Outline for Essay 2
-You must have your news article selected.
-Times New Roman 12 point font is required
-All papers are double spaced
-The citation must be Chicago Style of Citation. You can use footnotes or endnote to cite but be
consistent. (Hint: footnote citation fills pages quickly. If you are wordy in your essay, this might
eat up too much space)
-No headers, footers, or page numbers needed
-Top left of page (this part is single spaced):
Your name
Date
Class 3794 Terrorism/Counterterrorism
Professor Hodges
-Post the news article weblink to the top of the page.
-Find 3 or more articles about the same story.
-First paragraph, outline your news story. Actors and actions. This can be a copy and paste from
the first essay
-Using the text and lectures, discuss why the news agencies did or did not display bias. We know
there is bias in all reporting but the severity is the issue here. If there is a bias but the article
presents a fair assessment, you can argue no real bias. If there is obvious bias, then say so and
explain why. If some articles are very biased and others not, discuss this and defend your
position using quotes from the articles.
-Bibliography: List all sources you used. It needs to include the text book and your news article.
That might be all you need for this essay.
Sarah Shay
Paper 1
Class 3794
Professor Hodges
Terrorism and the Media
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/irans-news-parliment-approves-bill-designating-u-s-militaryterrorist-organizations-qassem-soleimani/
Summary
On January 7, 2020, the Iranian parliament passed a bill that designated U.S. troops in
Iran as terrorists. This happened in connection to the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani
by the U.S. troops in Iraq.1 Qassem was the top Iranian military leader. He led Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in operation in Iraq. On the other hand, the United States has
also had security operations in Iraq. It has been targeting Iran's militia in this battle. In one of the
operations, the U.S. troops attacked the Quds forces that Qassem was leading, and they managed
to kill him. This happened outside Baghdad airport.2 Subsequently, high-end tensions emerged in
Iraq and Iran. In light of this, the Iranian parliament termed the killing of the IRGC leader as
Terrorism. Forthwith, they declared America military forces as terrorists. The bill passed to this
effect allocated $220 million to IRGC to improve their defense power so that they can retaliate.
Nevertheless, the Iranian forces did not respond to the killing. Instead, they said that they
would attack the U.S. in the time of their choosing when the U.S. would not be expecting it.3
More so, their retaliation would attack the non-legitimate targets. President Trump had ordered
the killing of Soleimani as a strategic way of weakening the Revolutionary Guard Corp that
Christopher, Brito. “Iran's parliament approves bill designating all U.S. military forces
as terrorists.” 3.
2
Christopher, Brito, 4.ul
3
Christopher, Brito, 7.
1
America had considered as a terrorist organization. In line with this, America had prohibited the
provision of any material support to this group. Indeed, this designation of IRGC as a terrorist
group is what was used by the U.S. Defense Department to strike the missile that killed
Soleimani.
Definition of Terrorism
Terrorism has no specific definition. Over a long period, this term has been defined
differently. In line with this, there is no universal agreement on who should be called terrorists
and who don't deserve that designation. This has led to the rise of politics in this subject.
Nevertheless, Terrorism is not just terror but for political change. This is especially when the
terror is being inflicted on the civilian population. The state can cause terror to force its citizens
to adhere to certain standards.4 This is coercive intimidation. The other agents of Terrorism are
called non-state actors. These are groups, independent from the state that causes terror in a place.
In extreme cases, the state promotes Terrorism in a foreign country by providing material
support to the non-state groups in those countries to cause terror. Such states do so to advance
their interests. Terrorism can be used to achieve many things. First, it can be used as a tool for
political change. In countries with bad or illegitimate government, revolutionary groups mostly
emerge. They use terrorist tactics to cause intimidation to both people and the government.5 They
may conduct attacks that kill hundreds of people and destroy the property. Besides leaving
people intimidated, such acts portray the government as helpless. Eventually, the civilian sees
government as a failure. They protest against the government.
