Counterterrorism in the 1990s: A framework for dynamic analysis

The costs of terrorism are high. Beyond the immediate targets of violence, there exists an audience of public perception whose fragile temperament is too often swayed by the seeming randomness of the act. When terrorism gains momentum, legitimate governments lose public confidence in state protection. To minimize such effects, governments must consider a variety of options to counter the impact of terrorism; Chapter One focuses on the necessity of counter-terrorism plans which encompass the totality of the circumstances; Chapter Two examines the historical evolution of terrorism from a tactical open warfare activity to its modern form as a complex political tool; Chapter Three defines the variables most important in the categorization of terrorist groups; Chapters Four through Seven contain descriptions of countermeasures generally available to policymakers facing the problem of terrorism. Case examples of legal initiatives, economic sanctions and various force options are included; Chapter Eight contains a multi-dimensional counter-terrorism model designed to simultaneously consider probable effects of optimal countermeasures--within changing contexts