The Terrorist Threat

[shankfisher]

There are many reasons why terrorism is the most unlikely threat to be worried about. Would-be terrorists already have an appealing target in allied forces in the Middle East; it is hard to preach hatred and violence against a remote West when Western soldiers are causing trouble in your village. That does not mean, of course, that a terrorist attack could not occur here -- many domestic terrorist attacks have been stopped since 9/11. And this will not stop any time soon.

Consider the nature of the war itself. I am quoting here from The Mind of the Terrorist, by Jerrold M. Post: "If one accepts the premise that terrorism is a vicious species of psychological warfare, waged through the media, with violence as communication, one does not counter psychological warfare with smart bombs and missiles. One counters psychological warfare with psychological warfare."

[Ken]

I respectfully disagree. Depending where you live, terrorism remains a very real treat to a greater or lesser degree. It could come in the form of a dirty bomb, bio-warfare (think - anthrax in a subway or mall ventilation system) or an attack by tampering with a food/water supply. There are countless ways to engage in terrorist attacks which do not require tremendous sophistication. Think - Oklahoma City. Nonetheless, an attack with a suitcase nuke or similar device is still a very real possibility.

I believe that numerous other threats, including an attack by aliens from outerspace - or those zombies many believe exist - pose a far lesser treat of risk than does an act of terrorism.

[shankfisher]

I respectfully disagree.

Well, yes, a terror attack could occur. Note that I said: "That does not mean, of course, that a terrorist attack could not occur here -- many domestic terrorist attacks have been stopped since 9/11. And this will not stop any time soon." The whole post on my blog discusses why seeing a terrorist threat everywhere makes you a willing victim to terrorists -- much less aliens or zombies.

[Sarge47]

Well, yes, a terror attack could occur. Note that I said: "That does not mean, of course, that a terrorist attack could not occur here -- many domestic terrorist attacks have been stopped since 9/11. And this will not stop any time soon." The whole post on my blog discusses why seeing a terrorist threat everywhere makes you a willing victim to terrorists -- much less aliens or zombies.I visited your blog-site & wasn't all that impressed. Not being rude, just honest. You are correct in one thing though, If we fall prey to fear & paranoia then you are giving the terrorist what they want; that's obvious. :cool2: Also, worse than aliens & zombies is BIGFOOT!!!:taz:(sorry, no big-foot smiley)

[Ken]

Your opening sentence was:


There are many reasons why terrorism is the most unlikely threat to be worried about.

I merely disagree that it is "the most unlikely threat."

[shankfisher]

I visited your blog-site & wasn't all that impressed. Not being rude, just honest.

Well, what would make it better for you? I don't just want to repeat all the stuff you can already find on the net . . .

[Beans]

There are many reasons why terrorism is the most unlikely threat to be worried about. Would-be terrorists already have an appealing target in allied forces in the Middle East;

Guerrilla warfare is armed action against an opposing established military establishment not distinguishing between an occupying, invading or a domestic force.

Terrorism in any action against a civilian populace to create, terror, and uncertainty.

IMHO we have intermingled the word "terrorist" and have used a broad brush to paint people with that definition.

I will agree that any one who creates "terror, and uncertainty" against/within a civilian populace for what ever reason should be labeled a "terrorist" and dealt with according.

If you are not worried about terrorist, then they have not created "terror, and uncertainty" for you and therefore for you they are mislabled.

[Ken]

Well, what would make it better for you? I don't just want to repeat all the stuff you can already find on the net . . .

Well, free gift certificates to R.E.I. would be a good start ........ :clap:

[shankfisher]

Terrorism in any action against a civilian populace to create, terror, and uncertainty.

IMHO we have intermingled the word "terrorist" and have used a broad brush to paint people with that definition.

You are right, terrorism is very hard to define. And it is used very loosely, but it also very hard to define in action -- was the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon guerrilla warfare because it was aimed at military personnel? And in SEA, we have the same cells attacking civilian, indig. police, and Allied military. We could probably argument endlessly on what is what -- heck, we can't decide what to call them once we capture them!

My point was simply that they (whatever we call them) want to cause fear and intimidation. Is survivalism succumbing to that fear and intimidation? There is a very subtle distinction here, but I think it is important to consider.

[shankfisher]

Well, free gift certificates to R.E.I. would be a good start ........ :clap:

Man, I wish I could. Maybe someday . . .

[Sourdough]

Please explain why Bernie Madoff is not a Terrorist, a self confessed terrorist.

They hauled Nelson Bunker Hunt before the House Committee on Un-American Activities for doing less than Madoff did. And what of Stratford and hundreds of other economic terrorist.......?

Convict them....then Kill them in public. You could compile a short list of 50 to 100 people who have come very close to destroying this GREAT COUNTRY, and all for greed.

