National Journal’s current cover story, “Get a Grip” reveals: “Terrorists can kill and maim, but they seldom win.”
In this well-written article, author Paul Starobin recounts the history of terrorism and reveals its pitiful record of success.
Here are some of his revelations:
- Cigarettes are much more likely to kill you than terror.
- Terrorism is the weapon of the weak. (As Starobin points out, the strong have real armies.)
- Terrorism is based on the notion that the threads of society are easily severed - that is demonstrably false.
- From the French Revolution to the KKK to the Middle East – terrorism has a history of failure.
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Civil disobedience works better in the long run. It’s hard for people to be sympathetic to your cause when you are committing atrocities.
History is on our side.
