SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS IN THE TERRORIST DECISION MAKING PROCESS: THE ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF TACTICS AND STRATEGIES
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Date
2014-12-17
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Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
This portfolio explores a symbiotic relationship underlying much of the terrorist decision making process from an organizational perspective. That being, three facets of the decision making process that are dependent upon each other in terms of influence and operational implications. The three essential considerations that are taken into account are strategic, organizational and psychological. Specifically, the chapters in this portfolio examine the role of these considerations in the terrorist decision making process by examining specific tactics and strategies adopted by various terrorist organizations around the world.
By examining the role of external support on the existence of terrorist organizations, the first chapter attempts to identify and argue that three distinct factors must be associated within terrorist groups, all of which embody an organizational consideration for achieving longevity. First, a terrorist group must operate under a veil of legitimacy. Second, the organization must have popular support from the host nation. Lastly, the organization must have financial contribution to the terrorist lifecycle. It concludes that without all of these three common factors a terrorist organization is likely to experience brevity and thus appear trivial to their cause. The second chapter looks at a strategic consideration by identifying the organizational perspective of the decision making process. It does so by examining, how do motivations influence the decision for terrorist organizations to employ suicide terrorism as their modus operandi? It seeks to find an explicit answer(s), but the results offer a case by case consideration of context within each organization’s decision to employ suicide terrorism. Finally, the third chapter looks at the psychological consideration by examining the ways in which a terrorist organization can manipulate military intervention to spread terrorism. It concludes by offering the need for a concentrated effort of specific regional considerations including religious beliefs, social and cultural traditions by intervening forces. These considerations negate the opportunity of terrorist organizations to utilize psychological warfare through their means of manipulation.
This portfolio concludes that by addressing specific strategies and tactics of terrorist organizations we can explain the three most profound considerations within the discussion of the terrorist decision making process, that being: the strategic considerations, the organizational considerations and the psychological considerations. This offers a concentrated counterterrorism effort that is restricted, yet effective to desired goals.
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Terrorism, Decision-Making, External Support, Suicide Terrorism, Manipulating Military Intervention