In a world of multiple upsetting events, from natural disasters to civil wars, terrorist attacks stand out as particularly alarming. They are surprising, brutal, and generally target the seemingly innocent. Terrorist groups rely on the shock value of these attacks to gain attention, financial backing, popular support, and new recruits from those who share their anger and thirst for change against what appear to be intransigent governments and their policies.
Modeling violent terrorism as a tug of war between competing groups