Jean-Paul Azam and Véronique Thelen, “Foreign Aid Versus Military Intervention in
the War on Terror.” The Journal of Conflict Resolution, vol. 54, no. 2(2010): 237.
5
Jean-Paul Azam and Véronique Thelen, 243.
4
Consequently, the government bows to the pressure of the public, and a political change
happens. In such cases, the groups leading these changes take different names, like guerrillas,
aggressors, revolutionaries, and freedom fighters, among other names. Nonetheless, the fact that
they use intimidation as the tactic to achieve the end makes them terrorist organizations.6 In this
regard, mass intimidation and terror are used as criteria for labeling actions as Terrorism and
groups and individuals as terrorists.
Do U.S. Troops Deserve a Terrorist Label?
I don't agree with the labeling of U.S. troops by the Iranian parliament as terrorists.
Similarly, I don't agree with the Iranian parliament and the media who have referred the killing
of General Qassem Soleimani by the U.S. troops as an act of Terrorism. Essentially, the
objective of Terrorism is to cause fear or intimidation on people so that they can live in a certain
way or adhere to certain rules. Certainly, this was not the motive behind the killing of Qassem.
The killing of General Qassem seeks to send a message to members of IRGC and Iran to leave
Iraq but not intimidate Iran's civilian population.7 The United States has economic interests in
Iraq. It also has some of its people living there. However, these interests are threatened by Iran's
militia groups in Iraq. Specifically, IRGC has been a threat to American nationals and
American's economic interests. More so, they have been a threat to the Iraq nationals. Indeed, the
Revolutionary Guard Corps is responsible for the political instability that has reigned in Iraq for
many years.8 This justifies the U.S. killing of the leader of Quad's forces. This attack was in line
Assaf Moghadam, Ronit Berger and Polina Beliakova, “Say Terrorist, Think Insurgent:
Labeling and Analyzing Contemporary Terrorist Actors.” Pesrpectives on Terriorism, vol 8, no.
5(2014): 1.
7
Christopher, Brito. “Iran's parliament approves bill designating all U.S. military forces
as terrorists.” 3.
8
Scott Neuman, “Iran's Foreign Minister: U.S. Strike On Soleimani An Act Of Terrorism
And War.” 5.
6
with the U.S. foreign policy, which is an interventionist. Historically, America has been
intervening in countries where foreign countries are promoting instabilities. They do so not only
to safeguard their economic interests but also to restore peace in those countries. Killing Qassem
was America's strategy of weakening the IRGC. America knew that killing General Qassem
would weaken the Quad's forces.9
IRGC troops are the ones who deserve terrorism labeling. Their activities in Iraq can be
regarded as Terrorism. First, IRGC is a foreign organization. Its root is in Iran. In this regard,
IRGC has no obligation in doing engaging in any military activity in Iraq. Thirdly, IRGC has
been engaging in terrorist activities in Iraq. These activities include bombing various places,
especially the places where are loyal to the government.10 The aim of doing this is to intimidate
the people in those regions so that they can see the government as helpless. More so, the IRGC
want the people whom they attack to be desperate and appeal support from them. In connection
to this, IRGC has been attacking America's nationals. They do so to send a message to the United
States to stop intervening in the affairs of Iraq. Other activities that IRGC has been engaging in
Iraq include holding Iraq's and American national's hostage and then demanding money from
their relatives.11 Then, they release them once the ransom is paid.
Furthermore, the terrorists have been capturing the items entering Iraq's border. They
demand payment of ransom so that they can release them. Other terrorist activities that IRGC has
been doing drug trafficking and arms trafficking. The IRGC soldiers have been coordinating the
Scott Neuman, “Iran's Foreign Minister: U.S. Strike On Soleimani An Act Of Terrorism
And War.” 6.
10
Bureau of Counterterrorism. “Foreign Terrorist Organizations.” 12.
11
The National. "Iran designates U.S. forces 'terrorists' after Suleimani killing." 9.
9
sale of drugs in Iraq. This gives them money to coordinate their operations. They have also been
selling guns and other arms in Iraq. This further destabilizes the country.
