Suicide Terrorism and Che Guevara PDF

SUICIDE TERRORISM IS MAINLY A RESPONSE TO FOREIGN OCCUPTATION INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS AND WORLD ORDER WHAT IS SUICIDE TERRORISM?  According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Suicide Terrorism is an form of violent action in which individuals carry out attacks that involve their own death as p...

SUICIDE TERRORISM IS MAINLY A RESPONSE TO FOREIGN OCCUPTATION INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS AND WORLD ORDER WHAT IS SUICIDE TERRORISM?  According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Suicide Terrorism is an form of violent action in which individuals carry out attacks that involve their own death as part of the mission. This often includes bombings or assaults where the perpetrator is motivated by ideological, political, or religious beliefs, aiming to achieve specific goals or send a message through their sacrifice. The tactic is characterized by its intent to instill fear, disrupt societal norms, or provoke a response from targeted groups or governments. REFRAMING SUICIDE TERRORISM: A SECULAR TACTIC AGAINST OCCUPATION  Suicide terrorism has widely been believed to be an expression of religious fundamentalism, fueled by a ready supply of willing martyrs. American and political scientist Robert Pape has compiled evidence to suggest that suicide terrorism is in fact a secular and tactic rather than a religious one, and forms part of a broader campaign to remove an occupying force from the area perceived by the perpetrators to be their homeland. A strategic response Pape's 2005 publication Dying to Win analyzes all known instances of suicide terrorism between 1980 and 2003: a total of 315 attacks. Robert Pape published Dying to Win to challenge the widespread belief that suicide terrorism is primarily driven by religious fundamentalism. He argues that it is a strategic tactic used to resist foreign occupation and achieve political goals. “A STRATEGIC RESPONSE”  He found that the attacks were not explained by individual motives and beliefs, and discovered little correlation between religion and suicide terrorism. He proposed instead a "causal logic of suicide terrorism," which suggests that such actions are a strategic response to foreign occupation by a democratic power, Pape's research found that every terrorist campaign, and more than 95 percent of all suicide bombings, had the objective of national liberation at their heart. HOW MILITARY INTERVENTION INCREASES SUICIDE TERRORISM?  The corollary of this argument is that the use of military force by foreign powers to subjugate or reform societies will serve only to promote a larger number of suicide terrorists than would otherwise be the case. As Pape argues, suicide terrorism is not the result of an existing supply of fanatics, but is a "demand- driven phenomenon.“  In other terms, the main point of this argument is that when foreign countries use military force to control or change other societies, it actually leads to more suicide terrorists. Mr. Robert Pape explains that suicide terrorism doesn't happen because there are already lots of fanatics, but because the situation creates a demand for it. “ The History of Suicide Terrorism, Highlighting its Evolution and ” Impact on Global Security. SUICIDE TERRORISM IS MAINLY A RESPONSE TO FOREIGN OCCUPTATION INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS AND WORLD ORDER 1881 “Assassination of Tsar Alexander II” He was assassinated by a suicide bomber, marking one of the earliest recorded instances of this tactic. This event highlighted the extreme measures taken by revolutionary groups against oppressive regimes. 1983 “Beirut Barracks Bombings” The two devastating suicide bomb attacks occurred in Beirut, targeting US and French military barracks. These attacks, claimed by Islamic Jihad, signified a shift towards using suicide tactics in modern warfare, aimed at foreign military presence in Lebanon. 2001 “The 9/11 Attacks” On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda orchestrated a series of coordinated suicide attacks against the United States, resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths. This tragic event led to significant US-led military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, reshaping global geopolitics. 2005 “The London Bombings” A series of suicide bomb attacks on buses and trains in London killed 52 people. These attacks underscored the threat of homegrown terrorism and the challenges of countering radicalization within societies. 2009 “End of Sri Lankan Civil War” Sri Lanka's long civil war came to an end after 26 years, during which the Tamil Tigers conducted 273 suicide attacks. Their tactics influenced various terrorist organizations worldwide, showcasing the devastating effectiveness of this method. 2011 “US Withdrawal from Iraq” Finally, in 2011, the United States withdrew its military presence from Iraq, following years of conflict and violence. This withdrawal was a critical moment, as the region continued to grapple with the aftermath of terrorism and instability. “ There is little connection between suicide terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism, or any one of the world’s religions. ROBERT PAPE ” Robert Pape's statement highlights that suicide terrorism often stems from political grievances rather than religious motives. This aligns with our lesson that such acts are primarily responses to foreign occupation, where oppressed individuals resort to extreme measures to resist and reclaim their autonomy, demonstrating a complex relationship between politics and violence. Thank you! “ ” “I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves.” EVARA  Ernesto “Che” Guevara, better known by the nickname Che ("friend"), was born in Rosario, Argentina. He studied medicine at the University of Buenos Aires, but took time out to make two motorcycle Journeys around Latin America. The poverty, disease, and appalling working conditions he saw on his travels helped to consolidate his political views. After graduating in 1953, Guevara made a further trip across Latin America, when he witnessed the overthrow of the democratic Guatemalan government by US-backed forces. In Mexico in 1954, he was introduced to Fidel Castro, with whom he led the rebels during the successful Cuban Revolution. In 1965, he left Cuba to aid guerrillas in Congo- Kinshasa, and the next year he fought in Bolivia. He was captured by CIA-backed troops on October 8,1967, and, against the wishes of the US government, was executed the next Che Guevara day. Power to the people In Che’s Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War and Guerrilla Warfare, Guevara explains how the success of the 1956 Cuban Revolution was dependent on the mobilization of a popular front. Rather than seeing the revolution in terms of a liberator bringing freedom to the people, he saw it as a grass-roots movement to topple an oppressive regime, with the people liberating themselves. The starting point for this kind of revolution, he believed, was not in industrialized towns and cities, but in rural areas where small groups of armed rebels could have maximum effect against a regime's forces.  