How did terrorism, which has been around for centuries, go from a sporadic, often localized, atrocity to a global threat in the 21st Century? Are terrorists recruiting more vigorously? Do terrorist have more reasons to hate? Or have terrorists gotten more support than ever before?
A close look at some events in recent years seems to indicate it's the latter. What's most disturbing, though, is that the greatest motivational support has come not from internal sources or Arab countries, but from a somewhat unexpected source — the United Nations.
To understand the progression of events leading to global terrorism, it would help to look at the motives of some mass killers in the U.S., which are somewhat similar to those of international terrorists.
On December 5, 2007, Robert Hawkins, 19, walked into a Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, and killed eight people and himself. His suicide note read, in part, "Everyone will remember me as some sort of monster. ...[But] just think ...I'm gonna be ...famous."
Michael Welner, an associate professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, pointed out, "'My fame is more important than your life,' that's basically what he said."
An FBI investigation into the infamous 1999 Columbine massacre showed that Hawkins' demented yearning for fame and recognition was not unique. The public perception of the Columbine killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, was they were lonely outcasts out for revenge on those who bullied them. But three months after the massacre, the FBI convened a summit in Leesburg, Va., that included world-renowned mental health experts, as well as Supervisory Special Agent Dwayne Fuselier, the FBI's lead Columbine investigator and a clinical psychologist. Their conclusion was disturbingly different from public perception.
Not lonely outcasts at all, Klebold and Harris regularly hung out and partied with a circle of friends. They laughed at petty school shooters and bragged about dwarfing the Oklahoma City bombing. Klebold boasted on a video about inflicting "the most deaths in U.S. history." Rather than an angry man being picked on, Harris, according to Fuselier, had a messianic-grade superiority complex and was out to punish the human race for its appalling inferiority.
So, on April 20, 1999, after a year of planning, Harris and Klebold walked into Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, and killed 12 students, a teacher, and wounded 23, before committing suicide. This became the fourth-deadliest school killing in U.S. history.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - troll
greenj - as a side issue: why does the UN stand with the Palestinians do you think - ?
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
troll,
It's all numbers and money, troll. The African countries are all as artificial as "Palestine" is and they all know it. Birds of a feather fly together. Then there are 22 Arab countries. It pays to get rid of the "Arab refugees" and try to knock off Israel at the same time.
The Europeans are basically interested in oil and shutting up the Arabs who have been imported to do the shit work on the continent.
So.......
3 - troll
...so you're saying that the national interests of most countries put them at odds with Israel
how are they to behave differently then - ?
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
I think you are beginning to see the glimmering of the problem. The national interests of most countries do put them at odds with us, and therefore, in some way or some form, they will come up against our very existence if they can.
The UN is a good, cheap forum for this behavior. Countries that wish us ill can meet in Durban under UN auspices, give us the middle finger and not suffer any retaliation. They've already had a hatefest there, and they're planning one more next year.
My point is that the overall framework that I attempt to overlay on the whole situation, one that greenj may disagree with on details, but agree with fundamentally, is a Biblical one, because our books of Prophecy predict just this kind of situation.
The UN is an apt example of this, and greenj can write the same article under different (article) names from now until the cows come home, and still be dead on target.
5 - Christopher Rose
Just imagine somebody like the author learned how to think, how dangerous they'd be. Fortunately that seems unlikely, to judge by this poorly thought through writing.
6 - greenj
"Christopher Rose: Just imagine somebody like the author learned how to think..."
Just imagine if Christopher Rose actually knew what on earth he was talcing about. The author gives facts and figures, and all Christopher Rose has is a meaningless comment. Anyone cam talk like Christopher Rose, and unfortunately many people do. It's a little more difficult to disprove the facts presented and come up with your own. Christopher Rose's lack of such a solid, factual response actually goes to show how right the author is.
7 - Christopher Rose
"Talcing about"? Should I take a powder?
All you've done is express a highly subjective opinion, greenj; one that is typical of the special pleading of the particular minority you belong to.
You expressed an opinion and I expressed mine - the only difference is that you have a vested interest in your subjectivity, which is why the king of subjectivity, my old acquaintance Ruvy, agreed with you so enthusiastically, whereas I have an interest in a rather more sober and reality based approach.
I completely support the right of Israel to exist as a nation and would like to see it taking a more constructive line in its behaviour with regard to its neighbours.
8 - Dave Nalle
I have no idea what minority greenj is supposed to belong to, but I think it's irrelevant. His criticism of the UN and its corrupt leadership is dead on. As an institution it has chosen to become an instrument of dictators and criminals and its policies represent their interests. It's long overdue for reform.
