Terrorists or defenders

[1ARMEDBANDIT]

I get angry when the people of Iraq or Afghanistan get called insurgants or terrorists when fighting against USA/UK invading forces.... When the Romans invaded Britain the different tribes of Britons who faught them were called defenders.

At what point in time did defenders get a name change to terrorists? Since Bush n Blair ???

[fredpuli47]

Since one party wanted to denigrate the other. The BBC world service has to be scrupulous in using terms such as 'freedom fighter', terrorist', 'insurgent' and so on, only using the less neutral terms if they quote someone who has used it, thereby giving the source for others to judge.Insurgent is pretty neutral, or was until GWB started using it as synonymous with 'terrorist' !
As we all know, today's terrorist may be the next day's freedom fighter the next day's leader and the next day's respected statesman, so it pays to be careful!

[jake-the-peg]

The term itself dates from the time of the French revolution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definition_of_ter rorism

Here's a note on the BBC's editorial policy on the word

www.bbc.co.uk/.../guidanceontheuseoflanguagewhenreportingterrorism.doc

[jno]

'terrorist' has a fairly specific meaning: not just a rebel or an insurgent but someone who carries out acts against innocent people to try to force government action. (You could be a rebel who doesn't take terrorist actions.) This has changed since the French revolution, when the 'terrorists' were the government acting against members of the previous regime.

As for the rest of the words like rebel, insurgent, freedom fighter, resistance - well, history is written by the winners. If you won, you're a freedom fighter, if you lost you're a rebel.

"Treason never prospers - what's the reason?
If it prospers, none dare call it treason."

[blackietwo]

Nelson Mandela was once considered to be a terrorist!

[jake-the-peg]

Personally I would call an attack against a target without military value for the purpose of intimidation terrorism.

We can now have a nice long discussion about Dresden

[Lil O'lady]

Good one Jake. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. History is written by the side that wins.