Terror Thoughts From a Different Forum

[jfrenaye]

This is a cut and paste of a post from another forum I frequent and thought it was pretty thought provoking...and also perhaps not too far off the mark.

I was having a discussion with a friend tonight and we both agreed that neither of us would be surprised if there was a terror strike in the US this Monday.

1. It is the 5 year anniversary of 9-11-01 and the terrorists are big on numbers and anniversaries etc.

2. They don;t like Bush and to get him twice on his watch would be a feather in their pockets

3. Monday is on the eve of a primary election--easy way to disrupt the electoral process leading into November

4. Monday is also a huge sports day...the first Monday Night Football game being played in Washington DC

5. We are still woefully unprotected.

We were also saying that they always want the next attack to be more spectacular than the previous one. How can you top the WTC collapse?

1. Random smaller acts all over. Imagine 30 of the same store all being suicide bombed at the same time all across the country. Maybe killing a dozen people in each.

2. Some sort of chemical release in mass transit

3. Another airliner targeted to the White House or Capitol--ok we have plans to shoot it down, but if it took off from a Washington area airport, or was coming into a Washington area airport, would there be enough time? I also think there would be a lot of hesitation and verification before risking downing an aircraft over a city.

4. Striking at a landmark. Sears Tower, St. Louis Arch, Golden Gate Bridge, Hoover Dam, Empire State Building

5. Any strike on New York wold be seen as bigger and "better" than the last

6. Contamination of water supplies

7. Disabling of the communication infrastructure.

SO what do you think?[/b]

[Ned]

You're right John. It's not off the mark at all. I agree that we really aren't much safer than we were before 9/11, although, I do think, to a very small extent, we're just beginning to head in the right direction, by putting a higher value on human intelligence than before 9/11. That being said, I also think we're still putting way too much effort on general intelligence, through a variety of means, ie. spying on the average American by looking through everyone's phone records, for example, rather than "smart targeting" our intelligence where it actually might produce results.

Since 9/11, I think our overall security strategy has been pretty lame. Furthermore, the Feds seem to be telling us everyday that if we don't allow them to make this country into a police state there's nothing they can do. As far as I'm concerned, that's a crock.

[jfrenaye]

The cargo on planes is not secure, so I still feel we are at risk for an aviation disaster. I mean recently a pilot was able to go potty, realize he was locked out, remove the cockpit door, and land a plane all in under 30 minutes.

Don't get me started on ship and port security.

I think back about some of the most provocative images I have ever seen and the Nick Berg deal really stands out. What is to say that there is not a small army of sympathiizers (hey it would not need to be big) here in the US and they undertake a project to kidnap and decapitate random people?

I think we are so complacent right now. I think (right or wrong) that GWB is really hated in the Muslim world, that a subsequent attact on his "watch" would be a huge coup d'etat for Al-Quaeda and their sympathizers.

I also am concerned that they released a tape made in preparations for 2001 yesterday--almost a warning if you ask me. And that young "kid" from SFO (I believe) that had meetings with the #2 and went on tape as saying that we all had better convert to Muslim "or else".

It is indeed a very precarious position and an uncettain time. I for one am on edge.

[Kairho]

I'm stuck on why they would want to put feathers in their pockets...

[jfrenaye]

In their headress...arrow in a quiver....notch on the bedpost....number for the little black book....

[Kairho]

But wouldn't they be better off if they put the feathers in their CAP?

...just being silly

[tdew]

I HATE this kind of predicting. Instead of trying to think of what horror COULD or MIGHT happen for whatever reasons, let's all think about what we hold dear today and appreciate it.

[Lynn]

Amen, Tdew, I struggle at times with all of it, but they will not control my life because if I permit that to happen, then they have won.

[jfrenaye]

yeah yeah thats the ticket cap thats the word!