Assassinations bombings hijackings diplomatic kidnappings terrorism isthe most publicized form of political violence. The history of terrorism goesback a very ... » 

Assassinations bombings hijackings diplomatic kidnappings terrorism isthe most publicized form of political violence. The history of terrorism goesback a very long time but the very fact that there is such a history hasfrequently been ignored even suppressed. This may be because terrorism has notappeared with equal intensity at all times. When terrorism reappeared in thelate twentieth century after a period of relative calm there was the tendencyto regard it as a new phenomenon without precedent. The psychological study ofterrorism has never been much in fashion. But this neglect has left a number ofcrucial questions unanswered. Among these are why some people who share thesame convictions turn to terrorism and others do not. What is terrorisms trueimpact on international politics? What influence might it exert in the future?A History of Terrorism completes Walter Laqueurs pioneering and authoritativestudy of guerilla warfare and terrorist activity. He charts the history ofpolitical terror from nineteenthcentury Europe through the anarchists of the1880s and 1890s the left and rightwing clashes during the twentieth centuryand the multinational operations of Arab and other groups today. Laqueurexamines the sociology of terrorism funding intelligence gathering weaponsand tactics informers and countermeasures and the crucial role of the media.He probes the terrorist personality and how terrorists have been depicted inliterature and films. The doctrine of systematic terrorism and currentinterpretations of terrorism its common patterns motives and aims areunflinchingly faced and clearly explicated. Finally Laqueur considerstheeffectiveness of terrorism and examines the ominous possibility of nuclearblackmail.Challenging accepted assumptions forecasting the changes in terrorist activitythat will affect tomorrows headlines Walter Laqueur demystifies terrorismwithout belittling its importance. Togethe «