Comments on: The terrorists won this one. https://habitablezone.com/2013/04/19/the-terrorists-won-this-one/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:41:18 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/04/19/the-terrorists-won-this-one/#comment-23314 ER Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:22:25 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=31233#comment-23314 But after I got a chance to cool off and think it over unemotionally and rationally, I realized I was mistaken. But after I got a chance to cool off and think it over unemotionally and rationally, I realized I was mistaken.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/04/19/the-terrorists-won-this-one/#comment-23309 TB Sat, 20 Apr 2013 03:12:19 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=31233#comment-23309 <p>As I said, it's not a war of civilizations.</p> It's a war of civilization versus barbarism. Isn't the first one in history, and it won't be the last. The end begins when the civilization forgets the ideas that created it. Dark ages are the rule in human history, not the exception. As I said, it’s not a war of civilizations.

It’s a war of civilization versus barbarism. Isn’t the first one in history, and it won’t be the last.

The end begins when the civilization forgets the ideas that created it. Dark ages are the rule in human history, not the exception.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/04/19/the-terrorists-won-this-one/#comment-23308 ER Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:21:59 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=31233#comment-23308 Right after 9/11 I thought we were in for a new attack every mont for a decade. I would have bought a Geiger counter as well. But Al-Quaeda turned out NOT to be a global underground army funded by Saudi billions as I must confess I originally believed myself. (More on that in my post below). As for credit to the authorities for unravelling this so quickly, I couldn't agree more. I have to hand it to both Bush and Obama. The former put together an effective anti-terrorist organization, and the latter did nothing but increase its effectiveness. We've got the bastards on the run, now. But like Palmetto Bugs, once you get them in the house you can't really exterminate them. The best you can do is control them. Right after 9/11 I thought we were in for a new attack every mont for a decade. I would have bought a Geiger counter as well. But Al-Quaeda turned out NOT to be a global underground army funded by Saudi billions as I must confess I originally believed myself. (More on that in my post below).

As for credit to the authorities for unravelling this so quickly, I couldn’t agree more. I have to hand it to both Bush and Obama. The former put together an effective anti-terrorist organization, and the latter did nothing but increase its effectiveness. We’ve got the bastards on the run, now. But like Palmetto Bugs, once you get them in the house you can’t really exterminate them. The best you can do is control them.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/04/19/the-terrorists-won-this-one/#comment-23307 ER Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:12:03 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=31233#comment-23307 --mostly just a way to paint ourselves as some kind of virtuous "guardian of civilization". Bullshit. This is not a civilization attacking us, its a bunch of loosely organized gangs of religious fanatics and power-mad tribal nutjobs. Remember, they blow up a lot of targets in Muslim countries too, even some who are not friendly to us. Understanding that will help us fight them more effectively. Oh sure, there is some small aspect of truth to it, after all, listen to the rhetoric of Al-Quaeda, but most of that is a recruiting technique to bring in cannon fodder. And Al-Quaeda as an organizing center to an international movement has been cut out--like a tumor. Unfortunately, it has metastasized into a host of carcinomas, some like that gang in Mali, who are little more than criminal gangs. As for these particular guys, they probably did not have any outside backing or support at all. All this trouble may have been caused because one kid was a religious fanatic, or maybe it had nothing to do with Islam. Maybe he was a loser, or just couldn't get laid and he blamed it all on AMERIKA. So he brought his little brother in on it, and ruined his life too. These guys were here for 10 years, do you really think they were a sleeper cell? Every time some redneck biblebanger blows up an abortion clinic doesn't mean its a religious war, and when the DC sniper and his boy were killing people from the trunk of their car it wasn't the start of a race war. Even George Bush, who actually believed his Axis of Evil nonsense, cautioned against us turning the post 9/11 era into a Muslim-hating witch hunt, to his credit. The point is that our complex society is very vulnerable at an increasing number of choke points. Pimply teen-agers with no political or religious ideology at all can now attack our computer systems and cause enormous damage just as an act of adolescent vandalism. And of course, there are other countries (and corporate entities) in our own secular technical civilization who simply choose to do computer espionage and warfare for regular ole military and commercial reasons--the oldest excuse of all. –mostly just a way to paint ourselves as some kind of virtuous “guardian of civilization”. Bullshit. This is not a civilization attacking us, its a bunch of loosely organized gangs of religious fanatics and power-mad tribal nutjobs. Remember, they blow up a lot of targets in Muslim countries too, even some who are not friendly to us. Understanding that will help us fight them more effectively.

Oh sure, there is some small aspect of truth to it, after all, listen to the rhetoric of Al-Quaeda, but most of that is a recruiting technique to bring in cannon fodder. And Al-Quaeda as an organizing center to an international movement has been cut out–like a tumor. Unfortunately, it has metastasized into a host of carcinomas, some like that gang in Mali, who are little more than criminal gangs.

As for these particular guys, they probably did not have any outside backing or support at all. All this trouble may have been caused because one kid was a religious fanatic, or maybe it had nothing to do with Islam. Maybe he was a loser, or just couldn’t get laid and he blamed it all on AMERIKA. So he brought his little brother in on it, and ruined his life too. These guys were here for 10 years, do you really think they were a sleeper cell?

Every time some redneck biblebanger blows up an abortion clinic doesn’t mean its a religious war, and when the DC sniper and his boy were killing people from the trunk of their car it wasn’t the start of a race war.

Even George Bush, who actually believed his Axis of Evil nonsense, cautioned against us turning the post 9/11 era into a Muslim-hating witch hunt, to his credit.

The point is that our complex society is very vulnerable at an increasing number of choke points. Pimply teen-agers with no political or religious ideology at all can now attack our computer systems and cause enormous damage just as an act of adolescent vandalism. And of course, there are other countries (and corporate entities) in our own secular technical civilization who simply choose to do computer espionage and warfare for regular ole military and commercial reasons–the oldest excuse of all.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/04/19/the-terrorists-won-this-one/#comment-23305 TB Sat, 20 Apr 2013 01:32:39 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=31233#comment-23305 <p>And of course it's easier to destroy than to build.</p> Always has been. This has been called a "war of civilizations," but's it's actually a war where civilization is one of the sides. And of course it’s easier to destroy than to build.

Always has been. This has been called a “war of civilizations,” but’s it’s actually a war where civilization is one of the sides.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/04/19/the-terrorists-won-this-one/#comment-23304 TB Sat, 20 Apr 2013 01:30:23 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=31233#comment-23304 <p>When you think about it...</p> It's surprising this is as rare as it is. I was amazed after 9/11 that this kind of crap didn't happen all over the place. I got ribbed here for taking a geiger counter with me on 4th of July after 9/11, but I figured a very likely attack would be a dirty bomb in places like Reno I would be traveling through. Credit should also be given to FBI and others to many lots that have been thwarted. When you think about it…

It’s surprising this is as rare as it is.

I was amazed after 9/11 that this kind of crap didn’t happen all over the place. I got ribbed here for taking a geiger counter with me on 4th of July after 9/11, but I figured a very likely attack would be a dirty bomb in places like Reno I would be traveling through.

Credit should also be given to FBI and others to many lots that have been thwarted.

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