Dave
9 - Christopher Rose
Well, Dave, as the self-styled master of logical thinking, you'll just have to put your vast dome to work and give it some thought.
You are well known for your somewhat hysterical and kneejerk anti UN stance but as the UN is dominated by the non-dues paying USA, your favourite nation, maybe it is no surprise that it needs some reforming, just as the USA itself does.
10 - greenj
"Christopher Rose: All you've done is express a highly subjective opinion, greenj ... "
People like yourself always ignore facts, and this exactly what the article is about. I've cited many cold hard facts, and you've clumped all that together into something that's "highly subjective." The article is not about Israel. It's about the UN. And unless you undo the facts presented, that show unmistakable corruption in the UN, it is your words that are hysterical. Stop ignoring facts, and stop calling everyone's views, that are based on facts, just "opinions." Your opinions are based on no facts whatsoever. You're opinions are pure emotion. Putting your opinions now in a more eloquent manner doesn't make them anything more than just your personal viewpoint. You're entitled to your personal viewpoint, but a viewpoint based on facts is still better than a viewpoint based on absolutely nothing. If I show you proof that the moon exists, your opinion that it doesn't just doesn't hold water -- but you're still entitled to your opinion.
11 - Shimon
Blaming the UN for Palestinian attacks against Israel sounds a little bit misplaced (or should we blame the decision UN took in 1947?).
For years of peace talk, Israel has never stopped colonizing Palestinian territories. And what's colonization but a kind of war conducted by civilians? The look ofnew settlements is much nicer than rockets, but the intent is the same: get rid of the Arab people in the land of Palestine.
12 - greenj
"Shimon: Blaming the UN for Palestinian attacks against Israel sounds a little bit misplaced..."
Did you even read the article? Do words and verifiable facts mean anything to you? I prove to you that a car crashed into someone and you tell me you can't blame the car -- the poor victim crushed himself, or whatever. Address the facts. Again, you're entitled to you opinion, but ignoring facts just presented -- that anyone can verify are so -- makes this a pointless exchange.
13 - David Kelley
On the one hand, there has indeed been a global increase of the use of terror as greenj has documented. Attributing this to a specific UN resolution is at least trying to find an explanation for it, which I don't seem to see my government (US) trying to do. Maybe if they could spend some of this Homeland Security (that still sounds so very fascist) money I am giving them with my taxes on finding a cause for the growth of and the use of terrorism, then maybe the government would see that the fighting terrorism as a "war" is inappropriate. Perhaps they should see it as a justice issue and try to correct the injustices, economic and social, that are being perpetrated around the world.
However, this is not to say that terrorists and those that plan and support such attacks should get away with such vile actions with a pat on the shoulder and a comment about how they are excused because they are just victims. Justice should be applied to them as well.
As for the UN resolution, something should be said that it does not explicitly say to go out and kill people if one has a grievance. That is merely one way to interpret it and those that do so in that way, and then see that as permission to kill further innocents probably could use some severe therapy while they are serving their time in prison.
14 - Deano
This is an asinine piece.
I have yet to hear of any terrorist who, when confronted with the opportunity to sound off on his crimes, ever cited the UN as his motivating force....
Is the UN long overdue for reform (or possibly demolition)? - very probably. Has the organization, in the wake of the end of the Cold War, become rudderless and increasingly caught up in anti-colonial diatribes driven by specific interests? - Yes.
Is it the 'font of all evil'? - No, it lacks the competence to be an effective 'font of all evil'. If the UN was the driving motivational support for terrorism, then, quite bluntly, we'd all be very safe because they can barely motivate discussion much less action.
This is a badly written, poorly reasoned and loosely targeted opinion piece that offers few insights into either the Arab-Israeli situation or the difficulty in reforming the UN and other multilateral institutions into anything effective. It demonstrates a poor understanding of the driving forces behind modern terrorism and offers superficial, spurious reasoning to justify its poor conclusions.
Damn good thing it's only online, I'd hate to think a tree died to give this space...
15 - greenj
"Shimon: Israel has never stopped colonizing Palestinian territories..."
This misses the whole point of the article. NOTHING justifies blowing up civilians up on a bus, shooting a mother and her children to death in animalistic cold-blood. How can you even cite such relatively trivial stuff in face of butchering people like animals -- and in many cases torturing people? Are you part of the human race? Nothing justifies barbarism.
16 - greenj
"Deano: I have yet to hear of any terrorist who, when confronted with the opportunity to sound off on his crimes, ever cited the UN as his motivating force...."
I've never heard anyone who drinks Coke say he does so because he saw an advertisement for it. But it's well known to even people not in advertising that mass media exposure influences people in a big way.
