ABSTRACT
In order to understand the goals of terrorism, this chapter begins with a specific incident that is relatively straightforward—the 2002 bus attack in Jerusalem by Muhammad al-Ghoul. Discussions of terrorism generally devote so much attention to Middle Eastern conditions that one is tempted to draw some kind of linkage between the faith of Islam and violence. The theories underlying terrorism also influence many non-Muslim Americans. In trying to understand the aims and methods of terrorism, the chapter then looks at the "classic" terrorist war that occurred in Algeria during the 1950s. The Algerian story raises other important points about the overall goals of terrorist movements. The Algerian war also showed how resistance or guerrilla groups integrate violent actions with politics, indeed, how they have to do this if they hope to win. The story of the Battle of Algiers has even greater contemporary relevance for Americans than might at first appear.
