Some excellent observations in this opinion piece.


For nearly six years now we've been hearing from politicians and pundits about how Sept. 11, 2001 "changed everything." One especially unwelcome change wrought by that day has been that, ever since, large numbers of otherwise sane and sensible people continue to utter the most ridiculous things regarding the subject of terrorism.

Consider a column last week by The Washington Post's David Ignatius. Ignatius wonders how the nation would react to a future terrorist attack. "Would the country come together to combat its adversaries," he asks, "or would it pull farther apart?"


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The war on terrorism relies on word games as a way to gather support for their failed policies.

As long as they can scare the public about terrorism they have a green light to infringe on our civil liberties, continue with their aggressive foreign policies, and continue funding for 2 failed wars.

I was reading an article that basically said the terrorist attacks that we have foiled so far were all done by amateurs who didn't have either the capability or planning to carry out such attacks. The attacks were also foiled because of good old fashion police/detective work, not because the government used some newly gained powers after taking rights away. It also said that 9/11 wasn't prevented because of the inability for the FBI and CIA to share information with each other, which makes perfect sense. I also wouldn't put it passed the government to stage terrorist plots and then foil them.

I just finished reading a book about ambushes. And there are some ambushes that are almost impossible to stop. The 'Lebanese car bomb' ambush is one. It is used a lot in Iraq. The ambushers place a parked car packed with explosives on the side of the road, then when the target drives by the detonate the explosives remotely. If the terrorists were really here and smart they would do something like that. Park a car packed with explosives in downtown NYC or LA or any big city and detonate it during rush hour. That's a real terrorist attack. The kind that incites terror. Hitting two towers and the pentagon all in one day is a big feat, but it isn't nearly as effective as repeated, smaller terrorist attacks. Remember the DC sniper? Two guys with a car and a rifle scared a lot of people in the DC area so bad that they were afraid to pump their own gas.

These terrorists are either really stupid or they just aren't trying hard enough.

I have said that the plots they are foiling are not the "A" Teams. That they are basically wannabes and as such arre more ammatuer than the real terroists. The govts pat themselves on the back to justify their existence.

the terrorist attacks that we have foiled so far were all done by amateurs who didn't have either the capability or planning to carry out such attacks. The attacks were also foiled because of good old fashion police/detective work, not because the government used some newly gained powers after taking rights away.

Exactly. Despite all the money we spend on National security, it usually the guy on the street that foils these plots. It's the government that like taking credit for it.

Despite creating the largest bureaucracy in the history of our country, we aren't much safer than we ever were. We are just more aware of the threats.

The most recent ploits were foiled, not by police work or TSA work or whatever, they were foiled by the stupidity of the co=conspirators. They were idiots and I still say that they were either suppose to screw up or they are not part of any real organization.

No doubt. It's like these guys just got an idea to blow something up or shoot a bunch of people but didn't plan it out or have any of the necessary equipment. Not only that but they talked about it, biggest no-no of any terrorist operation. Honestly, I'm sure I could pull off a terror operation on my own better than these guys could have even begun to imagine.

How hard would it be for me to follow a school bus and blast a child after he/she got off the bus? Or follow a school bus until it stops and then chuck a bomb into it? Or even better, survey a particular bus and the route it takes. (I don't know about you but the bus I rode on had the same route every day.) Then put a car next to the route packed with explosives and remotely detonate it when the bus is close to it.

I could be a very dangerous individual with the right motivation. Deny my petition US government, I dare you.

I could be a very dangerous individual with the right motivation. Deny my petition US government, I dare you.

Wow Rupchuk . Did a camel piss on one of your MRE's.

I hear ya though. It wouldn't take much planning to mount a terrorist attack.

That is true, but a totally successful attack with maximum effect takes timing, planning and security. None of the recent foiled plots had very much of these things. They are wannabes.

I agree CHUQ. The sleeper cells seem to be more lethal.

The more of the wannabes that are caught the more time the real terroists have to paln and execute. The govdernment should not be too excited about the foiled plots, just goes to show that the public is mgetting more done than the TSA, DHS and .........

Planning is the main thing. Good information plus knowledge of the necessary equipment for causing havoc is also important. I'm curious as to the way they keep trains on track? From what I understand it isn't that hard to derail a train. Take a steel cutting tool and cut away a length of the track, seems pretty simple. Cause a derailment in a city, that could cause problems, especially if it happens over and over again.

These terrorists really are amatuers.