Writing Feedback / One man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter [3]

Feedback for final--essay question. 'One Man's terroist is another's freedom fighter'

It has been stated that "one person's terrorist is another's freedom fighter." Assess this statement and write an essay about a specific terrorist group. Who supports this group and for what reasons. Who sees the group as a terrorist organization and for what reasons?

The definitions between a terrorist group and a freedom fighter significantly change justifications and perceptions of armed movements. Boaz Ganor explains that supporters of armed movements label their people as some variation of freedom fighters, so the ends justify the means and elicit further support.1 Ganor defines terrorism as, "the deliberate use or the threat to use violence against civilians in order to attain political, ideological and religious aims."2 While the end goal for a freedom fighter may be perceived as a relative legitimate purpose; it is the means that draws the question. With a terrorist group like Hezbollah that has used terrorism and other forms of asymmetric warfare, how can it be labeled one or the other? Ganor states that, "A terrorist organization can also be a movement of national liberation, and the concepts of 'terrorist' and 'freedom fighter' are not mutually contradictory."3

Hezbollah's formation began in the latter 1970's through the early 1980's. Krista Wiegand explains that, "Hezbollah's founding in 1982 began as part of a general social protest movement of Shi'a Muslims inspired by Islamist clerics in Lebanon and the success of the Iranian revolution in 1979. The group's initial identity was an armed militia actively involved in the Lebanese civil war fighting against other Lebanese militias and against Israeli occupation of pars of Lebanon."4 According to Israel News, "Its principal tenets were and remain: the establishment of an Islamic state modeled after Iran, independence from Western powers and an uncompromising resistance to Zionism."5 During the early 1980's at the start of the Lebanon war, Hezbollah carried about multiple terrorist acts as practiced jihad and was listed as a terrorist organization among the U.S., Israel and several other allies. With U.S. being a mediator during the war, Americans became a target for terrorism. Some of the acts were to include attacks and kidnappings on US and European journalists, as well as the U.S. embassy and barracks bombing in Beirut with high fatalities.6 According to Wiegand, "Hezbollah is also suspected of the hijacking of TWA flight 857 in June 1985, intended to release 766 Lebanese prisoners held in Israel.7 It is easy to see why the US and allies have labeled Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

Hezbollah has significant support from Iran and some support from Syria. At the uprising of Hezbollah, Iran was known to support the movement by providing training from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).8 Iran and Hezbollah share similar Shi'a ideologies. Wiegand explains that, "The relationship between Hezbollah and Iran seemed like a natural fit due to their shared belief in the justification of the jurist-theologian-the Ayatollah Khomeini himself, shared Islamic principles, and the same views toward liberation movements and rejection of Israeli occupation of certain territories."9 Iran believes that Hezbollah's acts are legitimate, and uses them to have influence in the region and Israel. Syria stared as a mediator to transfer IRGC troops from Iran to Lebanon. Since then Syria has engaged closer political ties because of similar views on Israel. Wiegand states, "Bashar al-Assad has continued his father's policy toward Hezbollah's resistance against Israel, considered to be a legitimate cause."10

1 Ganor, Boaz., "Defining Terrorism: Is One Man's Terrorist Another Man's Freedom Fighter," Police Practice & Research 3, no. 4
2 Ibid., 288
3 Ganor, Boaz., 293
4 Wiegand, Krista E., "Reformation of a Terrorist Group: Hezbollah as a Lebanese Political Party," Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 32, no.8
5 "Hezbollah, the 'Party of God'," Israel News: Ynetnews
6 Wiegand, Krista E., 672
7 Ibid., 672
8 Ibid., 671
9 Ibid., 671
10 Ibid., 671