The solution to terrorism in a nutshell. Ways to solve terrorism

  • 14.08.2019

The aggravation of global problems at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries became distinctive feature the current stage of development of the world community. They have become realities that largely determine today's features international relations and the main directions of world politics.

Participation in international cooperation to overcome global problems should be considered as a specific form of continuation of the internal policy of the state beyond its borders into the world geopolitical space.

The goals and results of such participation indicate the political orientation of the state, the level of its social and cultural, scientific and technological development.

In our time, we are talking not only about the ability of individual states, but also the entire world community to find adequate answers to global challenges to its future. In this regard, it seems especially important to determine the significance of both universal problems in general and individual global problems for the prospects for the development of the world community.

In political global studies, a group of universal human problems related to the sphere of international relations is traditionally distinguished. Since the emergence of globalist studies, this group has included as a central one the problem of preserving peace or, as it is also broadly designated, the military-political global problem. This group also includes the problem of economic backwardness of many developing countries, the problem of nationalism and ethnopolitical conflicts, the problem of global controllability of the international community, etc.

Recently, the problem of international terrorism has become one of the most pressing global problems of our time related to the sphere of international relations. This transformation is due, in our opinion, to the following reasons:

Firstly, international terrorism, unfortunately, is becoming increasingly widespread on a planetary scale. It manifests itself both in regions of traditional international conflicts (for example, the Middle East, South Asia), and from this dangerous phenomenon Even the most developed and prosperous countries (in particular the USA and Western Europe) were not immune.

Secondly, international terrorism poses a serious threat to the security of individual states and the entire world community as a whole. Every year hundreds of acts of international terrorism are committed in the world, and the sad count of their victims amounts to thousands of killed and maimed people;

Thirdly, the efforts of one great power or even a group of highly developed states are not enough to combat international terrorism. Overcoming international terrorism as an escalating global problem requires the collective efforts of the majority of states and peoples on our planet, the entire world community.

Fourthly, the connection between the modern phenomenon of international terrorism and other pressing global problems of our time is becoming increasingly clear and visible. At present, the problem of international terrorism should be considered as an important element of the entire complex of universal, global problems.

The problem of international terrorism has many common features characteristic of other universal problems, such as the planetary scale of manifestation; great sharpness; negative dynamism, when the negative impact on the life of humanity increases; need for an urgent solution, etc. At the same time, the global problem of international terrorism also has specific, characteristic features. Let's take a closer look at the most important of them.

First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that the problem of international terrorism is connected with the main spheres of life of the world community and societies individual countries: politics, national relations, religion, ecology, criminal communities, etc. This connection is reflected in the existence of various types of terrorism, which include: political, nationalist, religious, criminal and environmental terrorism.

Members of groups carrying out political terror set as their task the achievement of political, social or economic changes within a particular state, as well as the undermining of interstate relations and international law and order. Nationalist (or as it is also called national, ethnic or separatist) terrorism pursues the goals of solving the national question, which has recently become increasingly separatist aspirations in various multi-ethnic states.

The religious type of terrorism is caused by attempts by armed groups professing one or another religion to fight against a state dominated by another religion or other religious direction. Criminal terrorism is formed on the basis of any criminal business (drug trafficking, illegal arms trafficking, smuggling, etc.) with the aim of creating chaos and tension in the conditions of which it is most likely to receive excess profits. Environmental terrorism is carried out by groups that use violent methods in general against scientific and technological progress and pollution environment, killing animals and building nuclear facilities.

Another distinctive feature of the global problem of international terrorism is the significant influence of international criminal communities, certain political forces and some states on it. This influence undoubtedly leads to an aggravation of the problem under consideration.

In the modern world, there are manifestations of state terrorism associated with attempts to eliminate heads of foreign states and other political figures; with actions aimed at overthrowing the governments of foreign countries; creating panic among the population of foreign countries, etc.

International terrorism is now an integral part of the proliferation of transnational criminal organizations supported by corrupt government officials and politicians. Thus, in the widely known work of English scientists “Global Transformations” it is noted: “There are also negative forms of international organizations, such as terrorist and criminal organizations. Despite the centuries-long conflict between smugglers and the authorities, in recent years the growth of transnational criminal organizations is associated with drug trafficking (now, according to experts, its annual turnover is over $300 billion) and widespread organized crime. Addressing these issues has become a major challenge for governments and police forces around the world."

Another specific feature of the global problem of international terrorism is its difficulty in predicting. In many cases, the subjects of terrorism are mentally unstable people and overly ambitious politicians. Terrorism is often seen as a way to achieve goals on the world stage and in international relations that cannot be achieved by any other methods. IN modern conditions forms of terrorist activity are becoming more and more complex and come into increasing conflict with universal human values ​​and the logic of world development.

Thus, the problem of international terrorism poses a real planetary threat to the world community. This problem has its own specificity, which distinguishes it from other universal human difficulties. However, the problem of terrorism is closely interconnected with most global problems of modern international relations. It can be considered one of the most pressing global problems of our days.

However, the latest terrorist attacks, primarily the tragic events of September 11, 2001 in New York, have become unprecedented in the history of mankind in their scale and influence on the further course of world politics. The number of victims, the extent and nature of the destruction caused by terrorist attacks at the beginning of the 21st century were comparable to the consequences of armed conflicts and local wars. The response measures caused by these terrorist acts led to the creation of an international anti-terrorist coalition, which included dozens of states, which previously took place only in the case of major armed conflicts and wars. Retaliatory anti-terrorist military actions have also acquired a planetary scale.

In these conditions, the global problem of international terrorism, in our opinion, cannot be considered only as an independent phenomenon. She started to become important component a more general military-political global problem related to fundamental issues of war and peace, on the solution of which the further existence depends human civilization.

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International terrorism as a global problem of our time

Introduction

The last decades of the 20th century presented the peoples of the world with a number of acute and complex problems that were called global. One of the definitions calls global problems that arise as a result of the objective development of society, pose a threat to all of humanity and require the united efforts of the entire world community to be solved. So, the topic of my essay is international terrorism and its place in the complex of global problems.

The choice of this topic is due to:

The extraordinary increase in terrorist activity in beginning of XXI century;

Increased interest in this issue in government and journalistic circles around the world;

Personal educational interest.

The object of this study is the global problems of our time.

The subject of the study is international terrorism as a global problem of humanity.

The purpose of this study is to identify the belonging of international terrorism to global problems and determine its place in the complex of global problems of our time.

During the research, I set myself the following tasks:

Study global problems: their essence, signs, causes of occurrence and possible solutions;

Consider the essence of terrorism, its types, goals, methods, main trends;

Find out whether international terrorism is a global problem. international terrorism global problem

Hypothesis: if you conduct a study on the topic “International terrorism as a global problem of our time,” it will turn out that the problem of international terrorism concerns all of humanity, leads to significant economic and social losses, and in case of aggravation, threatens the death of all humanity and requires collective efforts to solve of the entire world community, and therefore is actually a global problem.

Research methods:

Selection and analysis of literature;

Partially search with elements of research.

1. Global problems of our time

1) Essence.

Today, the existence of such a phenomenon as global problems is widely recognized. They are constantly reported in the media mass media, the study of this phenomenon is included in the school social studies course. A branch of science called global studies directly studies global problems. What is meant by the term “global problems”? IN scientific literature can be found various definitions global problems, for example:

These are problems that arise as a result of the objective development of society, pose a threat to all of humanity and require the united efforts of the entire world community to be solved;

This is a set of problems of humanity that confronted it in the second half of the 20th century and on the solution of which the existence of humanity depends;

This is a manifestation controversial progress, especially the rapid development of its productive forces on the basis of scientific and technological revolution, which resulted in a real threat of a sharp disruption of the existing relationships between nature and society, between countries and peoples, between individuals, society and the state.

