Terror as an Instrument of Foreign Policy

Abstract

The use of state-sponsored terrorism as a foreign policy instrument is examined. Analysis of terrorist activity supported by Syria during the 1980s reveals that state-sponsored terrorism is a political tool; however, it is stressed that state-sponsored terrorism remains a poorly defined concept. The need to determine whether state-sponsored terrorist activities are individual phenomena or collections of state behaviors & provide a significant threat to existing governments is expressed. Contrary to the positions of some scholars & political analysts, it is contended that state-sponsored terrorism by itself is not powerful enough to destroy existing democracies. The question of why certain states perceive state-sponsored terrorism as particularly destructive is addressed, arguing that it is not a novel phenomenon; rather, it is noted that some historical states routinely utilized secretive strategies for undermining other states' authority. Studies that overestimate the danger that state-sponsored terrorism poses to a state's security are critiqued. Multiple recommendations for future research are offered, eg, clarifying relevant terms & developing appropriate response measures for terrorist acts. J. W. Parker