For the past several days we have debated whether or not the massacre at Fort Hood was terrorism or not. Terrorism seems to differ in each person’s mind.
Tonight I looked at old footage for Veterans Day. The attack on Pearl Harbor continued to come up and it was intermingled with footage from 9-11. Was the attack on Pearl Harbor terrorism? How about the Marine Barracks attack in Lebanon in 1983?
We have no internationally agreed upon definition. In fact, within our own country there is no one defnition. Certainly there would be no question if most of those killed had been civilians.
If we use ‘terrorism’ too often does it detract from the horror? Does the sneak attack make Pearl Harbor terrorism? If troops are sleeping or doing other duties, are they non-combatants?
