Interview with Jasper Gerard, "Taking the fight to the dreary people" http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-1806962,00.html The Sunday Times (London)
2000s
“How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?”
“This is the war on terrorism; it's worth fighting for.”
Bruce Willis during a visit to the 101st Airborne Division in northern Iraq, September 25, 2003. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2003/n09262003_200309266.html
“Tony Blair: Military occupation causes terrorism.”
On being arrested during a one-man protest October 14, 2003 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3192224.stm
“Terrorism is the war of the poor, and war is the terrorism of the rich.”
Achtung! Vorurteile (2003); original German: "Der Terrorismus, der im furchtbaren 11. September kulminierte, ist ein Krieg der Armen gegen die Reichen. Der Krieg ist ein Terrorismus der Reichen gegen die Armen." typically cited in short: "Terrorismus ist der Krieg der Armen und der Krieg ist der Terrorismus der Reichen."
Source: Where There's a Will: Thoughts on the Good Life (2003), Ch. 15 : Interesting Times
Context: Of the old, violent anarchist groups it was said that they always contained one pathological killer, one selfless idealist and one police spy. It was difficult, at first glance, to tell which was which, but the idealist was always the most dangerous. A "war against terrorism" is an impracticable conception if it means fighting terrorism with terrorism. The feelings on both sides are not that they are taking part in some evil and criminal act but risking their lives heroically for what they consider to be a just cause. You could understandably reduce terrorism by improving security and increasing the number of police spies, but it can only finally be reduced by removing the number of just causes. ANC terrorism was pointless after the end of apartheid. Terrorism in Israel will stop only when a just solution has been agreed to and the occupied territories handed back. Terrorism has existed in Ireland since Elizabeth I sent the Earl of Essex out in an unsatisfactory attempt to quell the rebels. However, since former terrorists have become government ministers in Northern Ireland, some progress has been made and sometimes the signs are hopeful.
“[I take] full military responsibility for the actions of the army in the war against terrorism.”
As quoted in anon (May 18, 2013) "Argentine 'Dirty War' leader Jorge Rafael Videla dies". ABC News.
“You can't fight a war on terror if you're ending a sentence with a preposition.”
April 25, 2006
The Areas of My Expertise (2005), Appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
“Wanton killing of innocent civilians is terrorism, not a "war against terrorism."”
9-11, 2001 https://web.archive.org/web/20061015103427/http://indymedia.org.nz/usermedia/application/2/9-11.pdf
Quotes 2000s, 2001
“How do you defeat terrorism? Don’t be terrorized.”
Source: Step Across This Line: Collected Nonfiction 1992-2002
