and the Internet, any group can mount an international media event at the tactical level that has tremendous strategic impact. Terrorists hope to strike fear into the general populace and weaken the resolve of those who might support the global war on terrorism. The terrorists' actions also have tremendous cultural and symbolic significance for their audience. Killing hostages is not new, but the growing trend of the graphic murder of noncombatants impels us to study this tactic. This paper defines terrorism; reviews the history of ritual murder, human sacrifice and terrorism as a tactic used by religious groups and focuses on the cultural significance, motivations and objectives of these groups. Historical trends in hostages and American foreign policy are examined. Terrorist beheadings in Iraq are described and analyzed, and political rituals in democracies and the Middle East are discussed. Finally, the paper provides policy recommendations for strategic leaders and planners to utilize as they assess and develop effective defensive and offensive countermeasures to this tactic |
| Notes |
Title from title screen (viewed Oct. 6, 2005) |
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"June 2005." |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references |
| File Type |
Electronic book |
| Notes |
System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader |
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Mode of access: Internet from the SSI web site. Address as of 10/6/05: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB608.pdf; current access available via PURL |
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Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212 MiAaHDL |
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digitized 2011 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve pda MiAaHDL |
| Subject |
Beheading -- Political aspects
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Terrorism.
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War on Terrorism, 2001-2009.
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Terrorism
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terrorism.
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Terrorism.
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| Author |
Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute.
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