ARTICLE ANALYSIS

Terrorist Targeting of Airplanes and Airports

Terrorist Targeting of Airplanes and Airports

Name of the article

Terrorist Targeting of Airplanes and Airports

Author(s) of the Article

Victor Asal (Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, State University of New York at Albany)

R. Karl Rethemeyer (Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration & Policy, State University of New York at Albany)

Rose Bellandi (Ph.D. student, Department of Criminal Justice, State University of New York at Albany)

Richard L. Legault (Department of Homeland Security, Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, National Associate Research Faculty, University of Maryland, College Park-College of Behavioral and Social Sciences)

Robert Tynes (Adjunct Professor, Department of Political Science, State University of New York at New Paltz)

Is there a research question that it clearly stated or implied? If so, what is it?

In the introductory paragraph, writers have clearly stated their research question that is “Why do some organizations choose to attack air transportation targets when the vast majority do not?” The writers are concerned that there are many terrorist organizations but out of them only few organizations (4.56%) attacked airlines and airplanes. They are more focused to determine the factors that motivate these terrorist organizations to choose this way of terrorism (John, 2005).

Is there a hypothesis, thesis, or central argument that is clearly stated or implied? If so, what is it?

The article clearly states the hypothesis of the research. We can infer the hypothesis from the literature and conclusion part of the article (Julia, 2010). In analysis and conclusion, writers have discussed the hypothesis (clearly) testing. The study used eight hypotheses to test and these hypotheses are:

Among terrorist organizations the least likely to attack air transport targets (holding all else constant) are those adhering to anarchist or environmental ideologies.

Religious organization are more likely to attack the airline

the impact of experienced and knowledge able airlines are more likely to protect from aviation attack

the groups with network connections and age are more likely to attack aviation

the active groups are more likely to attack aviation

state sponsored organization are more likely to attack aviation

Democracy of the society where the terrorist organization is based have a significant impact of terrorist attack on aviation

level of militarization of the society where the terrorist organization is based have a significant impact of terrorist attack on aviation

Does the Author answer the "So What?" Were you convinced that the study was worth doing?

The authors have answered the research question that “why few terrorist organization attack on airline”. They (authors) have comprehensively discussed the factors that are more likely to motivate the terrorist organizations to attack the airlines. In these factors, democracy and militarization (where terrorist organization is based) of the society play a vital role in determining the probability of attack. Therefore, we can overcome the problem of terrorism by making efforts to promote democracy or make efforts in bringing the democracy where these terrorist organizations are based. Though, we can alter our foreign policies to make better relationship with those countries, which have military rule or weak democracy to ...