IRGC's existence in Iraq is a threat to the country's national security. The terror attacks
that this group has organized results in mass destruction of property and loss of many lives.12
Thus, the group threatens the country's national security. Any action is done by a non-state actor
that threatens the national security of another state is Terrorism. Besides, acts of Terrorism
interfere with the foreign relations of the target countries. IRGC interferes with how Iraq relates
to other countries. The intent of this group is Iraq to pursue isolationist foreign policies show that
it can continue exploiting it. Terrorist organizations usually get material support from their
country of origin. In this regard, IRGC has been getting material, personnel, and financial
support from Iran's government.13 In essence, this implies that Iran supports Terrorism. IRGC
has been supporting libels in Iraq. This is an attempt to devastate the Iraqis government. They
have been funding the revolutionary activities in the country. Indeed, all these are terrorist
tendencies.
Conclusion
U.S. troops did not kill General Soleimani to cause terror in Iraq. Instead, it killed him as
a strategy to weaken Quads forces. This would help to restore peace and stability in Iraq.
Primarily, the U.S. has an interventionist policy. This is mainly because of its diverse foreign
economic interests as well as the large geographical distribution of its citizens. America is
concerned with the security of all its citizens living abroad. Since the activities of IRGC
The Doha Declaration. “United Nations designated terrorist groups and targeted
sanctions.” 7.
13
Agence France-Presse, “Iran Designates All U.S. Forces "Terrorists" For Killing
General: Report." 4.
12
threatens their security, America's intervention in Iraq is justified. It is also justified for America
to intervene in the affairs of Iraq in a bid to safeguard its economic interests. Therefore, since the
motive of U.S. terror was not to cause terror.
On the contrary, IRGC aims at causing terror in Iraq. Through the Quad forces, this
militia has been supporting political dissidents. They have also been working with other terrorist
organizations in the country. Thus, IRGC deserves a terrorist label. This would justify the action
and treatment given to other terrorist formations in the world. The killing of the leaders of militia
groups is a common strategy in the war on terror. With this, the killing of General Soleimani is
not a strange thing. Whoever would be in his position would have a similar fate.
Bibliography
Azam, Jean-Paul ., and Thelen, Véronique. "Foreign Aid Versus Military Intervention in the War
on Terror." The Journal of Conflict Resolution, vol. 54, no. 2(2010): 237-261.
Brito, Christopher. "Iran's parliament approves bill designating all U.S. military forces as
terrorists." CBS News, (January 2020). https://www.cbsnews.com/news/irans-newsparliment-approves-bill-designating-u-s-military-terrorist-organizations-qassemsoleimani/.
Bureau of Counterterrorism. "Foreign Terrorist Organizations." U.S. Department of State (n.d).
https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/.
France-Presse, Agence. "Iran Designates All U.S. Forces "Terrorists" For Killing General:
Report." NDTV (January 2020). https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-designates-allus-forces-terrorists-for-killing-general-qasem-soleimani-news-agency-afp-2159968.
Moghadam, Assaf ., Berger, Ronit, and Beliakova, Polina. "Say, Terrorist, Think Insurgent:
Labeling and Analyzing Contemporary Terrorist Actors." Perspectives on Terrorism, vol
8, no. 5(2014): 1-20.
Neuman, Scott. "Iran's Foreign Minister: U.S. Strike On Soleimani An Act Of Terrorism And
War." NPR (January 2020). https://www.npr.org/2020/01/07/794150712/irans-foreignminister-u-s-strike-on-soleimani-an-act-of-terrorism-and-war.
The Doha Declaration. "United Nations designated terrorist groups and targeted sanctions."
UNODC, (n.d). https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/terrorism/module-1/key-issues/UNdesignated-terrorist-groups.html.
The National. "Iran designates U.S. forces 'terrorists' after Suleimani killing." The National
(January 2020). https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/iran-designates-us-forcesterrorists-after-suleimani-killing-1.961002.
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