Defining Terrorism
I'm not quite sure how I feel about Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's parsing of words around the question of whether or not Joe Stack, the man who flew a plane into an Austin, Texas IRS building, was a terrorist. She says Stack "had his own personal issues and personal motives," and even though "he used a terrorist tactic...an individual who uses a terrorist tactic doesn't necessarily mean they are part of an organized group attempting an attack on the United States." By that criteria, it's only possible to be a terrorist if you use a "terrorist tactic" AND are a member of an organized group. I'm not sure Timothy McVeigh or the Unabomber. Both of them carried out their acts as individuals. And I think defining terrorism in a way that doesn't include them is pretty dangerous, minimizing the nature of their attacks.
Also, I'm not sure Joe Stack's anti-government animus counts as "his own personal issues and personal motives." Stack's manifesto made clear he met with lots of other folks who shared his anti-IRS views. Those circles were definitely looser than al Qaeda cells, and I'm certain there are a lot of people in those circles who are horrified by Stack's actions, even as others rush to claim him as a hero. But that doesn't mean that Stack didn't have an ideology, and that he didn't try to terrorize federal employees and the federal government. By that definition, I remain convinced that he's a terrorist, and not just a common murderer.
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Government Executive Editor in Chief Tom Shoop, along with other editors and staff correspondents, take a fresh look at news affecting the management and operations of the federal bureaucracy.
Joe is just part of baraks inner circle just like the Bill Ayres and the unibomber and the Tree huggers and black panthers this is their stock intrade
dan ketter Posted Wednesday, March 10, 2010 4:03 PMIndeed.
I find it abhorrant that flying aircraft into the Twin Towers was labeled a terrorist act, but flying an aircraft into a building housing IRS offices is being waffled on as JoeThePilot having "...his own personal issues".
I've said it ever since I learned the details. Stack committed a terrorist act as set from similar acts by precedent-induced verbage by G.W. Bush. Therefore, Stack should be labeled a terrorist without question, evasion or reservation.
Tigerhawk Posted Wednesday, March 10, 2010 5:05 PMI concur with tigerhawk's comments in total.
Note that with two notable "no" votes from GOP Reps Ron Paul of Texas and Don Young of Alaska, the House adopted a resolution labeling the Feb. 18 suicide plane attack in Austin, Texas, terrorism.
The resolution condemns the attack on a building that housed offices of the Internal Revenue Service, and it honors the IRS employee killed and other workers injured, as well as rescue workers.
The resolution says in part that it “rejects any statement or act that deliberately fans the flames of hatred or expresses sympathy for those who would attack public servants serving our nation."
The wording of the resolution is notable in light of the debate about why the Obama administration didn’t call the event a terrorist attack, in part because of the lack of connection to international terror groups such as al Qaeda.
The resolution passed H. Res. 1127 on a 408–2 vote, with “no” votes from GOP Reps. Ron Paul of Texas and Don Young of Alaska. The offices of Paul and Young didn’t respond to calls seeking comment.
Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, whose Texas district includes Austin, introduced the resolution, along with 27 other lawmakers.
As for Dan Ketter's comment, he needs to get a grip. Terrorism is not restricted to one or the other of the political spectrum. Implying it is simply makes it impossible fro the speaker to be taken seriously.
Navy Comm O Posted Thursday, March 11, 2010 2:25 PM