What's the point?

Again? Seriously?

Often when people discuss terrorism, especially western governments, they'll say its a waste of time; terrorism doesn't work. Is that a lie though?

I'm usually fairly sympathetic to the things that make terrorists do what they do. These people (normally) aren't psychopaths, they do have some strange moral code, but they don't do what they do and think it's wrong. Terrorists often believe they are doing something right, but I don't think you can make any sort of serious argument that killing someone or some group of people is actually a right thing to do.

It might not be right to kill people, but that doesn't mean it won't work.

Every time terrorists have achieved something or influenced change it has been with political or public help. The Irish Republican Army were only successful in that there was a public will for an independent Ireland. The provisional Irish Republican Army were only successful in encouraging change in that there was public dissatisfaction with the British presence in the six counties, not universal, but some public dissatisfaction which in turn creates a political will.

Nelson Mandela, who was a terrorist by any modern definition, was successful because of the public dissatisfaction which existed and the political will he created.

The latest dissident republican attacks probably won't work. I don't think there is a public appetite in Northern Ireland for more bloodshed - from either side of the divide. There is certainly no political will to support these attacks. At best they'll achieve nothing (and hopefully no one else will be killed) and at worst they'll ruin all the progress that has been made.

What is the point?