michael saulnier Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 There have been many statements made about the impact of the looming war in Iraq and the idea that it will cause widespread attacks on the US by terrorists. The objection seems to be... the war will inflame the Arab world and make it easier for the terrorists to recruit new members. This could be true... what do you think? So it made me wonder. Are we more or less at risk for terrorism within the borders of the US since 9/11 and our "war on terrorism"? Does a war on Iraq make it more or less likely that terrorists can get the manpower, money, logistics, planning and weapons they need for an attack against us here? Has the "war on terror" made an impact on the capability of terrorists? What about the captures of the terrorist leaders? Has the fact that since 9/11 and the anthrax mailings, (which may or may not have been by terrorists), there hasn't been a terrorist attack within the US borders evidence that we are less vulnerable to terrorist attack than we think? Or is it simply a "happy accident"? Have any nations working with us on the "war on terror" said they won't anymore if we attack Iraq? In Palestine, will the fact that Saddam won't be giving out the cash rewards for suicide bombers going to have any impact on terrorism there? So have at it... :wave: What's your opinion on whether we're winning the war on terror? guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salyphus Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 I think I have to say this: 5 4 5 4 x 5 ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nawledge Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 No not at all. We single handedly are uniting extremist terrorist with whole arab states. There was a time when terrorist were also against secular arab states because they claimed that they were not good muslims. Politics are fragile in the arab world. Those secular states helped fight terrorism under the table because the terrorist were trying to kill them too. now all of that will deteriorate. we singlehandedly have divided europe against us. when this is over americans will have no where to run except israel, and believe me its to small. we singlehandedly have made every corner of the globe be against us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sign Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I have seen a documentairy about 9/11 today on Discovery channel. I wonder: how can a group of persons have so much hate that they commit an act like 9/11, where thousands of innocent, hard working fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers died in an inferno. There must have happened something very weird in their minds that made them do that. [quote]Are we more or less at risk for terrorism within the borders of the US since 9/11 and our "war on terrorism"? [/quote]Yes, I'm afraid you are, and so are we in Europe. [quote]What about the captures of the terrorist leaders? [/quote]Do we have any clue where to find Osama? [quote]What's your opinion on whether we're winning the war on terror? [/quote]We will not, look at Israel and Palestine. Oil on the fire, every new day more terror and misery. I wonder what tomorrow will bring us. Peace, Han The alchemy of the masters moving molecules of air, we capture by moving particles of iron, so that the poetry of the ancients will echo into the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boosh Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 As long there is religion there is war. As long there is religion there will be terrorists. I cannot take stand for the Americans but cannot take stand for the rest of the world too. I can only say: STOP Fan, nu pissar jag taggtråd igen. Jag skulle inte satt på räpan. http://www.bushcollectors.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wow Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 [quote]we singlehandedly have divided europe against us. [/quote]and the french had nothing to do with this? We are going to be hit by another attack no matter what we do, so we might as well try to clean up these rough nations around the world. Our society is very open(as it should be) and it is hard to cover all openings, so as a result, we must go get the bad guys and KILL them before we are hit 10 times. Are we safe? NO. Should we at least try to defend ourselves?? YES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pancho Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by C.M.: [QB] [quote]we singlehandedly have divided europe against us. [/quote]and the french had nothing to do with this? [/quote]You obviously have a problem with logic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wow Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Sometimes! :wave: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GZsound Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 We need to understand that there have been terrorist attacks against other countries, our military and civilian targets, etc. for years. The big jobs like the 9/11 attack take years to plan. Those guys were in flight schools for a long time before they flew the planes into the WTC. There are probably other attacks already being planned, however, we have made inroads into the top eschelon of the terrorist network. Catching or not catching Bin Laden has very little to do with their ability to attack us. If any of you think a war with Iraq will suddenly cause these folks to hate us more, you are confused. They hate us totally, they have hated us for a long time in spite of any help we have given them, such as helping Bin Laden against the Russians, and they