Exact meaning of terrorism

The Unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government or civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

Terrorism is not new, and even though it has been used since the beginning of recorded history it can be relatively hard to define. Terrorism has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination. Obviously, a lot depends on whose point of view is being represented. Terrorism has often been an effective tactic for the weaker side in a conflict. As an asymmetric form of conflict, it confers coercive power with many of the advantages of military force at a fraction of the cost. Due to the secretive nature and small size of terrorist organizations, they often offer opponents no clear organization to defend against or to deter. After 9/11, The US Judge Advocate General's office added to the various legal definitions of "terrorist", the need for the accused to be operating out of uniform of the military organization of which he was a member. This in turn raised the issue of, what constitutes a legal military -- something not problematical in the US, Europe, etc. but very difficult in monarchies where many people in the royal family are entitled to their own military retinue. It was further noted that all special operations units (who understandably resent being called terrorists) tend to occassionally operate out of uniform. As such, there is no solid, legal definition of the term that I can find at this time. Terrorism is something which is basically used to justify the oppressors actions against the oppressed