All these definitions are united by the fact that they all recognize the universal nature of problems and note the need for efforts by the entire world community to solve them.

2) Signs.

In the course of the development of civilization, complex problems have repeatedly arisen before humanity. However, not all problems social development can be called global. In order for any problem to be recognized as global, it must meet the following characteristics of global problems:

They concern all of humanity, affecting the interests and destinies of all countries, peoples and social strata;

Lead to significant economic and social losses, and in case of aggravation can threaten the entire existence of human civilization;

For their solution, they require cooperation on a planetary scale, joint actions of all countries and peoples.

3) Classification.

In the scientific literature you can find various lists of global problems, where their number varies from 8-10 to 40-45. There are also different types of classification of these problems.

I.1) Problems associated with changes in the natural human environment:

Reduction of the planet's biological resources;

Global warming, “greenhouse effect”;

Ozone layer depletion;

Acid rain;

Garbage problem;

Air pollution.

2) Problems of a socio-economic nature:

Energy hunger;

Inflation;

World population growth;

Uneven economic development of countries;

Rising poverty;

Food shortages;

Unemployment;

Increase in the number of chronic diseases and deaths;

Nuclear threat;

International terrorism;

Disarmament and conversion of military production.

3) Cultural and moral problems:

Loss of trust in social institutions;

Youth alienation;

Denial of traditional values;

Increase in crime;

Addiction;

Illiteracy;

An increase in the number of divorces.

II.1) The most “universal” problems of a political and socio-economic nature (preventing nuclear war and maintaining peace, ensuring sustainable development of the world community and increasing the level of organization and controllability of it);

2) Problems of a predominantly natural and economic nature (environmental, energy, raw materials, food, oceans);

3) Problems of a predominantly social nature (demographic,

interethnic relations, crisis of culture, morality, deficit of democracy and health care);

4) Problems of a mixed nature, the unresolution of which often leads to massive loss of life (regional conflicts, crime, technological accidents, natural disasters, etc.);

5) “Small problems” (bureaucracy, egocentrism, etc.).

III.1) Problems of a political and socio-economic nature:

Prevention of thermonuclear catastrophe, new world wars, fight against international terrorism;

Normal functioning of the world economy;

Overcoming the backwardness of underdeveloped countries;

2) Problems of a natural and economic nature:

Ecological problem;

Energy problem;

Food problem;

Raw materials problem;

Problems of the World Ocean.

3) Problems of a social nature:

Demographic problem;

The problem of interethnic relations;

Crisis of culture and morality;

Democracy deficit;

Urbanization problems;

Health protection.

However, the most common classification of global problems is the latter. It will also become a priority in this work.

4) Reasons for appearance.

Reflecting on the reasons for the emergence of global problems, scientists point, first of all, to the emerging global community of people, the integrity of the modern world, which is ensured primarily by deep economic ties, increased political, cultural contacts, the latest tools mass communication. In conditions when the planet becomes the single home of humanity, many contradictions, conflicts, and problems can outgrow local boundaries and acquire a global character.

Another reason for the emergence of global problems is scientific and technological progress. The actively transformative human activity itself is now comparable in power and consequences (both creative and destructive) to the most formidable forces of nature. Having brought to life powerful productive forces, humanity cannot always bring them under its reasonable control. Level public organization, political thinking and environmental consciousness, spiritual and moral orientations are still very far from the requirements of the era.

1) Threat of nuclear war

2) anthropogenic factor

3) Demographic crisis

The problem of overcoming the backwardness of underdeveloped countries

5) The problem of health care, the spread of AIDS, drug addiction

6) industrial waste discharge

5) Possible solutions.

Disarmament and military conversion, destruction of nuclear weapons stockpiles;

Establishment of unified rules and norms for global environmental management;

Cooperation in eliminating environmental disaster zones;

Use of alternative energy sources;

Use of recycled materials;

Providing assistance developed countries developing in solving problems of poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy;

Assistance to developing countries in economic development;

Allocation of funds for the treatment of drug addiction and alcoholism;

Scientific research into the problem of AIDS and cancer;

Educating the population about global problems, media participation in attracting people to solve these problems.

Forms of cooperation to solve global problems:

1. Implementation of joint projects and programs.

2. Technology transfer.

3. Allocation of loans.

4. Participation in the development, extraction and distribution of natural resources.

5. Reform of the pricing system for natural resources in the world.

6. Providing developing countries with access to the world market.

7. Promoting the industrialization of underdeveloped countries.

8. Planetary and regional agreements under the auspices of the UN and other international organizations.

2. Terrorism

1) Essence.

The topic of my essay is international terrorism. However, before proceeding with it, it is necessary to consider terrorism as a whole.

Currently, there is no universal definition of such concepts as “terrorism” and “international terrorism” recognized by the world community. Each country has its own definition of terrorism. Here are just a few of them:

This is the threat or use of violence for political purposes by individuals or groups of individuals acting for or against the existing government of a country, when such actions are intended to harm or intimidate a larger group than the immediate victim against whom the violence is used. ;

It is the unlawful use of force and violence against person or property for the purpose of intimidating or pressuring the government, the civilian population or any part thereof in the pursuit of political and social objectives;

This is violence or the threat of its use against individuals or organizations, as well as destruction (damage) or the threat of destruction (damage) of property or other material objects that create the danger of death, causing significant property damage, or the occurrence of other socially dangerous consequences, carried out for the purpose of violation of public safety, intimidation of the population or influencing the adoption of decisions by authorities, or satisfying their unlawful property and/or other interests; an encroachment on the life of a statesman or public figure, committed in order to terminate his state or other political activity or out of revenge for such activity; an attack on a representative of a foreign state or an employee of an international organization enjoying international protection, as well as on official premises, or vehicles persons enjoying international protection, if this act was committed for the purpose of provoking war or complicating international relations;

This is a system of using violence to achieve political goals through coercion of government agencies, international and national organizations, government and public figures, individual citizens or their groups to commit or refuse to commit certain actions in favor of terrorists through the illegitimate use of force or the threat of its use against specific individuals or any other individuals and groups;

These are acts of violence against citizens (state officials) or objects with the aim of destabilizing public order within the country or complicating international relations;

Acts which are themselves forms of ordinary crime but which are committed deliberately with the intent to cause panic, disorder and terror in organized society, paralyze the opposition to terror on the part of social forces and intensify the troubles and suffering of society.

2) Classification options:

1. In areas of public life:

a) political terrorism;

b) social (left, right);

c) national;

d) territorial-separatist;

e) ideological;

e) criminal.

2. By distribution area:

a) internal;

b) international;

c) state (abuse of power, use of the apparatus of coercion against the people themselves, to suppress the opposition).

3. According to the methods used:

a) physical;

b) psychological.

4. By means used:

a) traditional (using traditional means of violence);

b) unconventional:

Nuclear;

Biological;

Chemical;

Computer (cyberterrorism);

Space.

3) Object-subject composition.

Objects of terrorist activity, due to the peculiarities of the mechanism for its implementation, have a dual nature, which allows us to distinguish their two main groups.

The first group is common objects of encroachment, in relation to which the goals of their weakening or destruction are put forward; these are objects of weakening and undermining:

Internal and external security of the country, its international relations, positions and interests, state sovereignty;

Fundamentals of the social system, political organization of society, state power and its institutions, security of citizens.

The second group is the safety of people and various material objects; These are objects of direct violent (terrorist) influence:

Life, health, freedom of specific individuals or their personally defined groups;

Normal functioning and physical integrity of certain objects and structures.

