re: #247 Fozzie Bear

This, right here, is why declaring war on a tactic was never a good idea. I challenge someone, anyone, to provide an official definition of terrorism that doesn’t include standard military practices in times of war.

In academic circles, terrorism is generally defined by the action being directed against or with the primary intent of sowing fear among a civilian population without a primary military purpose. It is this which distinguishes terrorism from standard military practices, which are directed against military targets or for legitimate miltary aims.
That, incidentally, is why the claim by the pro-terrorist crowd that Israel engages in “state sponsored terrorism” is patent nonsense. It is also why, whether we like it or not, the use of IED’s against troops is not properly classified as terrorism.