Using Terror Against Terrorists: The Consequences of Dirty War Tactics for Spanish Democracy
Christopher Merrill introduces Irish journalist Paddy Woodworth who discusses how great the threat of terrorism is to democracy. Woodworth posits that terrorists win when countries become less democratic by the unlawful means they sometimes use to fight terrorists. Woodworth feels it is very important to define what terrorism is because the word is often used carelessly and that states who use unlawful tactics such as kidnapping, murder, and torture in fighting terrorism are performing terrorist acts themselves. Woodworth cites the use of dirty war tactics by the government of Spain during the 1980s in fighting the Basque terrorist group ETA. Woodworth argues that when democracy breaks its own rules to fight terrorism it fosters terrorism and undermines democracy and the rule of law. Woodworth takes some questions from the audience during the last 10 minutes of the presentation.
In: International Writing Program Archive
Authors: Paddy Woodworth
Date Recorded: October 09, 2003
Program: --
Format: lecture
Contributors: Christopher Merrill and Dee Norton
Topics: Guantanamo Bay; torture; human rights; democracy; Spain; dirty war tactics; ETA; GAL; state terrorism