By using violence in various ways or threatening to use it against persons or specific material objects, terrorist organizations ultimately count on achieving their stated goals and objectives of weakening and undermining the common objects of terrorism.

Subjects, like objects, can be divided into two groups:

1) individual states, political parties and movements, which often inspire or in various ways support certain terrorist structures (for example, some Middle Eastern states with dictatorial reactionary regimes, some right-wing (for example, fascist) political movements, extremist nationalist movements, etc.);

2) the terrorist structures themselves that directly organize or carry out terrorist actions (special services of some states and their divisions (for example, Mossad), international and national terrorist organizations, criminal mafia organizations).

4) Goals, methods, means.

The goals of terrorism are characterized by the results that the activities of terrorist organizations are aimed at achieving. They largely predetermine the choice of targets for terrorist actions, as well as the methods and means of carrying them out. Depending on the subject of terrorism and the direction of its activities, the following can be distinguished:

1) internal political goals:

Changes in the political regime and social structure of the country;

Undermining or impeding democratic transition;

Destabilization of the internal political situation;

Difficulty and disorganization of the activities of government and management bodies;

Disruption of certain activities of government and management bodies, etc.;

2) foreign policy goals:

Weakening international relations or deterioration of the country's relations with foreign countries;

Disruption of international actions to resolve international or domestic political conflicts;

Compromising the country as a source of terrorism in the eyes of the world community, etc.

Sometimes the goals of terrorism are divided into main and possible. The main goals are:

The desire to sow fear among civilians;

Expressing protest against government policies;

Extortion;

Causing economic damage to the state or individuals;

Carrying out terrorist attacks against their rivals in the struggle for political influence.

Possible targets include:

Physical elimination of political opponents;

Intimidation of civilians;

- “actions of retaliation”;

Destabilization of government activities;

Causing economic damage;

Complication of interethnic and interfaith relations, incitement of interethnic hatred;

Intentionally provoking a military conflict;

Change of political system.

Methods of terrorist activity represent a complex of ways to carry out this activity. Taking into account the method of achieving the goals and objectives of terrorism and the nature of the objects, three groups of methods can be distinguished:

1) methods of physical influence:

Wrongful deprivation of people's lives;

Causing damage to health;

Deprivation or restriction of freedom;

2) methods of material influence:

Destruction or damage to material objects (explosions, arson, pogroms);

3) methods psychological impact:

Attacks on certain persons, damage to their property, calculated to achieve a psychological result;

Threats, targeted and massive campaigns of intimidation.

Facilities. These include various devices, apparatus, machines, tools and substances that are used to influence certain objects of terrorism. Main types of means of terrorist activity:

Firearms and bladed weapons;

Chemical and biological weapons (weapons and substances);

Jet weapons and mine explosives;

Bacteriological agents, etc.

5) Main types of terrorist acts.

Sabotage (explosion, spraying of toxic substances, etc.). Explosions are carried out in vehicles or in buildings with the aim of causing damage and causing casualties, as well as in open spaces to kill people. As a result of explosions, a large number of random people suffer, so it is precisely this tactic that leads to the most powerful psychological effect and occurs in cases where terrorists consider absolutely all potential victims as political opponents.

Kidnapping. As a rule, significant figures capable of attracting public attention are kidnapped: well-known politicians, officials, journalists, diplomats. Done to achieve fulfillment political demands, to intimidate the ruling strata, to obtain funds for the activities of the organization.

Attempt and murder. One of the main methods of terrorism. It is distinguished by demonstrative targeting, therefore it is effective for targeted psychological impact on a narrow audience. When conducting a combat operation of this type, the life of a terrorist is endangered, therefore it is carried out by highly professional terrorists in states with a weakened law enforcement structure, as well as in cases where terrorists have the opportunity to create a numerical superiority over police units.

Robbery (expropriation). One of the main means of conducting terrorist activities of extremists of the “red” orientation. It is carried out both for the purpose of obtaining the funds necessary for the struggle, and for propaganda purposes. It acquires its greatest scope during periods of revolutionary destabilization.

Hijacking is the capture of a vehicle: an airplane, a railway train, a car, a ship. The most common aircraft hijackings in the world are also referred to as “skyjacking.” Skyjacking is the most effective among other types of hijacking because, firstly, it deters intelligence agencies from carrying out attacks on terrorists due to the high risk of hostages being killed, and secondly, air transport seems to be a more convenient means of escaping persecution. Capturing ships, trains, buses, etc. less attractive to terrorists. For example, it is more difficult for criminals to establish control over a ship. It is much easier to carry out an anti-terrorist operation against those who have hijacked a train, bus and other ground vehicles than to free an airplane from terrorists.

Capturing buildings. Most often, embassy buildings, government offices, and party offices are raided. As a rule, a terrorist operation is not limited to the seizure of a building. If things go well for the terrorists, they are given the opportunity to leave the captured building under the cover of hostages.

Non-fatal armed assault causing minor property damage. They are carried out by terrorist organizations in their infancy, when they have not yet accumulated experience in conducting large-scale operations, as well as by actively operating organizations that only need to demonstrate the ability to conduct armed operations.

Cyberterrorism - attacks on computer networks. The first examples of computer terrorism appeared in the late 1990s, which is associated both with the development of networks and with the increased role of computers in all spheres of life. The reverse side of this phenomenon is the dependence of the normal functioning of society on the safety of computers, and as a result, the increased attention to them by various “cyberpartisans” and “cyberbullies.” Attacks on computers through unauthorized access are carried out in order to sabotage the work of relevant institutions.

6) Main trends modern terrorism.

In the development of terrorism in the last decades of the 20th and early 21st centuries, a number of more or less distinct trends can be traced, the study of which is of great importance for understanding the role of terrorism as a global threat to humanity and many countries of the world, and for the scientific development of a system of measures necessary to effectively combat him.

1) Increasing public danger of terrorism, both for international relations, international security, and for the constitutional system and the rights of citizens of many countries of the world.

2) Expansion of its social base, involvement in political extremist activities in a number of countries for a significant part of the population.

3) It has become a long-term factor of modern political life, a relatively stable phenomenon in the development of society. Over the past few decades, terrorism has not only become a widespread phenomenon of socio-political relations in major regions of the world, but has also acquired social stability, despite active efforts to localize and eradicate it, which are being undertaken both within individual countries and at the global level. communities.

4) Increasing the level of its organization. This trend is reflected in:

The formation of doctrines on the use of terror for political purposes and in carrying out terrorist acts, at least on the part of many extremist organizations, on a planned, systematic basis;

Creation of a comprehensive infrastructure for terrorist activities;

Many extremist structures have developed connections within the country and abroad with political organizations and sources of funds for criminal activity;

The existence of a mechanism for propaganda support for the activities of the most significant terrorist groups.

5) Blocking terrorist organizations within individual countries and on international level. This is, first of all, the establishment and implementation of cooperation between structures that are similar or identical in their ideological and political positions. Blocking terrorist organizations is carried out in such forms as coordination of ideological and political positions, strategic and tactical guidelines; information exchange; providing mutual assistance in organizing terrorist activities; coordination of ongoing violent actions, etc.

6) The trend of merging terrorism and organized crime. Organized crime by its nature has a high potential for the use of violence for criminal purposes: its structures have special forces and the means to use it, resorting to it in everyday practice, in fact, systematically. Another basis for linking the organized crime of terrorism is the need of terrorist structures to obtain financial resources to continue their activities, purchase weapons, etc.

