Middle Eastern Terrorist Organization and Domestic Terrorist Group - Essay Example

It is apparent that terrorists’ motivations vary significantly depending on individual intelligence, geographical setting, ideological commitment, and organizational reach. The individuals affiliated with a terrorist organization or group play a significant role in determining and setting the motivation factors and behaviors of their organization or group. In addition, the gravity of a threat passed by a terrorist organization or group is dependent on the organization or group’s degree of capability and intent.

Domestic terrorist groups function usually within and against their nation of residence. The general motivational categories of domestic terrorist groups include nationalism, ethnocentrism, separatism, and revolution. In the context of nationalism, domestic terrorist groups are motivated by national consciousness and devotion as well as loyalty to the nation. The group’s intent can be to split the existing nation or establish a new one that incorporates the alleged national identity. Revolutionary motivation involves a group’s attempts to put an end to a conventional order and reinstate governance with a novel social or political structure. The ethnocentric motivation of domestic terrorist groups regards racial or ethnic characteristics as the major societal defining factor. Furthermore, separatist motivation involves separation from entities or systems through political autonomy, independence, or religious domination or freedom. Separatists promote ideologies such as anti-imperialism, social equity or justice, and opposition to occupation or conquest by a foreign power. The overall ideologies of domestic terrorist groups are framed for social, religious, or political purposes (U.S. Department of State, 2007).

On the other hand, Middle Eastern terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda primarily operate in their geographic region and between nations. Al-Qaeda usually operates in multiple countries and maintains focus for its operations with the coordination from a particular region. Al-Qaeda focuses on the value of notoriety because of the resultant spectacular attacks and mass media exploitation. One of the common motivations of al-Qaeda and other Middle Eastern terrorist organizations is the Islamic revolutionary acts that wage Jihad against western regimes. The association of al-Qaeda with Islam indicates motives of the organization as religious-based following discrimination and inequity against Islam believers. The affiliates of the organization are Islamic militants with different motivations such as lust for notoriety, although religious fervor is the primary motivation. The organization has issue-specific motivation such as U.S. participation in the war on terrorism, and invasion of Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq. Furthermore, al-Qaeda raises resistance against policies, sanctions, and political or economic ideologies by foreign powers, including the United State.