Deck 1: Terrorism: First Impressions

Question 1

Which of the following best describes Ramzi Yousef?

A) He was responsible for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
B) He was a well-trained terrorist operative.
C) He was very active within Al-Qa'ida.
D) All of these.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following statements about the ancient world is most accurate?

A) Terrorism, as we know it, did not exist.
B) Extremism, as we know it, did not exist.
C) Stories of state repression and political violence were common.
D) Both "terrorism, as we know it, did not exist" and "extremism, as we know it, did not exist."

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The term zealot is derived from which of the following?

A) Jewish religious rebels
B) incidents during the French Revolution
C) Roman use of excessive force
D) 19th-century Europe

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following best describes Theodore Kaczynski?

A) He was a famous Bolshevik leader.
B) He is the Unabomber.
C) He is a self-professed right-wing ideologue.
D) All of these.

Question 5

Modern terrorists have ushered in a period of "globalized" terrorism, using which of the following?

A) extensive contact with public relations firms
B) advanced communications technologies such as the Internet and cable news outlets
C) establishing diplomatic relations with sympathetic governments
D) all of these

Question 6

The New Terrorism is characterized by which of the following?

A) asymmetrical tactics
B) the threat of weapons of mass destruction
C) indiscriminate targeting
D) all of these

Question 7

The modern era of homeland security was implemented in the United States in response to which of the following threats to the republic?

A) the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan
B) the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attack
C) the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
D) all of these

Question 8

"Symbolism" of targets refers to ______.

A) creative interpretation of motives
B) creative discussion of terrorist attacks
C) redefinition of "enemy" interests by extremists and terrorists
D) none of these

Question 9

The just war doctrine is ______.

A) an ideal and moralistic philosophy
B) originally referred only to warfare between nations and cities
C) neither of these
D) both "an ideal and moralistic philosophy" and "originally referred only to warfare between nations and cities"

Question 10

The Reign of Terror ______.

A) occurred during unrest in 19th-century Europe
B) was the result of oppression by the Romans
C) is a good example of state terrorism carried out to further the goals of a revolutionary ideology
D) none of these

Question 11

Which of the following principles frames the ideology of Al-Qa'ida?

A) Violence in a defensive war on behalf of Islam is the only course of action.
B) The struggle is a clash of civilizations.
C) Holy war is a religious duty and necessary for the salvation of one's soul.
D) All of these.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes Anders Breivik?

A) He was a famous Bolshevik leader.
B) He is the Unabomber.
C) He is a self-professed right-wing ideologue.
D) All of these.

Question 13

The New Terrorism is characterized by which of the following?

A) loose, cell-based networks with minimal lines of command and control
B) politically vague, religious, or mystical motivations
C) skillful use of the Internet and manipulation of the media
D) all of these

Question 14

Osama bin Laden was ______.

A) killed in Afghanistan by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
B) the mastermind behind opposition to the war in Iraq
C) founder of Al-Qa'ida
D) all of these

Question 15

The "Old Terrorism" is characterized by which of the following?

A) use of conventional weapons
B) use of ideological or nationalist justifications for revolutionary violence
C) relatively "surgical" selection of targets
D) all of these

Question 16

English workers who engaged in industrial sabotage were known as ______.

A) the sicarii
B) the Reign of Terror
C) People's Will
D) the Luddites

Question 17

Which terrorist movement was formed in the 19th century by young Russian students?

A) People's Will
B) the Luddites
C) the sicarii
D) none of these

Question 18

During the Roman age, the empire ______.

A) practiced what we would now call state terrorism
B) engaged in demonstrations of terror against those who did not submit to Roman authority
C) experienced frequent incidents of regicide
D) all of these

Question 19

Political violence is conceptually ______.

A) always mala prohibita behavior
B) always mala in se behavior
C) arguably either mala prohibita or mala in se, depending on the circumstances
D) impossible to categorize

Question 20

Guy Fawkes was responsible for which of the following?

A) the Reign of Terror
B) the Gunpowder Plot
C) the Luddites
D) the sicarii

Question 21

Briefly describe how the modern era of terrorism differs from past eras.

Question 22

In medieval Europe, behavior that the modern world considers to be terrorism was common in warfare.

Question 23

Is politically motivated violence justifiable?

Question 24

Ramzi Yousef bombed the World Trade Center.

Question 25

In your opinion, under what circumstances is political violence malum prohibitum violence?

Question 26

European terrorists during the 19th century launched indiscriminate attacks against civilian targets.

Question 27

Al-Qa'ida has a defined ideology.

Question 28

In your opinion, is the modern war on terrorism justifiable?

Question 29

Was Guy Fawkes a terrorist?

Question 30

Briefly explain the significance of the attacks on September 11, 2001.

Question 31

Theodore "Ted" Kaczynski was a member of the neo-Nazi movement in the United States.

Question 32

Terrorism is a recent phenomenon in human history.

Question 33

Guy Fawkes attempted to bomb Congress.

Question 34

In your opinion, is the "just war doctrine" a legitimate reason to engage in violence?

Question 35

In your opinion, are so-called revolutionary courts legitimate?

Question 36

"The Terror" during the French Revolution was considered to be acceptable and necessary.

Question 37

Total war during World War II was practiced by the Nazis and Japanese and opposed by the Allies.

Question 38

Is tyrannicide justifiable?

Question 39

The just war doctrine condemns the use of violence for any reason.

Question 40

Why is it important to understand historical perspectives on terrorism?

Question 41

Compare and contrast the cases of Ramzi Yousef and the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Discuss how their cases exemplify the threat of international terrorism in the United States. In your opinion, does the scale of violence committed in these incidents make either of them "more" or "less" acts of war than the other? Explain your answer.

Question 42

Is the "war on terrorism" truly a war? In your opinion, how has the New Terrorism affected and redefined how nations pursue warlike options?

Question 43

In your opinion, was the French Reign of Terror and other similar acts of violence arguably necessary to build a better future society? Explain your answer.

Question 44

Discuss the significance of symbolism as it pertains to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the American homeland.

Question 45

Was the World War II practice of "total war" by deliberately attacking civilian targets justifiable? Explain your answer.

Question 46

Discuss the role of symbolism. Are the "objectification" and "dehumanization" of targets merely labels used to excuse political violence?

Question 47

Are all extremist beliefs inherently wrong and unnecessary, or are they sometimes correct and necessary? At what point should they be understood rather than rejected?

Question 48

Describe a movement that in your opinion is a "freedom fighting" movement. Compare and contrast it with one that in your opinion is a "terrorist" movement.

Question 49

Behavior that we now define as terrorism is historically ancient. However, examples from the French Revolution and 19th-century Europe were arguably immediate precedents for modern terrorism. If you agree with this assessment, how so? If you disagree, how not? Explain your answer.