7) The evolution of the goals, means and methods of terrorism has turned it into a serious threat to the vital interests of society, the state and the individual in most countries of the world.

3. International terrorism as a global problem

The development of humanity has always been contradictory. For many centuries, progress in one area of ​​society was accompanied by regression in another; the successes of people in one area or another caused many problems that impeded further development. The expansion of scientific and technical knowledge often led to the death of people and environmental pollution. However, never before has humanity faced such serious problems as it is now. Many problems of our time have become global in nature. The fate of everything depends on their decision human society on the ground. IN last quarter century, several more were added to the already existing global problems, including the problem of the spread of AIDS, the threat of thermonuclear catastrophe and the problem of international terrorism. Further in this part I will focus on the latter and provide evidence that it belongs to global problems.

First of all, it is necessary to decide what is considered international terrorism. It's not as simple as it seems at first glance. Until now, uniform definitions of terrorism in general and international terrorism in particular have not been developed for all states. However, the definition of these concepts refers to those world problems, the solution of which is of exceptional practical importance. This is sufficiently recognized by the international community, politicians, scientists and, of course, employees of intelligence services and law enforcement agencies of various states, regardless of their political, social and economic structure. The difficulties in developing an internationally agreed upon concept of “international terrorism” are due to many reasons. Among them there are many objective ones associated with different understandings national security many states, diverging ideas about various forms of terrorism, as well as the emergence of ever new types of terrorist attacks and weapons. The process of developing a unified definition is also hampered by subjective factors: the reluctance of some countries to bind themselves with a firm formulation that could create obstacles to their connection with terrorist activities, hidden from the world and their own people. Due to cultural, civilizational, religious differences, as well as related ethical standards, terrorist attacks can be perceived as heroism or crime. For these and other reasons, the world community has not yet found a universal concept of “terrorism.” However, the development and consolidation in the norms of international law this concept really necessary. Firstly, to clarify the real positions of countries on this issue, and secondly, to coordinate the actions of states in the fight against this phenomenon. Many countries are trying to provide the most accurate definition of international terrorism. For example, Venezuela has proposed the following definition of international terrorism:

It is any threat or act of violence endangering the lives of innocent people or causing their death, or endangering fundamental freedoms, committed by one person or group of persons on foreign territory, on the high seas, or on board an aircraft in flight in airspace over open air. or free seas, for the purpose of spreading terror or achieving any political goal.

American researchers concluded that:

International terrorism includes... any unlawful act which results in death, physical injury to, or forcible deprivation of liberty of any person any person, or results in the violent destruction of property, or the attempt or actual threat of any such act; and all this in cases where the act, threat or attempt occurs or has consequences outside the territory of the state where the offender has citizenship; or outside the territory of the state against which the act is directed; or on the territory of the State against which the act is directed, but the alleged offender knows or ought to know that the person against whom the act is directed is a foreigner (for the State where the crime was committed), or on the territory of any State where the commission of the act was supported by reason border, regardless of the citizenship of the alleged criminal.

Belarusian legal encyclopedic Dictionary gives another definition:

Acts undertaken by individuals or organizations on the territory of a state with the aim of undermining interstate relations, international communication systems (land, air and sea communications), diplomatic relations, state sovereignty, values ​​protected and protected by international law.

These are just a few examples of the definition of the concept of “international terrorism”. To date, the problem of adopting a universal definition remains open.

Over the past decades, terrorism has undoubtedly grown into one of the most dangerous problems of humanity. However, not all scientists and specialists recognize this problem as global. Who is right: those who are confident in the global nature of this problem, or their opponents who do not see a real threat to the world community? I think it's the first. Next, I will prove my point of view, based on the main features of global problems, and find out whether they are inherent in the problem of international terrorism.

As noted earlier, global problems have three main features that distinguish them from large number pressing problems and giving them global status. Problems are global if they:

1) concern all of humanity, affecting the interests and destinies of all countries, peoples and social strata;

2) lead to significant economic and social losses, and in cases of aggravation can threaten the entire existence of human civilization;

3) for their solution, they require cooperation on a planetary scale, joint actions of all countries and peoples.

I will dwell in more detail on each of the signs. So, the first sign of the global nature of the problem: they are planetary in nature.

If in the middle of the 20th century. terrorism was considered a local phenomenon, then by the beginning of the third millennium it had spread most peace. Now there is no place left on earth where terrorism has not penetrated. Acts of terrorism have occurred on every continent (except perhaps Antarctica). Of course, not all countries have committed acts of international terrorism, but this in no way diminishes the danger of the phenomenon itself. The more the geography of domestic terrorism expands, the greater the threat of its development into international terrorism.

To confirm the global spread of terrorism, I will give a small list of terrorist actions in different regions peace.

1988 - a Pan American airliner was blown up in the skies of Scotland (259 people died);

1993, February - terrorists detonated a bomb at the World Trade Center in New York, which led to numerous casualties;

1995, June 14 - a group of armed militants led by Shamil Basayev seized a hospital and a number of other objects in the city of Budennovsk, Stavropol Territory. 1,100 people were taken hostage. The operation to free them lasted for five days. Total number the number of deaths was 128 people;

1997, February 4 - Tajikistan, near Komsomolabad, the paramilitary group of Bakhrom Sodirov kidnapped four UN military observers: two Swiss, an Austrian, a Ukrainian and a Tajik. The kidnappers demanded security for their supporters during the transition from Afghanistan to Tajikistan. On February 11, the group released the Austrian hostage. By 17 February, all hostages were released after the group's demand was met;

1997, March 4 - Yemen, fifty Yemeni rebels kidnapped six German tourists and their guide in Wadi Al-Dabaat and demanded $12 million for the release of the captives. On March 12, the hostages were released;

1999, October - Armenia, terrorists in the parliament building killed the chairman of parliament, the prime minister and a number of other deputies;

2001, September 11 - terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (“Twin Towers”), which killed several thousand people;

2001, October 23 - UNITA militants captured 16 children aged 7 to 14 years in Angola right during church service, the children were taken to an unknown direction;

2002, February 5 - Algeria, as a result of two terrorist attacks committed by religious extremists, 22 people were killed and three were injured;

2002, July 29 - an explosion occurred in one of the clubs in the city of Linz (Austria), 27 people were injured; presumably, the terrorist attack was directed against foreigners, mainly of Yugoslav origin, who are the main visitors to the disco;

2002, August 5 - an explosion in the town of Santa Pola in Spain killed two and injured 25 people;

2002, September 28 - Bangladesh, 4 bombs exploded in a cinema; 10 people killed, 200 injured;

2002, October 12 - a series of explosions occurred at the largest resorts of Bali (Indonesia); 202 people died, some died in hospital;

2002, October 23 - the Nord-Ost theater center in Moscow was captured by armed Chechens; More than 700 spectators were taken hostage;

2002, October 28 - seven people, including 5 children, were injured in a bomb explosion in the capital of Nepal;

2003, March 6 - Colombia, a car filled with explosives exploded in an underground parking lot; 4 people were killed and 56 injured;

2004, September 1 - at about 8 a.m., militants captured high school No. 1 in Beslan; they were neutralized only on the night of September 3; As a result of the hostage taking in Beslan, 338 people were killed and more than 700 were injured.

This is only a small part huge list countries affected by terrorism. There are almost no regions or countries left on earth free from this “plague of the 21st century.” By the way, a very correct comparison. Like a plague, terrorism is spreading across the planet at tremendous speed, infecting larger and larger areas. It exists in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, and even in prosperous Europe, not to mention those countries where this disease has become an epidemic (Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, etc. ). Unfortunately, Russia is not free from this problem either. All this proves that not a single country, not a single people is protected from the “plague”. Everyone is equal before it, there are no differences between segments of the population, any person can become a victim of terrorism, no matter where he lives, no matter who he is, no matter what skin color he has. This “plague” has already claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people across the planet.

