Calculated use of violence for some ideological purpose is called terrorism.
According to the FBI, terrorism is defined as
Terrorism is the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
While there isn’t a single universally agreed-upon definition of terrorism, there appears to be a consensus that it involves acts of violence aimed at compelling governments or individuals to adopt a particular political, social, or religious ideology.
Is it right to call it a war on terror?
When discussing counterterrorism efforts, we often refer to them as the global war on terror. However, there’s a significant flaw in this terminology. A war typically implies a conflict with a known enemy that has clear objectives. However, terrorists are non-state actors, and there isn’t a defined adversary. It’s challenging to identify who exactly is being fought against, as terrorism involves sporadic and unpredictable acts. While terrorists often have political, social, or religious motives, labeling it as a “war” may not be accurate.
Reasons
In South Asia, particularly in Pakistan, the origins of terrorism can be traced back to the Afghan war of the 1980s. This conflict aimed to expel the Soviet Union and led to its eventual disintegration.
Aftermath of Afghan war: Terrorism defined
When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, it prompted the entire Muslim community to react out of fear that communism’s spread in Afghanistan could extend to other Muslim nations. Concurrently, the United States was engaged in a Cold War with the USSR, vying for global dominance. Pakistan played an undisclosed role as a partner of the US in this scenario.
