Insurgency, terrorism, and communication.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Departments of the Army and Defense, or the U.S. Government.

Introduction

This article reviews some important terms that are often used in the media. Our current struggle against extremists involves eliminating terrorist organizations and insurgencies in places like Iraq, however there is confusion on what these terms mean. Also, while most people can tell you that groups like al-Qaeda need to be eliminated, there is general confusion on what kind of war or 'wars' need to be fought for this to happen. The intention of this article is to define terrorism and insurgency and give some insight into why communication and cultural awareness are important to the Intelligence Community and our struggle against violent extremism.

Insurgency or Terrorism? Does the Label Really Matter?

In an article published by the Army News Service, "terrorists" continue to attack Coalition forces as well as civilians in Iraq. (1) The Associated Press in conjunction with CBS News printed a similar article referring to …