What is the reason for such a widespread spread of terrorism in the modern world? Analysts cite as the main reason the expansion of the social base of terrorism, the involvement of ever larger segments of the population in some countries in extremist (and therefore potentially terrorist) activities. And this, in turn, comes from the fact that in many regions various contradictions are spreading and aggravating: interethnic, interfaith, religious, social, etc. Not having their demands met by conventional methods, these people begin to use methods of terrorism.

So, based on the above facts, we can conclude that today geography terrorist activity has no boundaries. A huge number of countries have suffered from terrorism. This problem concerns every inhabitant of the planet, regardless of their social status, income, etc. Consequently, the problem of terrorism in the 21st century. the first sign of globality is inherent.

Let us now move on to the second sign. It sounds like this: global problems lead to significant economic and social losses, and in cases of aggravation they can threaten the entire existence of human civilization. All global problems cause significant damage to humanity. However, some are potentially much more dangerous than others, such as preventing a nuclear holocaust and the threat of another world war. They are extremely dangerous to society individually. But they are closely related to each other, and the implementation of one threat will certainly lead to the implementation of another. However, if these two problems can be resolved peacefully, through multilateral negotiations and agreements, then solving the problem of international terrorism requires much more effort and resources. Terrorism cannot be negotiated; this disease cannot be eliminated through an agreement. And she is still progressing.

Now international terrorism has become thousands of times more dangerous than it was in the last century. If then the victims of terrorism were individuals chosen from thousands and millions of other people on class and material grounds, now not only every inhabitant of the planet can become its victim, but all of humanity is in danger, it faces death. Why is this happening? What makes international terrorism such a dangerous and threatening phenomenon of our time?

The answer to this question can be found by considering the main trends of modern terrorism, because This problem acquired a particularly ominous connotation precisely when the main world powers entered the post-industrial era. The more the knowledge of society develops, the more acute the threat of death of thousands, millions, or even billions of people on earth.

The first feature of modern international terrorism, which makes it so socially dangerous, is that the geographical scope of terrorist activity today has no boundaries. This was discussed in more detail above. Moreover, the sphere of terrorist activity extends not only to land territory, but also to air and sea spaces that are outside the jurisdiction of the state - the high seas and Andean airspace. Thus, aeronautics and navigation, trade and other routes of communication between countries and continents are constantly under threat. Examples of such acts include: seizure Chechen terrorists March 15, 1997 Russian passenger plane Tu-154, flying Istanbul - Moscow (there were 162 passengers and 12 crew members on board; three people died during the operation to free the hostages and neutralize the criminals) and the attack terrorist organization"Liberation Tigers of Tamil and Lama" on 2 passenger ferries in Sri Lanka on October 23, 2000. (one ferry sank, the second was badly damaged; more than 400 people died).

In the future, terrorists will target the area that is being actively explored by humanity today - space. They will try to capture or destroy spacecraft in order to use them to either cause significant damage to objects on the surface of the Earth, or disrupt the operation of existing communication systems with maximum benefit for themselves, or provoke an armed conflict of varying degrees of intensity between individual countries. There are no number of options, because... The use of space for humanity opens up enormous opportunities. And the more successful a person’s activities in near-Earth space are, the greater the likelihood that he will be drawn into the sphere of interests of terrorists.

Another important trend of modern terrorism is the creation (and therefore the possible use for terrorist purposes) of qualitatively new types of weapons. Today, analysts identify the following types of unconventional means of terrorist activity:

chemical weapon;

biological and bacteriological weapons;

computer resources (cyberterrorism);

nuclear weapon.

The possibility of using chemical weapons as a means of violence was proven in 1995, when the Japanese sect Aum Shinrikyo used sarin gas against Tokyo subway passengers. Then more than 4,700 people were poisoned, 10 died. Being a very effective type of terrorism, chemical terrorism is also very simple and accessible, much cheaper than biological and nuclear terrorism. Chemical weapon not difficult to obtain: either through domestic production or on the black market. It is convenient to transport. Therefore, this type of terrorism is the most promising. This means terrorism becomes even more dangerous.

Biological weapons are more difficult to obtain than chemical weapons. It requires large expenses: highly equipped laboratories and qualified specialists are needed. But the possible number of victims of this type of terrorism is much higher than chemical terrorism; such weapons are even more deadly. Its use will lead to numerous casualties. Today, acts of biological terrorism are fortunately quite rare, but reports of their commission can still be heard from time to time. For example, at the end of 2001, dozens of recipients in the United States (including senior government officials) received letters containing anthrax spores. As a result, five people died, 18 were infected, and hundreds of people were treated for actual or potential infection. The terrorists have not yet been found, and the source of the anthrax spores has also not been reliably established.

Unlike other types of terrorism, cyberterrorism does not directly harm the life and health of people. However, the consequences of attacks can be colossal, because... In the post-industrial era, the role of the information component is increasingly increasing. American expert F. Cohen conducted a study on his country and calculated that ten hackers with one hundred thousand dollars could cause serious damage to the American information structure over the course of several weeks, even to the point of paralyzing it. Twenty hackers with one million dollars in two weeks could bring the United States to its knees. And hundreds of hackers and 30 million dollars are enough to destroy the entire US information structure, after which it will take several years and hundreds of millions of dollars to restore it.

However, none of the above types of weapons are as deadly as nuclear weapons. Today, the threat of a thermonuclear catastrophe ranks first on the list of the most dangerous global problems for humanity. But back in the 50s of the 20th century, many considered a limited nuclear war acceptable. However, calculations carried out in the 70s showed that with the explosion of several nuclear charges, a condition called “nuclear winter” will develop, when clouds of dust and smoke will cover the sun, sharply disrupting the thermal balance of the planet, which will lead to the death of the biosphere. Today, only one nuclear weapon has been accumulated so much that its explosive power is several thousand (!) times greater than the power of the ammunition used in all the wars that were fought before. In the arsenals different countries Nuclear charges are stored, the total power of which is several million (!) times greater than the power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. But this bomb killed 200 thousand people, 40% of the area turned to ashes, everything was mutilated beyond recognition! But besides nuclear weapons themselves, there are also nuclear power plants. Disaster on Chernobyl nuclear power plant finally opened the eyes of millions of people to the essence of nuclear danger. The fatal consequences of both the atomic bombing and the Chernobyl disaster are still felt by thousands of people.

What also makes international terrorism potentially dangerous for all humanity is its possible escalation into a new world war. At first glance, this position seems absurd. How can one terrorist attack lead to a new war? But it is enough to recall the fact that the First World War began with the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. And today, fears are increasingly being expressed that acts of international terrorism and states’ responses to them may well end in world war.

Thank God, such a sad outcome of events has so far been avoided, despite the desire of some countries for war and the increasingly active processes of globalization. However, the events of the past year, 2006, in the Middle East showed how real the threat of world war is. And although the terrorist attacks resulted only in a local war between two countries, we must not forget that global community was on the verge of drawing other countries into the war, primarily Syria, Iran and the United States.

And that Arab-Israeli conflict (sometimes called the Second Lebanon War) began with a rocket and mortar attack by Hezbollah militants on one of the border areas of Israel. On that day, July 12, 2005, 3 Israeli soldiers were killed and two were captured. Apparently, the purpose of the terrorist attack was to put pressure on Israel, to divert its attention from the Gaza Strip, where Israel was conducting military operation against the Hamas movement, and force them to fight on two fronts.