You're statement comes from pure ignorance.
17 - greenj
"David Kelley: ...the UN resolution ... does not explicitly say to go out and kill people..."
This is plain childish.
If the court locked you up because the guy who burglarized your house said you annoyed him the day before -- and the court did NOTHING to him -- don't you think this would give the burglar incentive to commit more crimes? You have to be a child to get a message only when your told explicitly "Go out and burglarize" or "Go out and murder." Terrorists are a lot smarter than you -- they get the message.
18 - David Hartley
It seems very obvious that the writer has a Pro-Israeli slant. When I was younger I was also pro-Israeli, they were being attacked by terrorists on a daily basis. Innocent Israelis were being maimed by suicide bombers and random mortar and rocket attacks. Then I decided to read a little more into the conflict (John Pilger, Freedom Next Time amongst others). What I discovered truly horrified me. If my people, friends and family were treated in the same way that the Israelis treat the Palestinians then I too would have hate in my heart and could even be pushed to take up arms against them.
Nothing can justify the murder of innocents, but for Israel to think it is hard done by compared to the daily humiliation and virtual imprisonment they have brought upon the Palestinians then they are living in a fantasy.
As for the UN being the root of all evil, could this be a dig at the organisation that repeatedly calls for Israel to follow security council resolutions? Other countries have been invaded for failing to comply with resolutions or had economic sanctions brought upon them. But not Israel, instead they receive Billions in U.S. military aid, tanks and jets which they have used to kill Palestinians with.
The UN has become ineffective. It needs to be reformed and given more powers to help ensure that the will of the international community is enforced rather than when it's just in the interests of the U.S.
19 - Christopher Rose
greenj, you appear to have confused interpretation with fact, but don't let that stop you defending your subjective little rant, we need more comedy on Blogcritics.
PS: You have noticed your article is marked as opinion above, right? That means you are writing your own interpretation of events, and one that clearly comes from a massively partisan perspective. You can assert it is all fact as much as you like but that doesn't make it so, it just demonstrates with great, if unintended, eloquence the nature of your dogmatic bias.
20 - STM
Could this story have been written by a supporter of Ron Paul, who thinks it would great for the US to leave the UN. Or is about the UN supporting a return to agreed-upon borders for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
Oh, one problem with the US/UN thing.
The US, as a permanent member of the security council, has the right of veto.
Without the right of veto, the US is in far more danger than it is now.
Does anyone actually think any of this sh.t through, or is dribbling away standard operating procedure when it comes to presenting highly subjective points of view?
Wouldn't that be great. Just what America and the world needs right now ... a UN without the US, or even better if you dislike the two-state Israel/Palestine fix, no UN at all.
When will you guys get it through your thick skulls that American politics isn't just about America?
And what about this from the writer, in relation to an escalation in mass killings and bragging about it: "Unfortunately, you don't have to imagine all this. This scenario has been played out in real life, although not (yet) in the U.S."
Are you serious? Did you forget 9/11 (yes, I know you've mentioned it, but not in this context), and the various plots uncovered before and after? And the bragging?
The UN as the source of world terror? Hardly.
Instransigent attitudes in other quarters, including until now the Bush administration (too little, too late), might be closer to the mark
21 - troll
...not about America anymore - ?
damned tranzis
22 - STM
Greenj: I respect your right to have a point of view about this (even if I don't agree in the slightest), BTW, because really, isn't what this stuff is actually all about in the first place?
But I'm not sure you've hit the nail on the head anywhere here. Far from it.
I'd think in regard to your arguments about the young-male/teenage murder/suicides and your attempt to work them into story to back up your point of view in regard to the UN, they are two totally different issues - that might have more to do with teen/young male angst coupled with the proliferation and easy availability of guns in America.
In places where kids can't get hold of guns, they might punch someone in the mouth. Add easily available firearms to the equation and you've got a whole ne wball game.
It has no correlation to Palestine at all. You know as well as I do that Palestinian kids who might go out and do this stuff are virtually brainwashed from birth about the rightness of their cause, and unfortunately their religious beliefs aid in the view that the only weapons they have are themselves and it's a thing worth doing.
I'd suggest that without the UN, the situation might be a whole lot worse around the world.
23 - JustOneMan
STM---POST 22 - more dribble [Edited]
Gee..the UN made of up of third world idiots who rape and pillage their own countries while preaching morality to America!
We should burn the UN down and let "The Donald" build one of his condo complexes...
JOM
24 - STM
My second favourite quote on BC, from Doc Dread: "Just one brain cell" :)
25 - JustOneMan
My Number One BC quote from STM
"duh...er...ummmm...ahhh..."
Pure Left Wing Genius!