Research suggests that 21st century terrorism is different from that of previous centuries. How is terrorism changing?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The ideal answer should include:
1. Terrorism is premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents. Research suggests that terrorism is undergoing at least three ominous changes in the 21st century:
- Terrorists have an increased capacity to inflict massive damage and disruption. Terrorists' ability to move people, information, and weapons is enhanced by globalization-permeable national borders, extensive cross-border travel, and potential to foster resentment. Terrorists also benefit from the rapid expansion of technologies that provide them with far greater destructive capabilities, ranging from digital networks (cyberterrorism) to chemical and biological weapons (bioterrorism) as well as weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
- A second change is that many terrorists are now operating in very small cells (3 to 10 people) that are only loosely connected with one another, making penetration and destruction of terrorist networks almost impossible.
- A third change is that some groups, especially religiously motivated terrorists, now seem less constrained regarding the scale of death and destruction they are willing to inflict, even on those who are noncombatants.