However, Israel's response apparently exceeded Hezbollah's leadership's expectations. The conflict very quickly escalated into large-scale fighting. On Israel's part, this was expressed in establishing a naval and air blockade of Lebanon, launching massive airstrikes to destroy Hezbollah's infrastructure and its leadership, and, subsequently, switching to a ground operation. Hezbollah responded with regular daily rocket attacks on northern Israel and tried to hold the fortified areas it had created in the border area and inflict maximum damage to the Israeli army's manpower and military equipment.

The war lasted until August 14, ending 3 days after the signing of the UN Security Council resolution on a ceasefire. During the war, 160 people died on the Israeli side, of which 117 were military personnel; on the Lebanese side, about a thousand people died, and about three thousand were wounded. The leaders of Hezbollah acknowledged the death of 250 militants. And all these are just so-called military losses. Economic losses amounted, according to some sources, to about 6 billion (!) US dollars. And this is not to mention the fact that virtually all of southern Lebanon has been reduced to ruins, it will take years to rebuild it, and, consequently, this conflict has led to enormous economic and social losses. The cause of the war was an act of international terrorism.

Summarizing all of the above, we can say with confidence that currently international terrorism has grown into a problem that can lead to huge losses (human and economic), and in case of aggravation, can threaten the death of all humanity.

And finally, let's consider the third sign of global problems: for their solution, they require cooperation on a planetary scale, joint actions of all countries and peoples. The problem of international terrorism meets this criterion. Indeed, what can any country do alone to solve this problem? A state may try to fight domestic terrorism on its territory by introducing special laws to combat this phenomenon, undertaking military operations to eliminate terrorist bases, etc. But to combat international terrorism, the forces of one state are not enough. If only because of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other states. And if one state nevertheless invades the borders of another, this will lead more likely to war than to solving the problem of terrorism, as exemplified by the same Lebanese war. And other countries periodically carried out such anti-terrorist operations (for example, the introduction of US troops into Iraq), which, apart from colossal casualties on both sides, did not lead to any more significant results.

So, solving the problem of international terrorism requires the efforts of all humanity. How has civilization tried and is trying to cope with the existing threat?

Before World War II, the world community was rather passive about the problems of combating terrorism. Perhaps in 1934, after the assassination of French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou and King of Yugoslavia Alexander I Karageogievich, the question of joining forces in the fight against terrorism was submitted to the bodies of the League of Nations. Ultimately, on November 16, 1937, member states of the League of Nations signed two conventions in Geneva: “On the Prevention and Punishment of Terrorism” and “On the Establishment of an International Criminal Court.”

After World War II, international cooperation in the fight against terrorism continued to increase. Was accepted whole line documents that regulated activities in this area. Among them is the Convention on Offenses and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board aircraft(1963), Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft (1970), Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons (1973), International Convention against the Taking of Hostages (1979), Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material ( 1980) and many others.

At the universal level, the problem of terrorism in general and international terrorism in particular is dealt with by the UN and its specialized agencies - the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). For example, December 9, 1994 The UN General Assembly approved the “Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism.” It unconditionally condemned as criminal and unjustifiable all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, wherever and by whomever they were carried out.

In Art. 3 of the Declaration emphasizes: “Criminal acts aimed at or calculated to create a climate of terror among the general public, a group of individuals or specific individuals for political purposes cannot under any circumstances be justified, whatever the considerations of political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be cited in their justification.”

December 16, 1997 resolution 52/164 General Assembly The International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings was adopted. It clarified some concepts, for example, such as “explosive or other lethal device”, “place of public use”, “public transport system”, etc.

One of the most important problems that needs to be resolved is the improvement of international cooperation in the field of floor coverings. financial flows sent to support terrorists. As Walter Laqueur points out, the main myth of terrorists is that they are poor, hungry and deprived of human conditions of life. But in fact, the income of the well-known Palestine Liberation Organization is 150-200 million US dollars per year. Officials of the organization receive $5,000 or more per month and have bank accounts in Switzerland.

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The main sources of the threat of terrorism.

The twentieth century will go down in the history of mankind not only for its outstanding scientific and technical discoveries and achievements, but also as a century that has written a number of black pages in this history, including one of the most tragic socio-social phenomena.

The very concept of “terrorism” comes from the Latin word “terror” - fear, horror.

Terrorism- violence or the threat of its use against individuals or organizations, as well as destruction (damage) or the threat of destruction (damage) of property and other material objects, creating the danger of death of people, causing significant property damage or the occurrence of other socially dangerous consequences.

These actions are carried out with the aim of violating public safety, exterminating the population or influencing the adoption by authorities of decisions beneficial to terrorists, or satisfying their unlawful property and (or) other interests, encroaching on the life of a state, public or other figure, committed in order to stop it activities or out of revenge, etc.

Terrorism is a danger facing the modern world. The reality of the present time is that terrorism is increasingly threatening the security of most countries.

As a socio-political phenomenon terrorism is a set of crimes committed using violence by individuals and specially organized groups and communities. It is aimed at expanding the influence of certain forces in society, eliminating or subordinating the activities of their political opponents, and ultimately at seizing and subordinating political power.

The history of terrorism goes back centuries. Terrorist acts accompany the development of civilization.

One of the first mentions is related to the terrorist attacks committed in 66-73. BC. Jewish political group who fought through terror against the Romans for the autonomy of Thessalonia.

In subsequent history one can find examples of terrorism of various types. St. Bartholomew's Night, the French bourgeois revolution, and the Paris Commune went down in history as symbols of cruelty and unjustified violence.

Main Sources of the Terrorist Threat

Terrorism – this is a global problem.

The most famous international terrorist organizations:

– “Irish Republican Army”;

- “Aum Shinrikyo”;

- “Hamas”;

- “World Front of Jihad”;

- “Radical Islamic sect of Wahhabis” created by Bin Laden.

Organizers of terrorist actions seek to sow fear among the population, protest government policies, cause economic damage to the state or private firms, etc.

According to the State reports of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia for 2005-2007. and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for 2007, over the past 5 years terrorism has claimed the lives of 1275 people, and in total more than 5 thousand people suffered from terrorist acts (Table 1).

Table 1

Structure of medical losses and medical support

victims of terrorist attacks of 2002-2007. in the Russian Federation

An analysis of the consequences of terrorist attacks, as a result of which more than 5,000 people were injured, shows that irretrievable losses ranged from 3.1–41.8%, while most of the losses were sanitary (Table 2).

table 2

Structure of losses from terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation (1999-2004)

Location of the terrorist attack

Irrevocable losses

Sanitary

of which were hospitalized

Manezhnaya sq.,

st. Guryanova

Buynaksk

Volgodonsk

The largest share of irretrievable losses was determined in Buinaksk, Mozdok and Beslan, where there was also large share severe sanitary losses.

The wave of terrorism swept not only the Transcaucasian republics, but also reached the Republic of Tatarstan. In Kazan, during the preparation for the 1000th anniversary of the founding of the city, acts of a terrorist nature were uncovered (explosion of a gas pipeline in the city of Bugulma on January 8, 2005, an attempt to blow up a power line support in the Vysokogorsky district on January 20, 2005, an explosion of a power line-220 in the Tyulyachinsky district on June 1, 2005, an explosion on June 28, 2005 product pipeline in Laishevsky district). In addition, crimes of a terrorist nature are recorded annually by law enforcement agencies. These include contract killings, criminal explosions, kidnappings, and threats of terrorist attacks.

Features of modern terrorism– terrorist organizations have a highly developed infrastructure, which often includes a whole network of strongholds and saboteur training camps.

