"Terrorism is a challenge to be managed, not solved."
Paul R Pillar, Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution Press, 2001, vii.
Oxford English Dictionary defines TERRORISM
The unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims; (originally) such practices used by a government or ruling group (freq. through paramilitary or informal armed groups) in order to maintain its control over a population; (now usually) such practices used by a clandestine or expatriate organization as a means of furthering its aims. Cf. .
Etymology: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French terrorisme.
< French terrorisme system of the ‘Terror’ (see ) during the French Revolution (1794), violent measures taken in order to come to political power or to maintain a government (1795), (in extended use) intolerant attitude of the partisans of certain ideologies (a1828) < classical Latin terror + French -isme . Compare Spanish terrorismo (1799), Italian terrorismo (1794), GermanTerrorismus (1796), all originally after French.
1796 T. J. Mathias 17 John Thelwall..pointed out the defects of all the ancient governments of Greece, Rome, Old France, &c.; and the causes of rebellion, insurrection, regeneration of governments, terrorism, massacres, or revolutionary murders.
1847 G. Grote IV. ii. xxx. 155 Hippias..could not but be sensible that this system of terrorism was full of peril to himself.
1899 F. H. Skrine & E. D. Ross i. xxviii. 208 Under this cruel and hypocritical bigot Bokhārā..succumbed to aterrorism such as that which sapped the power of Spain.
1936 W. H. S. Smith Let. 27 July in (1977) ii. 19 The Constitutional League [of India], whose main purpose is to rouse public opinion against terrorism.
1940 W. S. Churchill (1941) 169 In German-occupied Poland the most hideous form of terrorism prevails.
1957 L. Durrell 243 He [sc. Makarios] was the only brake to terrorism and the only person who could curb it.
1989 R. Graef Introd. 17 In Northern Ireland two decades of terrorism have produced battle fatigue in the RUC.
2009 (National ed.) 18 Feb. a23/5 Terrorism has no place in Islamic doctrine.
