| ID | 172638 |
| Title Proper | Suicide Terrorism |
| Other Title Information | the Divine Grey Zone Weapon |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Dushyant Singh ; Singh, Dushyant |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Terrorism is the preferred means of waging proxy war. Over a period of time, states have evolved effective ways and means to deal with traditional means of terrorist attacks. However, suicide attacks by terrorist organisations help enhance the terror quotient of an attack manifold due to its lethality and helplessness of the target state to deter it. Professionals and military experts have been struggling with the motivation and deterrence paradigm of a suicide attack. A multi-causal reasoning of motivation pitched at individual, organisational and environmental levels appears to be the best explanation put forth by social and psychological scientists. Conclusions drawn from discussions on the causality of suicide attacks make it amply clear that it is nearly impossible to deter individuals from undertaking suicide attacks. But at the organisational levels we do have the space to deter such attacks. Terrorist organisations can be deterred by building a perception of invincibility through the twin strategies of deterrence by denial and punishment. The aim of deterrence by denial essentially involves making a potential target extremely difficult to access. Deterrence by punishment involves focused targeting of terror leadership and the resources used to mount such attacks by an organisation. Using these two strategies, India too can deter terrorist organisations from launching suicide attacks. An important aspect, without which we cannot conduct deterrence operations, is the need for sound intelligence. Finally, environmental factors such as addressing the socio-economic conditions, searching for political solutions and countering the terror ideology also help in deterring suicide attacks. |
| `In' analytical Note | USI Journal Vol. 150, No.620; Apr-Jun 2020: p.155-65 |
| Journal Source | USI Journal 2020-06 150, 620 |
| Key Words | Proxy War ; Suicide Terrorism ; Grey Zone Weapon |