Many terrorist organizations have sophisticated electronic communications capabilities. The latest equipment allows them to connect to the communication systems of law enforcement agencies fighting them.

According to foreign experts, fissile materials, components of chemical and biological weapons are now available to terrorists more than ever before, because there is free trade, weak export controls, openness of data on the latest developments in the field of chemical and biological weapons.

In a number of countries, terrorists are trying to create a biological recipe similar to the Ebola virus and pathogenic types of microorganisms that can affect certain ethnic groups and races. Many of them are able to exchange information on chemical and biological weapons via the Internet.

And in new program In the training of terrorist groups “World Front of Jihad” there is a section on working with toxic substances and gases such as “sarin”. Terrorists are trained in the techniques of making strong chemical agents to contaminate water bodies using chemicals that are commercially available.

Underground structures of the “World Front of Jihad” in a number of European countries may have portable, easily camouflaged explosive devices, incl. chemical agents. In this regard, from January 1, 1998. all units of the US Armed Forces in Europe and even family members of military personnel received means of protection against chemical weapons.

Terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, in its scale and intensity, in its inhumanity and cruelty, has now become one of the most acute and pressing problems of global significance. Manifestations of terrorism entail mass casualties; spiritual, material, and cultural values ​​are destroyed, which cannot be recreated over centuries. It generates hatred and mistrust between social and national groups. Act of terrorism led to the need to create international system fight him. For many people, groups and organizations, terrorism has become a way to solve problems: political, religious, national. Terrorism refers to those types of criminal violence that can target innocent people who have nothing to do with the conflict. Terrorism as a global problem requires constant attention and study and therefore represents a wide field for research with subsequent practical application.

The relevance of the chosen topic is dictated by our reality. The scale and cruelty of modern terrorism, the need for a continuous fight against it, only confirms the relevance of the work.

By the end of the twentieth century. international crime has become global. International criminal organizations have strengthened their positions both due to increased migration flows, greater openness of state borders, the development of information technologies that facilitate the coordination of criminal organizations and complicate control by the authorities, and due to the unresolved problem of poverty, uncoordinated legislation of different countries, and the weakness and corruption of individual governments.

The resolution of the World Conference on Organized Transnational Crime, held in Naples in 1994, identified ten main threats posed by international crime: the sovereignty of states, society, individuals, national stability and state control, democratic values ​​and public institutions, national economies, financial institutions, democratization and privatization, development, global regimes and codes of conduct.

In the 21st century This variety is of particular relevance international crime like global terrorism. This problem began to be discussed publicly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States.

Among the many reasons that give rise to global terrorism, mention should be made of the formation of a “unipolar” world in the last decade of the twentieth century, where the United States began to be perceived as the dominant power and, accordingly, was held responsible for the uneven economic development of other countries. Globalization, which brings with it Western values, also contributes to the growth of nationalist sentiments, causing rejection among supporters of traditional views. The phenomenon of global terrorism today is also associated with the phenomenon of “asymmetrical wars”, where, on the one hand, there is a continuation of the policy of globalization through military means, and on the other, resistance in the form of terrorist acts leading to the death of civilians. Modern world oversaturated with various types of weapons mass destruction(nuclear, chemical, biological), therefore the possibility of such weapons falling into the hands of terrorists represents a threat on a global scale.

Chapter 1. Global problems of our time

1.1. The essence of global problems Origin of the concept

The concept of “global problems of our time” has become widespread since the late 60s - early 70s, since then occupying a prominent place in the scientific and political lexicon and firmly entrenched in the mass consciousness. It is often used as a fashionable term applied to events and phenomena that are not considered global. This happens if they equate “one’s own” and “global” (for example, referring to the social problems of any particular country, they call them global).

In philosophy, this problem is solved by identifying the appropriate criteria by which a particular problem is defined as global and thereby separated from many others that are not.

Etymologically, the term “global” comes from Lat. globus - globe. Hence the problems that affect the interests of both humanity as a whole and each individual person in different parts of the planet, i.e. those that are of a universal human nature are usually called global. They have a significant impact on the development of individual countries and regions, being a powerful objective factor in the global economic and social development. Their solution presupposes the unification of the efforts of the absolute majority of states and organizations at the international level, while their unresolved nature threatens with catastrophic consequences for the future of all humanity.

Problems at different levels

Since global problems affect not only the world as a whole, but also manifest themselves at the level of its regions, and even individual countries, in the scientific literature, along with recognition of their universal significance, they are also distinguished from problems of particular, local, regional ones, the essence of which is different , and the sphere of influence is much narrower. Looking at problems various levels As a concrete expression of the philosophical categories “general”, “special” and “individual”, they are usually interpreted in such a way that particular problems appear as isolated, local and regional as special, and global as universal. This approach also sets the main criterion that underlies the identification of these problems. It is called geographical because it expresses the spatial scale, or, in other words, the territory in which certain problems occur.

Hence, private problems are those that relate to a specific area of ​​government activity, individual settlements or small natural objects.

These are, as a rule, various problems arising as a result of various accidents, breakdowns, local social conflicts, etc.

The concept of “local” refers to problems of a higher order when it comes to individual countries or significant areas of the largest of them. As a rule, we are talking about strong earthquakes, major floods or, for example, a civil war in a small state.

Regional problems already affect the range of topical issues that arise within individual continents, large socio-economic regions of the world, or in fairly large states. Examples of this kind can be the Chernobyl tragedy with all its consequences or climate change in fairly large areas covering a number of states. The “catastrophe of the century” was, for example, the drought of 1968 in the Sahel zone, which affected 18 states of the African continent, when more than 250 thousand people died from hunger, about 18 million heads of livestock, epidemics of dangerous diseases arose, and the territory of this huge region was practically everything turned into desert.

In socio-political and scientific terminology, the concept of “national problems” is often used, which reflects certain difficulties and concerns of a particular state or national community. Depending on their scale, they can be interpreted as regional or local problems.

Finally, global problems span the entire globe; and not only that part of it where people directly live, but also the rest of its surface, bowels, atmosphere and even outer space that fall within the sphere of human activity.

Thus, when we talk about global problems, we mean the planet as a whole, and the region is taken as the largest unit of its division. Moreover, the number of regions and their scale are determined by the nature of the problems under consideration. For example, when studying the problem of economic backwardness on a global scale, they usually limit themselves to dividing the entire planet into two regions - developed and developing countries. When considering demographic, energy or raw materials problems, the number of regions, as a rule, increases and each time is determined by the specific objectives of the study.

It is important to note that any problem can only be considered global when it is relevant in relation to any region of the planet, i.e. manifests itself in each of them. Otherwise, we will be talking about problems of one or several regions (or an even smaller scale).

It follows from this that all global problems have at the same time regional significance, but not all problems found at the regional level are global. Obviously, the number of the latter will be somewhat smaller. As for other levels, global problems may not have a direct local or private manifestation or may affect them to an insignificant extent. For example, in Antarctica or other parts of the planet, located at a sufficiently large distance from the main centers and sources of environmental pollution, the condition of the air or water basins may be satisfactory, and anthropogenic impact there is practically no impact on the natural environment. However, this does not call into question the planetary nature environmental problem, the severity of which depends on the unevenness of anthropogenic influence on the natural environment. In turn, not all local, and especially private problems are related to global ones, because their number is disproportionately greater.

One of the most popular courses at Swarthmore College (USA) explores how to counter terrorism without resorting to violence. Events that have recently occurred in France have made our course more relevant than ever (the course program was published in 2009 in the study guide "Peace, Justice, and Security Studies: A Curriculum Guide"["Peace, Justice and Security: Course Curriculum"]). In fact, the “war on terrorism” declared by the world after September 11, 2001 was almost everywhere accompanied by an increase in the terrorist threat.

