Terror Attacks

There is a surprisingly long list of world wide terror attacks in 2015 (so far):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents,_2015

After the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris in January this year, 3.7 million people joined demonstrations across France lead by national and world leaders, and more intense security was put in place in France.  And yet, another attack with more serious consequences has now occurred in the same year. 

As we know, Canada has also experienced attacks.  The most recent incidents were in 2014 when two separate terror incidents in which 2 Canadian soldiers were killed.  But there were many other incidents in Canada’s past.

The history of terrorism in Canada:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/terrorism/

The Canadian government has produced “The 2014 Public Report On The Terrorist Threat To Canada from Public Safety Canada”: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2014-pblc-rpr-trrrst-thrt/index-en.aspx

Discussion Questions:

Is Canada safer from terror attacks than other countries? 

How do these terror threats affect our way of life?  How many of our rights and freedoms are we prepared to give up to protect ourselves against terror attacks?

Can terror attacks be prevented or curtailed?

What do these terror attacks expect to achieve?  Is instilling fear in the general population the perpetrators’ only motivation?  Have they achieved this goal in Paris?

Terrorist groups often point to Western nations’ bombings and drone attacks in the Middle East as one reason for the attacks on Western targets.  Is the war creating terrorists?  If so, should we stop bombing them?  Are there other ways of overcoming terrorism?

Can ISIL be eliminated?  What other options are there?

In view of the attacks in Paris this week, should Canada resume bombing missions in the Middle East?