Just a question for Satis/11b (or anyone really).

If you took up your consitutional right (or whatever) to bear arms and use them against your oppressive government. You would be defined a terrorist, no?

So what do you define the Viet Cong as.?

it depends on your point of view.

Example:
I'm living in village a along with mole. village a is oppressed by village b. Mole hates their terms and wants village b to die and go to hell. However, their 'terms' are to my liking and I'm happy.

village c comes in and kills off the village b soldiers, freeing our village. I find village c to be a bunch of terrorists who need murdering for their nosey ways and barbaric deeds. mole thinks village c are freedom fighters, out for justice and freedom for all.

It's like how greenpeace are saviours to those who are for animal rights, and everyone who wants to wear fur coats think they're layaround bums who are pretty much only one step down from terrorists.

I daresay if you went to Iraq, some iraqis would love the americans for their freedom fighting, others would consider them terrorists as they have bombed their hometowns. Plus if the killing of an innocent civilian makes you a terrorist... well name me an army that hasn't belonged to a terrorist country then. Especially if you use bombs. You can never be certain that the area you drop the bomb on contains only enemy soldiers. Children have died in gunfights. Elderly and women have been shotdown or runover in the midst of warfare. I know thats a bit different to deliberately pointing your gun at the random person over there and shooting, but its still the same kinda thing. All you have to say is "i suspected them of helping the enemy" and its ok. you can shoot whoever you like.[/i]

the key to that is purposeful killing of civilians. shit happens, people die, it's the nature of hte universe. Going out of your way to purposefully blow up a bus full of children is a terrorist act.

The viet cong were terrorists. They wiped out entire villages that were thought to be friendly to the Americans. They got most of their support from villagers not because the villagers liked them, but because they were afraid of them. Through terror (ism).

Anyway, I'll agree the distinction can be muddy at times. and if you're dead, you're dead, doesn't really matter who killed you.

I think weve hit the buzzer on this one. I asked my dad on the matter, and he defines terrorism as the killing/harming of innocents.

The red brigade targetted corrupt politicians only as far as im aware. So he sais this is not terrorism.

A true example of terrorism in that case would be 9/11. Where innocents were targetted.

Satis you might want to remember the WAM project- the Vietnese hated the Americans perhaps more because they would burn down their villages and failed to win the loyalty of them. That's why you lost the Vietnam War