The War on Terror

Makalakumu

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Its taken me a long time to come to grips with what happened in 9/11. As an American, terrorism seemed distant. Terrorism was something that happened in other places. Even when the Federal Building in Oklahoma City was blown up, I didn't feel unsafe because I knew that the person who did it was just a disturbed American wacko. He wasn't part of some world wide movement (as far as I know).

In the last few months, I've read a few books and articles. I've listened to people talk about vulnerability of America to another terrorist attack. I've seen with my own eyes targets of high importance sitting high and dry with nothing to protect them.

And then there is this...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5881958/?GT1=5100

Think about how easy it would be for five members of Al-qaeda to strap bombs to themselves, arm themselves with the best American Made weapons, and invade a school. This scenario could happen and its as easy as five men or women crossing our borders with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a credit card.

I believe that we are woefully unprepared in this country for real terrorism and that our current priorities in the War on Terror are only lulling us into a false sense of security.

What do you think? Are we on the right track, or do we need to do something different? What?
 
C

Chicago Green Dragon

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The scary thing is we haven’t seen anything yet.

Take a look at what is going on around the world every day. We did get a taste of things but nothing like what has been happening around the world.

In some places terrorism is a daily event like going to work or to the market for groceries.

911 was a terrible event but I think people are starting to see more and more what some deranged individuals will do to make a point.

The scary thing is I wonder how the American public will act when some of the things happening around the world come to us here. Like what happened this week in Russia with the school and the 1,500 plus hostages.

It’s a scary thought that someone could even comprehend such an evil idea and act on it.

I pray and hope that it never comes here.

Chicago Green Dragon

:asian:
 

RandomPhantom700

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upnorthkyosa said:
What do you think? Are we on the right track, or do we need to do something different? What?
I believe that we are taking the entirely wrong approach to the terrorism problem. The administration's current approach is to go out and destory them (the war in Afghanistan, for example), claiming that once they're destroyed, we'll be safe.

What we should be doing is both improving our defense in recognition of how vulnerable we actually are to such an attack, while at the same time cooperating with all other nations affected by terrorism. We'd get a lot more support through that approach than simply "let's go out and kill 'em".

Most of this is stating the obvious, I'm sure, and I'm not sure how to practically get this done. But those are my thoughts.
 

Bob Hubbard

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1 look at Isreael and their internal issues and I have to wonder just how safe you can really be.

I mean, they have armed troops running around their streets, very high end security on their planes, and a paranoia/hostility that scares me when it comes to dealing with protests.

Yet, they still have suicide bombings, and an almost civil war level of hostilities in some areas.

Do we want to be like them? Armed guards with the safetys off ever 50 feet, yet still have to worry about getting blown to bits buying milk or a new cd?

I dunno....

Tell me again how much terrorism and internal violence the Swiss deal with again?
 
M

MisterMike

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If we were 100% free from terrorism, it would be due to either everybody in the world would turning aroud and loving us, or there would be no freedoms in this country. Everything you do, say, think would be monitored and nothing would be accessible to you as it is today.

We've had our taste of freedoms removed in the name of the war on terror. How many more do you want to give up?

If it is none, we will always be susceptible to terror.

There are a MILLION ways to commit terror, and not this government nor any other will be able to think of them all or come up with ways to protect us against them. Sweet Dreams.
 
A

AaronLucia

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We must remember to not live in the fear of terrorism though.

I remember when I was in Iraq we did ton's of driving around. We had been warned about IED's (Improvised Explosive Devices) that could go off as we drove over them or by them. Never once was I in fear of my life from those, it just didn't affect me.

Terrorism is horrible, and yes we should do what we can do prevent it, but we can't destroy our way of living just because of it.

And what i said was so general and unspecific that is sux. :p
 

Flatlander

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The hatred for Americans is primarily the result of foreign policy decisions. Though Americans do not want, nor should they, to give up more personal freedoms in the name of homeland security, and doing so likely wouldn't guarantee success, the danger can be mitigated through a change in foreign policy. At a minimum, letting time pass and wounds heal and allowing places like Afghanistan and Iraq to find their footing and become more stable should go a long way to contributing to that goal.
 
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Makalakumu

Makalakumu

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If you look at the draconian things Isreal does to the Palistinians, you can see that it escalates the violence. The same thing can be said about the Russians and Chechnians. Think about it, these fighters invaded a SCHOOL filled with CHILDREN and then began to BLOW THEM UP. Think about that kind of hatred. Think about what it takes to create that kind of hatred. My personal opinion is that every bomb we drop on a child in the middle east creates five families of terrorists. When their children are blown to bits, normal people in the middle east don't see any difference between what Al-qaeda did to the US and what the US is doing to them.

upnorthkyosa
 
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Makalakumu

Makalakumu

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This could happen in the US. If you have children or even if you don't, you need to read this.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5881958/

I don't think that I've ever seen something more horrible or terrifying in a long time. Do we have our priorities straight in the War on Terror?
 

Taimishu

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Forgive me for asking, I am not a troll, but has the homeland security act over there made any real difference?

David
 
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Makalakumu

Makalakumu

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In my opinion, the Homeland Security act reorganized the beauracracy. I haven't seen much change to make us safer. We do have the color coded system now, but I believe that the system is suspect to political motivations. Nobody trusts it.

For what its worth

upnorthkyosa
 
T

TonyM.

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Where I live almost everyone has a pickup with a deer rifle in the window. Organized criminals and murderers don't fare well here.
P.S. When did America become the homeland rather than America. I don't recall anyone electing a chancellor.
 

kelly keltner

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Good post Tony. This whole verbage of homeland scares me. It sounds to much like something out of eastern europe during the wwII era. I'm pretty conservative and pro Bush.

Kelly
 

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