I think the tit-for-tat retaliators know what they are about. I think that's generally the case - there's a kind of cooperation between the extremists, who share the goal of trying to drive people apart.

I suppose in some kinds of situation a reprisal might be seen as an attempt to deter the other side, but that never seems to work. Far more commonly such things are an effort to drive the conflict, and make it worse.