reflections

Patriot Games and Terrorism

I am reading Tom Clancy's Patriot Games at the moment. I have of course seen the movie before, but I am only now tackling the book. What I enjoy the most about Tom Clancy's books is that they are thought provoking and well researched. This one is no exception and deals with the conflict in Northern Ireland that claimed many victims in the 70s and 80s.

It got me thinking about terrorism. Can the targeting of innocent people ever be justified? Terrorist groups are generally fighting from a position of weakness and most of the time against more powerful and better equipped armies. Can they be expected to fight cleanly?

However, reading about the attack on Jack Ryan's family really brings home the fact that attacking innocent civilians is inexcusable. There can never be any justification for terrorising making innocent people suffer no matter what the cause may be.

However, this rule does not only apply to dissident groups. State terrorism is just as bad. Israel doesn't have the right to use its military might to reduce the Palestinians to stateless refugees. The US doesn't have the right to dictate its views to the world. The Sri Lankan government doesn't have the right to target their heavy weaponry at innocent Tamils. Whether it is state terrorism or otherwise, there is no place for it in the world. The sooner people learn to respect the sanctity of life and basic human rights, the better.

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Rainbow Six

Tom Clancy first published this book in 1998, before the fear of terrorism gripped the western world. It is an engaging and well written book. If you are a fan of Tom Clancy, you will enjoy it.

Rainbow Six is a term that refers to an elite multinational anti-terror unit that is called on to defuse several dangerous situations. The underlying story throughout the novel is of a dangerous threat posed by a passionate environmentalist and corporate leader. The power and money of his multinational corporation is used to fund and organise a biological attack that threatens all of humanity.

Although the environmentalists in this case are fanatics, Tom Clancy also gives them a rational argument that provokes the reader to explore the current threat to the environment. The book is a very interesting read.

Photo originally uploaded by datamax.