Comments on: Revolutionary Guards now Terrorists? http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/16/revolutionary-guards-now-terrorists/ Speak Victorian, Think Pagan Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:55:26 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: subadei http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/16/revolutionary-guards-now-terrorists/comment-page-1/#comment-377571 subadei Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:43:08 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/16/revolutionary-guards-now-terrorists/#comment-377571 I agree. It's a backwards, convenient (politically) and counter productive method of analysis and thought. Terrorism is better served to describe a tactic or strategy and not a group. Hamas and al Qaeda both employ terrorist tactics yet are significantly different in terms of their structures, political/ideological identities and general goals. I agree. It’s a backwards, convenient (politically) and counter productive method of analysis and thought. Terrorism is better served to describe a tactic or strategy and not a group. Hamas and al Qaeda both employ terrorist tactics yet are significantly different in terms of their structures, political/ideological identities and general goals.

]]> By: Curzon http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/16/revolutionary-guards-now-terrorists/comment-page-1/#comment-377537 Curzon Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:59:43 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/16/revolutionary-guards-now-terrorists/#comment-377537 Last I read, Washington was "considering" the label. And I'm not sure I'd call this a hybrid; labeling a state army a terrorist organization is a big step in a very new (and more old-fashioned) direction. Last I read, Washington was “considering” the label. And I’m not sure I’d call this a hybrid; labeling a state army a terrorist organization is a big step in a very new (and more old-fashioned) direction.

]]> By: beowulf http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/16/revolutionary-guards-now-terrorists/comment-page-1/#comment-377535 beowulf Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:52:50 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/16/revolutionary-guards-now-terrorists/#comment-377535 I agree with your statement in the last paragraph, in re the weakening of the term "terrorist" to mean "anyone we don't like." The word "terrorist" now takes its place with "communist" in the 1950s and "heretic" and "witch" in the Middle Ages as a term for demonizing someone that those in power want to neutralize. Thus, the people being held in Guantanamo are "irregular combatants" and therefore not worthy of Geneva Convention protections, but Blackewater's "contractors" aren't, the IRA members were "terrorists" but the UDF members weren't, etc. As far as the mixing of legitimate business and illegitimate business goes, how many morally pure businesses are there, especially if they are multinational? (That's not a slam at corporations or multinationals, BTW, just a question.) This is also related to your question about covert operations vs. overt military ones. Even in "regular" wars, covert operators -- spies and saboteurs -- were often executed rather than being treated as POWs. Another thought that comes up -- especially in re the recent weapons sales to Saudi Arabia -- is whether the US is getting sucked into the squabble between between the Sunnis and Shias, a fight that has been going on literally since Mohammed's death. I agree with your statement in the last paragraph, in re the weakening of the term “terrorist” to mean “anyone we don’t like.” The word “terrorist” now takes its place with “communist” in the 1950s and “heretic” and “witch” in the Middle Ages as a term for demonizing someone that those in power want to neutralize.

Thus, the people being held in Guantanamo are “irregular combatants” and therefore not worthy of Geneva Convention protections, but Blackewater’s “contractors” aren’t, the IRA members were “terrorists” but the UDF members weren’t, etc.

As far as the mixing of legitimate business and illegitimate business goes, how many morally pure businesses are there, especially if they are multinational? (That’s not a slam at corporations or multinationals, BTW, just a question.) This is also related to your question about covert operations vs. overt military ones. Even in “regular” wars, covert operators — spies and saboteurs — were often executed rather than being treated as POWs.

Another thought that comes up — especially in re the recent weapons sales to Saudi Arabia — is whether the US is getting sucked into the squabble between between the Sunnis and Shias, a fight that has been going on literally since Mohammed’s death.

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