Justified terrorism

Thesis Statement

The right to life is more important than the right not to be imprisoned without a fair trial, and therefore in the defense of people's lives freedom may be taken away. Any action we can take that will protect us against terrorism is justified, even if it reduces freedom. It is better to have an innocent person in jail for a fortnight than to have many people killed.

Introduction

There is never a time when terrorism can be justified, in my humble opinion. It has been on the news more and more in today's world than ever, even though it has been going on most likely since the beginning of time. I guess in the end it all depends on what your thoughts of the true definition of terrorism is. It is just beyond me that in a world where we are trying to teach our children not to judge or hate others of differing colors or faiths, just for an example, that there are so many "groups" in the world who are into the very thing that they are telling us to stay away from.

In this world people justify many things. They justify their actions, their thoughts and their religion. To say whether or not something is justifiable is really not for us to say. Only God can justify somebody's behavior but I think no matter what your faith we can all agree on this one thing and can know God's true will in the matter of terrorism.

A Dialogue between Mr. and Mrs.A

Mrs.A: I want to ask you about the phenomenon of terrorism. The Iranian President Khatami has just said 'the roots of terrorism are in injustice, and in order to get rid of the horror of terrorism, people must try to restore justice in the world'. Is there a link between terrorism and the need for justice?

Mr.A: Well, there is a link, but the link is not what Khatami is alluding to. The link is that terrorists capitalize on the issue of justice and injustice, such as in the case of Palestine for example. They bank on the oppression that the Palestinian people have suffered to justify their own terrorist methods and reactionary aims. But in the sense that terrorism is rooted in injustice, I don't see a link at all. I see a justification. Some may say that people are driven to despair; that these are acts of desperation. But even if that were the case, that is not a justification for killing unsuspecting, innocent civilians, and to claim that they are fighting oppression. Terrorism is the method of particular political movements. Just as states are using terrorist methods, bombing populations wholesale, the same is being done by non-state, 'private' actors.

Mrs.A: Khatami has said terrorism is the result of injustice and people having no alternative and being forced to 'resist' in this way. My question to you then is: how come there are terrorist movements in Palestine, where there is an occupation by Israel, or terrorist ...