[extropy-chat] terrorist self-hatred?

[gts]

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 02:00:14 -0500, Brett Paatsch  
<bpaatsch at bigpond.net.au> wrote:

> Terrorist is a pejorative term used for political purposes.
> A person would no more claim to be or self-identify as
> a terrorist than they would claim to be or self-identify
> as an evil-doer.

True, but an objective definition of 'terrorist' still seems possible.  
Unlike other soldiers, (and I use that word loosely), terrorist soldiers  
use fear as a weapon. Lacking conventional weapons, they believe they have  
no other recourse.

> If there was an internationally agreed definition of terrorism
> they there would be an internationally agreed criteria deciding
> whether a person was a terrorist.  I don't think there is one.

I think you're right that we should have an internationally agreed  
definition of "terrorist," if no such definition already exists,  
especially with regard to *international* terrorists. Many people make no  
distinction between Iraqi insurgents and international terrorists like  
Osama bin Laden and Al-Zarqawi.

-gts