Question

in the article, the author discussed the difficulty that the united nations had in drafting a definition of terrorism.
why was there so much disagreement on the issue?
□ in united nations discussions, many states supported al qaeda and opposed the us response in afghanistan.
□ legitimate organizations have been labeled \terrorist\ even when violence has not been their primary method of enacting change.
□ the terrorist label is controversial, and the characteristics are difficult to define.
□ on many occasions, people have disagreed on whether certain movements were terroristic.
□ the united nations is concerned only with social matters, and not political ones.

Explanation:

• The first option is false; UN member states do not support al-Qaeda, a designated terrorist group.
• The second option is a contributing issue: groups using non-violent primary tactics being labeled terrorist creates disagreement over the definition's scope.
• The third option is core: the label itself is contentious, with no universal agreement on defining traits like target type, violence use, or motive.
• The fourth option is key: there is widespread disagreement on categorizing specific movements (e.g., liberation movements vs. terrorism) due to differing national/ideological perspectives.
• The fifth option is false; the UN addresses both social and political matters.

Answer:

• Legitimate organizations have been labeled "terrorist" even when violence has not been their primary method of enacting change.
• The terrorist label is controversial, and the characteristics are difficult to define.
• On many occasions, people have disagreed on whether certain movements were terroristic.