Money quote(s):
"From an academic point of view the distinction between targeting civilians and those in the military is important."
In the realm of warfare, the distinction is critical, since targeting civilians can be a war crime.
(Note: Combatants who do not wear uniforms are not necessarily civilians, which also touches on the subject of war crimes.)
"Perhaps the distinction is important only because the most apt description of these 'homegrown terrorists' has fallen out of use, mostly for PC reasons.
In the past we didn't call them terrorists, we just called them traitors." (Emphasis in original text. - CAA.)
One popular terrorist activity of the 1970s was the hijacking of passenger aircraft. This is still termed, occasionally, "air piracy."
Let's go down that road. If terrorist hijackers are air pirates, perhaps other terrorist activities are better classified as modern-day versions of the age-old phenomena of piracy, banditry, and brigandage?
The common thread here? Terrorists, by their acts and their nature, place themselves outside the normal course and protection of civilized law, as pirates, bandits, and brigands always have done.
They should be dealt with accordingly.
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