Difference Between Terrorism and Insurgency
An insurgency is a rebellion against the authority of a government or state. This rebellion is usually an armed struggle to challenge the law enforcement agencies of the government in order to protect rights which are being denied by the government to a particular group of individuals. On the other hand, terrorism is the planned use of violence to strike fear in a populace. Terrorism can also be in response to injustices towards a particular group or individuals who see violence as the only way to respond.
Terrorism has no boundaries or morals, and when an act of terrorism is committed, it shakes the very foundation of society. Unfortunately, terrorism has become rampant in most parts of the world today, with the backing of groups and agencies which have ulterior motives. An insurgency also requires funds and training, but this war is clear, where the insurgents are dug in and choose to fight. The insurgents can have their training camps outside the country they are fighting in and often rely on smuggled weapons to further their agenda and prolong the battle with state authorities. While insurgents look to end their struggle, terrorists keep on finding excuses to continue their cowardly acts. However, in the post 9/11 world the line between terrorism and insurgency has been blurred.
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Terrorism
Terrorism does not have a clear definition and generally refers to all acts of violence which are aimed at creating fear. Terrorism is often used as a tool by opposing groups or nations to destabilize another country. The main targets of terrorists are usually non-combatants, which helps the terror groups gain publicity in the media. For terrorists, killing opposing soldiers is not as important as killing civilians, which gets more attention in the media. Countries in the past have had supported, and in some cases even sponsored terrorist activities in other countries and used terrorism as means to curb external threats. However, after the September 2001 attacks in the US, the whole world seems to agree that all forms of terrorism need to be eliminated.
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Insurgency
Insurgencies have also been used by nations over the centuries to bring instability in other countries. Insurgents are usually a group of individuals taking up arms against the policies of their government. These groups commit themselves to a cause and continue their armed struggle till the achievement of their goals. They usually take on government forces and have their base camps in a neighbouring country where they train recruits.
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