Insurgents vs Terrorists -- Is there a difference?

[marct]

Hi Steve

I do believe in the construct of what I call a trans-national insurgency, but I also feel that once you start spreading past certain geographic areas you cross from insurgency into terrorism. We may just agree to disagree here...

Quite possibly . Let me give you what I consider to be another example of a trans-national insurgency (I like the term): the anti-globalization movement. I think that an argument could also be made that many of the diasporic communities that have come into existence as a result of political conflict in their homelands may, at times, also act as trans-national insurgencies (TNIs), even though hey may have a geographic focus.

Hmmm, maybe that's a way to distinguish them: their focus - geographic, ideological, etc.

Criminal enterprises...now there's an interesting one. Terrorist groups use these sorts of activities to finance their operations, so the two clearly mix.

That's why I was identifying it as a "tactic", rather than an "aim".

I do feel that there is a difference between an organized criminal activity (such as the Mafia or larger cartels) and smaller ones that crop up in unstable locations. Perhaps "organized crime" might be a better term for the "criminal enterprises" in disorganized territories, with the enterprise term limited to the criminal tactics and not the organization.

I think that there is a difference; probably something to do with the degree of social integration of the "criminal organization". After all, the Mafia and gangs in general are really quite an accepted and integrated part of US society, whether anyone likes it or not <wry grin>. In effect, in a stable society, these groups fulfill functional requirements, i.e. they meet the needs, of a segment of the population even though the society in general has specifically said that these needs may not be met legally in that form. Usually, this is in the form of actions / needs that society has defined as "immoral".

In disorganized territories, I think we are dealing with something quite different - more of an attempt to both fulfill needs and, also, to carve out a moral sanction from the general society to do so.

Maybe we should start categorizing these groups in the following way:

• Aim or goal - what they hope to achieve
• Focus - geographic, ideological, "religious", economic, etc.
• Tactical preference - e.g. terrorism, "criminal activity", IO, etc.

Marc