Terrorism: Does it work?

     Terrorism is obviously horrible dues to the sheer amount of suffering and destruction it causes. Still as a military tactic we must admit that it can be quite effective and this is exactly why its use is still so prevalent. Any group with a fringe ideology, that lacks voice and power, can make itself heard through the relative ease of the implementation of terrorism. Targeting civilians with violence or at the very least the threat of violence does alter  public opinion which has sway on political decision making as well as policy implementation.
     Nations such as the United States have espoused to have conducted a war on terrorism over the past few years, this however is not the case. As they should the United States politicians have targeted the strength of our military on those have perpetrated acts of terrorism against us. They haven't targeted or even really addressed all acts of terrorism past and present though. That would tarnish international relations with some key nations and would be counterproductive to the best interest of the United States and all its citizens here and abroad.
     Terrorism as an act is horrendous but isn't and never will be completely eradicated from the reserves of military tactics. Humans by their very nature establish ideas of binary opposition as a means to create a self identity, a sort of us verses them mentality. Because of this binary opposition there will always be groups who see themselves as better than others, however when these groups are militarily and politically weak they may resort to terrorism.