What is a terrorist?
NOVO: All over the world people are calling each other terrorists-- especially the American government is jumping to brand anything they do not like as terrorist.
Who is a "terrorist"? We need a standard definition, or else we have to accept that any group or individual not in favor of the US or the reigning superpower is terrorist.
A terrorist is anyone who uses terror to achieve his goals. Hmmm... that would be the strict definition but does it really apply to the everyday use of the word?
Maybe not -- the court, the govt., religions all use fear -- terror of punishment. So are they terrorists too? NATO and the like use the terror of annihilation to achieve their goals... And a criminal, after money and power, uses terror to achieve his goals ( whether its a local robber or international criminal)!
Revolutionaries use fear too...
So I think we need a narrower definition.
UN convention on terrorism seems to conclude that one who uses violence (or provides or collects funds with the knowledge of its violent use) targeting civilians with the intention of intimidating a government is a terrorist. It is good but it is politically motivated and open ended. It includes revolutionaries and people fighting for their rights as well, confusing them with terrorists. It also excludes terrorists who do not use terror to intimidate a government but simply for money. The definition needs to be corrected to distinguish between a terrorist and a revolutionary.
Here is mine: A terrorist is one who uses violence or the threat of violence against civilians, for own advantage, where as a revolutionary fights to change the society and eradicate its oppressors for the masses. A revolutionary may or may not use violence or its threat against the oppressors but never against civilians.