But did you know that non-military techniques lead, historically speaking, to reducing the threat of terror?

I prepared for my students eight non-military methods that were used in one country or another. At its core, these were eight “tools” that students had to work with. We did not waste time criticizing military anti-terrorism operations, since we were much more interested in exploring alternative ways to solve the existing problem.

A soldier guarding the main synagogue in Bordeaux (France). January 2015. Photo: www.gettyimages.com

Each student chose a country located at one point or another Globe, which is currently exposed to a terrorist threat, and took on the role of consultant to this state, developing a defense strategy using non-violent tools.

It was hard work, but at the same time it was extremely interesting. Most of the students threw themselves into it and came up with impeccable strategies.

Students especially liked it brainstorm, aimed at discovering a synergistic effect - what, for example, would happen if technique No. 3 was used simultaneously with techniques No. 2 and No. 5? At the same time, I was there, hoping that we could spend an extra semester to learn how to use our tools in a comprehensive manner, and not just as a complement to each other, to see that a holistic approach becomes more effective than the one-time application of techniques separately.

Some students who believed that armed confrontation was crucial discovered a new vision for solving the problem. They realized that success in some countries had been achieved by using only two or three nonviolent techniques, and that there was significant untapped potential: for example, if countries used all the techniques at once, taking advantage of their synergistic effect. And my question arises: why then cannot nations completely switch to non-violent tools to protect themselves from terrorism?

What are these 8 techniques?

1. Creation of joint projects and infrastructure for the purpose of economic development.

Poverty and terrorism are directly related. Economic development can help reduce terrorist recruits and gain allies, especially if development has taken place through democratic means. For example, the terror carried out by the Northern Irish Republican Army was significantly reduced due to the creation of new jobs for ordinary members, as well as an increase in the level of economic development.

2. Reducing cultural isolation.

As France, Britain and other states have already seen, the cultural isolation of any group from the rest of the population is not safe or reasonable: the increase in the number of terrorists is only provoked under these conditions. This pattern is also evident at the international level. Often this isolation is not intentional, however, and it can be reduced. “Freedom of the press” is transformed into “provocative publications” when there is a marginalized part of the population that the majority places one step lower, such as Muslims in France. As English-speaking Canada reduced its level of isolation, this in turn reduced the threat of terrorism in Quebec.

3. Nonviolent protests/defender campaigns and unarmed civilian peacemakers.

Terrorism occurs largely due to one or another accompanying situation and therefore depends on it. Some terrorist campaigns ended in failure because popular support was withdrawn. This is because the strategy of terror is often used to attract attention or provoke a violent response, thereby gaining even greater support among the general population.

The rise and fall of support for terrorism respectively depend on the methods used social movement: popular anger or nonviolent struggle. So the American movement for civil rights dealt flawlessly with the threat to its activists posed by Ku Klux Klan(KKK), which was especially dangerous when there was no effective means legal protection. Nonviolent Tactics reduced the KKK's appeal among white segregationists. Since the 1980s, pacifists and other activists have additionally begun to use another promising tool: volunteer units of trained unarmed civilian peacekeepers (e.g. International Peace Brigades).

4. Training in pro-conflict behavior, as well as practicing the acquired skills of non-violent struggle.

It sounds ironic, but terror often occurs where the population tries to suppress conflicts in the bud, instead of supporting their open expression. In this regard, one technique for reducing the level of terror is to disseminate a pro-conflict point of view, as well as non-violent techniques, which together will help people seeking to develop a conflict to express their grievances as fully as possible.

5. Reconstruction programs after the end of terror.

Terror cannot always be prevented, just like any other crime. Remember that terrorists often have the goal of dividing groups of people. Restorative programs can help prevent the polarization of views that creates a cycle of hatred in which the most violent members of one side feed the hatred of similar members of the other. One example of such a cycle is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Restorative programs build resilience so people don't become locked in fear and create self-fulfilling prophecies. Immersion in rehabilitation counseling can also be combined with innovative rituals, such as those used by the Norwegians after the 2011 terrorist massacre.

6. Police officers as peacekeepers: an infrastructure of laws and regulations.

Police work can be made much more effective by involving the public in policing, as well as reducing the social distance between the police and those they serve. In some countries, this requires rethinking the role of the police and changing their main task of protecting the property of the ruling class to the function of fulfilling the duties of true peacekeepers; an example is the unarmed Icelandic police. Countries like the United States need to join the growing global human rights system, which is reflected in Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and creation International Criminal Court. We also need to acknowledge the responsibility of our own officials, who may very well be war criminals.

7. Changing policies and concepts of reckless behavior

Governments sometimes take steps that appear to be an invitation—almost a demand—for terrorists to retaliate. Political scientist and at one time consultant to American air force Robert A. Pape demonstrated in 2005 how the US has consistently done this by sending troops to another country. In his recently published book "Cutting the Fuse"(“Breaking the Fuse”), he and James K. Feldman provide concrete examples of states reducing the terrorist threat level after abandoning such reckless behavior. To protect themselves from terror, citizens in all countries need to exercise control over their own government and must force the government to change its policies when necessary.

8. Negotiation

Governments often say, “We don't negotiate with terrorists,” but when they say this, they are often lying. States have often reduced or eliminated the threat of terrorism through negotiations, and negotiation skills continue to grow and become more effective.

Practical application of non-military methods of defense against terrorism

At the request of a group of American counterterrorism experts, I told them about our work at Swarthmore, mainly about the eight techniques described. These experts recognized that each of these tools had actually been used in real-life situations in one place or another with varying degrees of success. They also did not see the problems that might arise in developing an integrated strategy that would create synergies between these methods.

The challenge they saw was convincing the government to take such a bold, innovative step.

As an American, I see a direct contradiction between, on the one hand, my government's enormous efforts to convince taxpayers that we desperately need our bloated military and, on the other hand, new policy, which mobilizes various forces to effectively ensure the safety of people. I understand that for my state and for some others like it, a revolution in the way of thinking may be required first of all.

What I love about the alternative, non-military methods of protection that we have in stock is that they no matter what meet the real need of my fellow citizens for security. Psychologist Abraham Maslow has long pointed out the fundamental human need for safety. However, it is clear that analyzing and criticizing militarism will not improve anyone's security. But by holding an alternative solution to a problem in mind, as my students did, we can give people the psychological space they need to invest energy in something more life-giving.

Our role at the initial stage

The good news is that some of these eight techniques can be used by civil society without waiting for support from government leaders that may never come. Using at least two of these techniques is a straightforward task: teaching the masses the skills and strategies of nonviolent protest and conveying a pro-conflict point of view.

Movement Black Lives Matter(Black Lives Matter) has attracted many white people to stand with black people - it is a concrete example of reducing sociocultural isolation and using a concept that creates dozens of creative ways to see yourself as part of the majority (Christian, middle class, etc.) .d.). We can also initiate the creation of recovery programs for people who have survived acts of terrorism, as was done after the Boston Marathon bombing.

Activists launch campaigns to force the government to reverse some of its reckless policies, but can sometimes forget to set limits. It is important for fearful people to know that activists share a common fear, and that they are on the same side as people who want safety.

In my opinion, these five of the eight tools can be used by people taking grassroots initiatives to reduce the terrorist threat. They can be combined with movement Transition Town(“City of Changes”) or others who aim to bring a holistic and positive approach instead of fear, which, on the contrary, depresses and paralyzes. After all, as is usually the case, those who help others first of all lighten their own burden.

George Lakey
2015