Statements about Terrorism

Terrorism has proved to be a far more serious problem than we anticipated 10 or 12 years ago. After more than a decade of terrorism to observe and nearly 10 years of research on the topic, we can say few things for certain. One is that terrorism has increased in volume and severity, although despite the increasing bloodshed, terrorists still operate within self-imposed constraints. Although terrorism is a widespread phenomenon, it affects the world unequally. There is no single factor that explains why some societies suffer higher levels of terrorist violence than others. Terrorists operate with a limited technical repertoire that has changed little over time. Diplomats and businessmen are the most frequent target of incidents of international terrorism. Terrorists share a common demographic profile and certain common attitudes, but we do not know enough about them as individuals to identify a common terrorist personality. Authoritarian regimes have characteristically reacted to terrorism with repressive measures, while nations with strong democratic traditions have cautiously limited certain liberties. Generally, the rhetoric against terrorism exceeds the commitment of resources to combat it, and international cooperation is limited.