will kill us all at the first chance. As normal everyday folks, we must have faith in our law enforcement folks. The FBI, the CIA, etc. Without them, there surely would have been more attacks. I do think the level of hate against our own government by groups of visible protestors simply gives them hope that they can succeed in killing us, since they see our own citizens supporting them. Believe me, they will kill the anti American, anti war protestors with the same lack of caring that they would accord a gnat. We either stand together or we die together. I wish more people understood what these people are capable of doing. Mark G. "A man may fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame others" -- John Burroughs "I consider ethics, as well as religion, as supplements to law in the government of man." -- Thomas Jefferson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wow Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Well said. :thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted March 17, 2003 Author Share Posted March 17, 2003 Thanks for the on-topic responses... ;) You know who you are! :thu: It seems to me the "war on terror" has so far been a success in the sense that it has managed to keep any additional attacks on US soil from happening. The US and its allies have reduced the effectiveness of Al Qaida, at least to the point where they've been unable or unwilling to attack us again here in the US. We've greatly increased the ability to identify and prevent attacks. It's not that Al Qaida hates us any less than before... they simply haven't been able to attack us again. There may be more people than ever who hate the US after we launch an attack on Iraq, but will they have the ability to convert that hatred into a successful attack? Yes, it's easy to say they will, but how will they do it? In a pre-9/11 world, Al Qaida had the ability to train and plan in peace, safe in Afghanistan. They could move money around easily, and have operatives move freely through international borders using traditional transportation. The US counter-terrorism forces were fractured, with little information being shared between agencies like the FBI, CIA and Immigration. Now, those agencies have a mandate to work together in ways that never would happen in a pre-9/11 US. We've heard stories of "sleeper cells" in the US that are pre-positioned by Bin Laden... but why haven't they done anything? Surely they can't be waiting for us to attack Iraq? We've done LOTS more damage to THEM that should have drove them to revenge... the routing of the Al Qaida and Taliban in Afghanistan, the recent capture of many top Al Qaida leaders... THESE events should have been the catalyst for more attacks... So lets say the people who predict Al Qaida will attempt to use the war with Iraq to help them recruit more members are right. Aren't we more prepared than ever before to identify and defeat them? How will they pay for the logistics of an attack? Where will they get the weapons, tactics, planning, false papers, and so on for another attack? My point is, there's not much evidence so far that no matter how many new "recruits" Al Qaida gets that it's going to mean attacks on the US at least IN the US. Also, just because someone is mad at or even hates Bush or the US for an invasion of Iraq... it doesn't mean they're going to believe in, or want to join Al Qaida... There's a big leap between anger at us and joining them. Distance is also a huge plus for us. It's not like Palestine and Israel, where people can strap on homemade bombs and jump on a bus, cross a border in a minute or two and blow themselves up. So personally, I'd bet that Al Qaida will use the invasion as a propaganda ploy and they probably get some new followers. But I'm not so sure that's going to mean the terrorist mass attacks that some predict. Again. If they COULD easily attack us. They would have. Already. They don't need the war with Iraq as an excuse. guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Guitplayer, I tend to agree with your last post. I think a major difference, pre & post 9/11 is, as you say, our Intelligence community has a mandate to cooperate and share information as they never would have before. But also, bear in mind that the entire US govt is ACTIVELY seeking out ALL known and possible terrorists. Before they might identify a suspect, but had no mandate to go get them. Now they do. Before terrorists conducted their dirty business in arrogance before the world stage. Now they hide like the cowards they are! Wow! There went some steam! Thanks for letting me vent. Q. How do you eat an elephant? A. One bite at a time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prague Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I think the greatest threat of terrorism was on September 10, 2001! How much worse could it be? Besides, they tried the first time in 1993, so we were alerted throughout the 1990's. So, no. I don't think the threat today is any worse than 9/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nawledge Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 GZ if you don't think that people hate us more now than before, then your eyes simply are not open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNC Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I think the point GZ was trying to make was that: The people willing to carry out terrorist attacks would be willing whether there is a war or not. Attacking Iraq would increase ant-American sentiment, but that does not necessarily mean there will be more people willing to take such action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.