Why Terrorism Fails: A Discussion with Max Abrahms | Episode 16

We know that terrorism succeeds at terrorizing its targets but does it help the groups behind it achieve their political goals? In this episode I’m joined by Northeastern University professor and terrorism theorist Max Abrahms who makes a persuasive case that terrorism does not succeed where other more selective uses of violence might. I made a similar argument in episode 7 when I said that the much discussed (and very barbaric) ISIS social media campaign would ultimately be considered a failure because it had helped permanently undermine any possibility that the group could ever transition to political legitimacy.

You can follow Max on Twitter @MaxAbrahms and read his work at https://neu.academia.edu/MaxAbrahms. I also recommend reading “The Political Effectiveness of Terrorism Revisited” for a more comprehensive breakdown of Max’s research and arguments on this subject.

Why Daesh’s Social Media Campaign is a Massive Failure | Episode 7

In episode 7 I’m pushing back at the notion that Daesh’s social media visibility equals success. The group might have mastered trolling and they can shoot and edit passable HD video but are these activities going to help them achieve their goals or are they, in fact, undermining themselves with every tweet and every recorded act of brutality? You’ve read the title so I think you know where I’m going with this.

This episode ends with a message from Ambassador Lukman Faily. Iraq’s Ambassador to the United States is an engaging presence on Twitter and I’ve interviewed him twice for Blogs of War. The Ambassador argues that Daesh is a global problem, not just an Iraqi one, and comments on the changes his government is making to address critical internal political and social issues.