[Sarge47]

Well, what would make it better for you? I don't just want to repeat all the stuff you can already find on the net . . .
Do you realize how many sites similar to yours we have on-line? I liked Army Ranger Rick's, Dr. Ron Hood's, Rick SAR's & this one. However I think that these sort of things are being "done to death". Learning basic Survival skills can is taught in the Boy Scouts. Everything else is not needed, yet some of it is interesting. What do you really need to know about surviving? Food, water, shelter, fire is the bottom line. People who take care of that rarely find themselves in a real survival situation. So now we have people talking stuff right out of the "Anarchist's Cookbook." Go figure. It's like this site, we've covered everything from "A" to "Z" several times over, yet somebody will point to a new piece of equipment, or find something that can be done that works really well & shares it with everybody else. I don't subscribe to any other survival forum as this one has it all.:cool2:

[shankfisher]

I don't subscribe to any other survival forum as this one has it all.:cool2:

Heh. I read you 5 by 5. You probably aren't the demographic I'm shooting for anyway. No offense.

[Sarge47]

Heh. I read you 5 by 5. You probably aren't the demographic I'm shooting for anyway. No offense.None taken, for the record, it's better than the one one set up by TBWN!:nod::2::wacko::lol:

[Ken]

Convict them....then Kill them in public.

I agree. However, I'd still love to be the defense lawyer at that trial. What a fee! :tongue_smilie:

[Rick]

Skankfisher - You're correct, in my opinion. I don't fear "terrorists" at all. The odds of my being harmed by one of them is pretty remote. To your question regarding survivalism succumbing to the fear, not for me. My survivalism is geared around natural disasters and man made events such as chemical accidents, etc.

Hopeak - Why on earth are your knickers in a wad over Madoff? Do you think he's the only thief that's ever stolen anything? Even the amount he embezzled isn't a blip on the economic radar screen. Sure it was devastating to those who invested in his "sceme" but it's no impact to the economy. Let's recap. Man steals money. Man gets caught. Man goes to trial. Man found guilty. Man will be sentenced. Sounds like the system worked to me. There have always been thieves and there always will be thieves waiting in the shadows to steal your money.

If you want to get pi$$ed off at someone then get cranked at those folks that don't bother to pay taxes and the lawyers that successfully negotiate thousands in back taxes down to zero. That means I get to pay for the army, CDC, social security and my local police and fire department while they sponge for nothing. Multiply that across the country and that DOES impact the economy because it takes money out of the public coffers. I don't see Madoff as any different than the gal that steals $50,000 from her church or the guy that steals $500 from his kid's little league. A thief is a thief is a thief. Only the scale is different.

[Ken]

Let's recap. Man steals money. Man gets caught. Man goes to trial. Man found guilty. Man will be sentenced.

Clearly, a poor choice of defense counsel on his part.

[Rick]

Hard to blame the lawyer when you plead guilty.

[Ken]

Hard to blame the lawyer when you plead guilty.

Do you know how many reasonable :innocent: defenses a good defense lawyer could have conjured up for that clown? :clown: Besides, you said "Man goes to TRIAL."

[Rick]

Diminished responsibility? Abuse defense? Irresistible impulse? Necessity? Mental Disorder Defense? Mistaken Identity? Stop me if I'm close on anything.

[chiye tanka]

Sarge, what you got against the bigfoots?:lol:

[Ken]

Diminished responsibility? Abuse defense? Irresistible impulse? Necessity? Mental Disorder Defense? Mistaken Identity? Stop me if I'm close on anything.

You're headin' in the right direction, S.M. For starters, we'll need some good docs. Psych's, Neuro's, etc. If you do it right, it can work. Not often, but sometimes. I know. "Ahhh, what's that shadow there on that brain CAT scan?" ... "And just where did you strike your head in that fall back in '79?" Plenty of other ways, too.

[Sourdough]

do You Know How Many Reasonable :innocent: Defenses A Good Defense Lawyer Could Have Conjured Up For That Clown? :clown: Besides, You Said "man Goes To Trial."


"unclean Hands"

[Ken]

"unclean Hands"

Civil law term.

[Pal334]

Here are some commonly used definitions of terrorism:

1.the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.

2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.

3.a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

I think that the events of 9/11 and the general populaces reactions post event and subsequent return to a state of “normalcy” shows that terrorism should not be a significant (read predominate) factor in emergency planning on an individual level. Of course since it is always a possibility, I feel it should be treated just as any other possible “calamity” that would cause a person to implement their emergency planning. We can say many things about our government, but it has shown a great deal of skill in thwarting potential acts of terrorism post 9/11. If people give in to paranoia about terrorism, then the bad guys have succeeded in their goals (see definitions above).

[Sarge47]

Sarge, what you got against the bigfoots?:lol:You see, there's my ex-wife; my pet name for her was sasquatch.

Abused term of the day: UFO does NOT stand for "alien spacecrat". It stands for "unidentified flying object." "If you have "identified" the flying object as an alien spacecraft then it's no longer a "UFO"!!! It's an "IFO"! An "identified flying object"....DUH!:alien::alien::alien::alien::alien: