Egoist and Utilitarian Responses to Terrorism

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Recommended: How media influences terrorism

Terrorism was not a dormant issue in the media until the attacks on the USA. The organised use of violence to target non-combatants for political purposes, is one of the most effective ways to gain media attention. Mainly used by extremist groups in the hopes of gaining recognition for their religious or political cause. Several attacks on the US have recently made headlines The attack on the USS Cole (October 12, 2000), US Embassy bombings in Kenya + Tanzania (August 7, 1998), Oklahoma City bombing (April 19, 1995) , the World Trade Centre bombing on February 27 1993 and finally the World Trade Centre bombing on September 11, 2001. . There were overt threats made to the US government regarding these attacks but most were dismissed as hoaxes.

What we need to recognize about terrorism is its message. Attacks are usually perfectly planned and precise. In the attack on the WTC and pentagon, thousands of innocent people died when the Al-Quaida flew 3 passenger aircraft into both towers and crashed one into the pentagon, the USA’s best-guarded facility. Hopefully these deaths were not in vein, now other countries have joined George Bush in the war against terrorism and are launching repeated strikes on Afghanistan (the Al-Quaida’s supposed base.) They hope that these attacks will prevent any further events from happening. These attacks have in my view displayed that the Taliban can control the US economy and hit any target they wish, no matter how well guarded it is.

Perhaps America should have been more cautious and handled the threats more carefully. Maybe they were being too proud and this is why the Taliban believe it is justifiable to kill innocents, or they chose to attack now because America was just feeling safe. Whatever the reason, we will never know.

In 2002, the world changed forever. Anthrax, a biological weapon was released into the postal system and a commercial aircraft was turned into a 1000 tonne missile. War will have a new face, it will not be against an enemy firing projectiles, but instead, an invisible, deadly network of shadows attacking miscellaneous targets in random locations. This is why if we don’t act quickly; the world could be cast into turmoil.

So how do other people feel about this topic?

This is how I think an Egoist would feel. The word egoist means that you are only concerned with things that may affect you in the long run.

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