Terrorism

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In a transparent display of theatrics, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, asked the three administration officials if another “attempted attack” on the US was likely in the near future. If the witnesses answered that such an “attempt” was unlikely, they would be accused of offering a false sense of security to the country. A vague answer would land them in hot water for not appearing to know that which they are paid to find out. A definitive “yes” would add to the oft-times irrational fear that many of those in the Congress stoke that Osama bin Laden and his henchmen are lurking on every airplane with a “dirty bomb.”

The appropriate answer for intelligence professionals would be, “Madam Chairman, the possibility of attempts to commit further terrorist acts against our country and its people is always present, but trying to assign a definite percentage or liklihood to such an occurrence would add nothing to the public’s or the Senate’s understanding of the problems we face and of our abilities to detect and deter such efforts.” Instead, all three officials succumbed to the theatrics of the moment and dutifully opined that “an attempted attack . . . is certain.” (From Here.)

Also:

Criticisms of post-9/11 efforts to protect the United States from attack range from claims that America is more vulnerable than ever to the contention that the transnational terrorist danger is vastly over-hyped.[1] A review of publicly available information on at least 19 terrorist conspiracies thwarted by U.S. law enforce­ment suggests that the truth lies somewhere in between these two arguments.

U.S. agencies are actively combating individuals and groups that are intent on killing Americans and plot­ting mayhem to foster violent extremist political and religious agendas. A review of the data suggests several important conclusions:

* Combating terrorism is essential for keeping Amer­ica safe, free, and prosperous.

* Counterterrorism operations have uncovered threats that in some cases, although less sophisticated than the 9/11 attacks and at most loosely affiliated with "al-Qaeda" central, could have resulted in signifi­cant loss of life and property if they had been con­ducted successfully.

* The best means to prevent terrorist attacks is effective intelligence collection, information sharing, and coordinated, determined counterterrorism opera­tions that can stop attacks before they are mounted.

* Effective operations often require federal, state, local, and international cooperation.


Such approaches leave one crucial thing out: WHY terrorists are attacking America. We can stop a body from sneezing by plugging up the nose, or we can try to treat the root of the disease. (HAHA, cringe at my analogies!)

So let's look: in 1940, Al-e Ahmed created a philosophy known as Gharbzadegi- hatred of westernism. Al-e Ahmad argued that Iran must gain control over machines and become a producer rather than a consumer, even though once having overcome Weststruckness it will face a new malady - also western - that of "machinestruckness."

Gharbzadegi does not encompass all of the motivation behind terrorists, but its a start. Nothing can condone terrorist attacks on innocent civilians, but look at what was targeted: The World Trade Center, symbol of Western Economy. For years the middle East and its unique culture and society have been maligned for being too different. Bombs send a message speeches can not. This is simply for your information. Look into it further, for I am tired.

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