Heavy-handed counterterrorism backfires by generating sympathy and recruits for terrorists

Evidence

A comprehensive analysis of terrorism must address how targeted nations grapple with terrorist violence. Extreme retaliatory attacks that cause widespread death and destruction may advance the terrorists’ political cause by arousing a backlash of sympathy for innocent victims and moral condemnation of brutal attacks. Fighting terrorism with morally undisciplined force can also generate a ready supply of recruits prepared to die for their cause, even by suicidal actions. In addition, brutal means also provide new justifications for violence that escalate terrorism rather than diminish it. Indeed, some terrorist activities are strategically designed to win worldwide support and to provoke governments by breeding public disaffection with the system. In these various ways, extreme countermeasures can play into the hands of terrorists. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2276 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Some nations promptly answer attacks with massive, deadly retaliation, whatever the costs might be, on the grounds that this is the price they must pay to check terrorism. Opponents of such policies argue that excessive countermeasures only make matters worse by creating more terrorists and increasing public sympathy for the causes that drive them to violence. Vigorous debates rage over whether massive retaliation curbs terrorism or exacerbates it. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2277 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Extreme retaliatory attacks that cause widespread death and destruction may advance the terrorists’ political cause by arousing a backlash of sympathy for innocent victims and moral condemnation of brutal attacks. Fighting terrorism with morally undisciplined force can also generate a ready supply of recruits prepared to die for their cause, even by suicidal actions. In addition, brutal means also provide new justifications for violence that escalate terrorism rather than diminish it. Indeed, some terrorist activities are strategically designed to win worldwide support and to provoke governments by breeding public disaffection with the system. In these various ways, extreme countermeasures can play into the hands of terrorists. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2276 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Soft power cannot defeat terrorism if recruitment outpaces killing; Brutal counterterrorism retaliation backfires by generating recruits and public sympathy — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 2276; Brutal counterterrorism can backfire by recruiting and legitimizing the enemy — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 2276 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Brutal counterterrorism retaliation backfires by generating recruits and public sympathy #corroborates (0.97) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2276
• Massive retaliation may create more terrorists and public sympathy for their cause #corroborates (0.96) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2277
• Brutal counterterrorism can backfire by recruiting and legitimizing the enemy #corroborates (0.95) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2276