Fulgencio Batista (1901-1973) was a Cuban political figure who had an outstanding military career. In Cuba, he was considered an honorable person and even a hero. As his career rose, he accumulated political and military power, waiting for his moment to seize power. In 1940, he was elected president. In his government, he allowed political plurality. For this reason, he allowed the formation of the Cuban Communist Party (to which Fidel Castro belonged). He also promoted financial and social reforms that sought to reduce the gap in social inequality. One of his Fulgencio Batista great allies was the United States since they established trade relations (Former President of Cuba) and allowed the construction of military bases on Cuban territory during WWII. At this point, people viewed the Batista government with good eyes.  A Cuban revolutionary leader and politician who played a central role in the Cuban Revolution and served as the Prime Minister and later the President of Cuba. Born on August 13, 1926, in Birán, Cuba, Castro became a prominent figure in the mid-20th century due to his leadership in overthrowing the U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. Fidel Castro  The Cuban Revolution was a social and armed movement that took place on the Caribbean island of Cuba. This revolution was between 1953 and 1959. In the first half of the twentieth century, Cuba was an independent nation governed by Fulgencio Batista, whose government was Cuban characterized by blatant corruption. Batista's regime was supported by the U.S. government. In his government, a few characters became rich Revolution while the majority of the population starved. Casinos and illegal liquor businesses reigned in Batista's Cuba. Batista had been democratically elected, but in 1952 he had established himself as a dictator. This event sparked the revolution. “I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves.” Because of Che’s participation in Cuba, Congo-Kinasha, and Bolivia, Guevara is popularly seen as a man of action" rather than a political theorist, but his adoption of guerrilla tactics was a major contribution to the development of revolutionary socialism. Having seen firsthand the oppression and poverty throughout South America under dictatorships backed by the US, he believed the salvation of the The forces of the people can put in place the conditions that make revolution possible, continent could only come about through anticapitalist revolution, as advocated by Karl Marx. However, Guevara's practical Interpretation of revolution was more political and militant than Marx's economic analysis, which was intended to be used against the capitalist states of Europe. Revolutionary Socialism A political ideology that advocates for the overthrow of capitalist systems through a revolution, rather than gradual or reformist change. It argues that the working class (proletariat) must take direct action to dismantle capitalism and replace it with socialism, where the means of production (factories, land, resources) are collectively owned and controlled by the people. Revolutionary socialists believe that capitalism, due to its inherent inequalities, cannot be reformed or gradually improved but must be completely abolished through a radical transformation of society.  "The Motorcycle Diaries“ (1962) A collection of diary entries by Che Guevara, chronicling his travels across South America with his friend Alberto Granado in the early 1950s. The book, based on Guevara's own handwritten journals, provides a vivid and introspective account of their journey on a motorcycle, revealing Guevara's evolving awareness of social injustices and economic disparities across the continent. As he encounters diverse cultures and the harsh realities faced by the poor and oppressed, Guevara’s experiences profoundly influence his political consciousness and revolutionary ideals.  “Guerilla Warfare” (1961) A form of irregular warfare in which small, mobile groups of combatants (often called guerrillas) use unconventional tactics to fight against a typically larger, more organized military or occupying force. Rather than engaging in direct, large-scale confrontations, guerrilla forces rely on surprise attacks, sabotage, ambushes, and hit-and-run tactics to weaken their enemy over time. It is an army of the people led the Cuban Revolution to victory over the state military. The tenets of guerrilla warfare outlined by Guevara were key to the revolution's success. The term "guerrilla" comes from the Spanish word for "little war,“. "Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War“ (1963) A memoir by Che Guevara, offering a firsthand account of his experiences during the Cuban Revolution. Written in 1963, the book details Guevara's involvement in the revolutionary struggle against the regime of Fulgencio Batista, providing a vivid portrayal of the challenges and triumphs faced by the revolutionary forces. Guevara recounts the early days of the revolution, including the formation and activities of the 26th of July Movement, the guerrilla warfare strategies employed in the Sierra Maestra mountains, and the key battles that led to the overthrow of Batista's government.  Che Guevara and the Guerilla Foco A revolutionary strategy developed and advocated by Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara during the Cuban Revolution and later in his writings. The foco theory (from the Spanish word foco, meaning "focus" or "nucleus") emphasizes the role of small, mobile groups of guerrilla fighters, called focos, in igniting revolutionary movements in rural areas, eventually spreading and leading to the overthrow of the ruling regime. Despite its failures in certain contexts, Guevara’s foco theory has left a lasting legacy on revolutionary movements around the world. His ideas influenced guerrilla struggles in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and Guevara himself became a symbol of resistance and revolution. The foco theory’s emphasis on direct action, moral commitment, and the role of guerrillas in sparking broader revolutionary movements continues to inspire leftist movements globally.  Che Guevara and the Guerilla Foco Guerrilla Vanguard: According to Guevara, the guerrilla force should lead by example, demonstrating the possibility of revolution and encouraging others to support the cause. The guerrillas' actions would create a model for others to follow. Rural Focus: Guevara emphasized the importance of operating in rural areas, where the support of disenfranchised peasants could be mobilized. He argued that these areas were ripe for revolutionary activity due to widespread dissatisfaction with existing conditions. The Cuban Example: Guevara's theory was informed by the success of the Cuban Revolution, where a small guerrilla force managed to overthrow the government of Fulgencio Batista. This success served as a model for Guevara's foco theory. Thank You!