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The Politics of Terror
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12208 |
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Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
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2 / 1987 |
4,538 Words |
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Yonah Alexander
Yonah Alexander is director of the Inter-University Center for
Terrorism Studies, coordinated by the Potomac Institute for
Policy Studies in Arlington, Virginia. He has published over
ninety books in international affairs and terrorism, including
Combating Terrorism: Strategies of Ten Countries (University
of Michigan Press, 2002). |
The scope and nature of Syria's involvement in terrorist activity has been obscure in the minds of many observers over the years. The reason is simple. State sponsorship of terrorism is fundamentally a secret, or covert, action program, ranging from the use of propaganda to politically legitimize violence to the supply of funds, training, arms, and other operational assistance to carry out these ends. Syria's role in these activities has fluctuated over the years and moved from place to place in accordance with Damascus' changing impression of what its vital interest is in the Middle East and beyond. Specific terrorist operations have sometimes seemed to be no more than the coincidental by-product of Syrian propaganda and militant behavior. While it is not always easy to determine whether a particular terrorist action or series of actions in any targeted country is inspired or directed by Damascus, the pattern of Syrian sponsorship of violence in different countries is becoming clearer and clearer.
Syria has been linked with the latest violent attacks perpetrated in West Berlin, London, Madrid, and Paris, Unfortunately, the nature of the Syrian regime and the objectives of President Hafez al-Assad are poorly understood. That is, the government is comprised largely of the 'Alawite minority and constantly has to contend with opposition threats. In addition to responding to internal threats, Assad actively sponsors terrorist groups and operations as an adjunct to his foreign policy in the Middle East and the international arena.
Reign of terror
More specifically, Syria, as a military dictatorship, is based upon repression and terror
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