Hostage situation in Russia

[RACooper]

I think the problem is that we are difining the terrorists by only one of the labels they apply to themselves... basically help perpertrate the image that they want...

That is the problem I have with a lot of the media (and other people's) labels that they apply to these people. I think that US and Canadian media need to take a step back and become more specific in their labelling of these groups. We need to specifically define these groups, to avoid the generalizations, and more importantly to lose sight of the what the enemy actually is.

For example many have labelled the terrorists in Chechnya as Islamists, or Arab Terrrorists, or Muslim Extremists... but the problem is that none of these labels are acturate, and may be misleading. Look it's not a cliche that it is vital to know one's enemy to defeat him; so it is important not to mislead ourselves or others... So labeling them based solely on religion, detracts from many of the other vital issues that actually motivate the terrorists: Nationalism, Ethnicity, Culture, History, Economics, Crime, Revenge, Politics, etc. Or to put it another way, how proper would it be to label the IRA as a Catholic terrorist organization? Yes they are Catholics... but is that they're only or primary motivator behind their terrorists actions?