How Terrorism Ends: Understanding the Decline and Demise of Terrorist Campaigns

by Audrey Kurth Cronin

Groups that use terrorism face vulnerable passages, milestones that, if not reached and passed, quicken their demise. A particularly sensitive time is the point when an organization is transitioning from one generation to the next. Some groups have more staying power than others; certain characteristics may affect whether or not a group persists over numerous generations. As has been demonstrated here (and discussed in the last chapter) appealing to issues of identity such as religion or nationality, particularly when attached to a piece of territory, helps to lock in a connection to a constituency and promote the longevity of a group. But in general, terrorist organizations appear to be at their most susceptible when they are handing authority from one leader or cadre to another—a reason why governments may be attracted to the targeted killing tactics examined in chapter 1