What does it mean and what are its consequences for the United States and the world? My answer is here and the crux of my point can be found in the following excerpt:
The implications for the United States and for counterterrorism from the attacks in Mumbai can be summed up thusly: We continue to live in a dangerous world, the threat of terrorism is not a hoax and while we should not give in to fear, we should also not forswear vigilance, caution, preemptive measures and preparation. Additionally, we should abandon the fantasy that the election of Barack Obama will somehow cause other nation-states and non-state actors to somehow look at the United States differently and forswear following what they perceive to be their own interests merely because the face of the Presidency has changed.
You've got it right, Pejman
seattle_ite Saturday, November 29th at 5:40AM EST (link)During the ’90’s, we saw all manner of attacks, on our own soil and abroad, aimed at weakening Western Civilization. People tried to treat them as criminal acts, and only fostered more attacks, as America was seen as weak-kneed.
Post-9/11, with the pre-emptive strike policy (or Bush Doctrine, if you will), there were NO attacks on our soil, successful attacks only in countries that weren’t paying close enough attention, and several dozen (at least) attacks that were foiled due to increased vigilance and superior firepower.
I fail utterly to understand the mindset of those who, with partisan blinders on, keep trying to blame President Bush for everything under the sun. He vowed to keep the Homeland safe, and DID IT. I worry daily that our President Elect will be seen as a softie, and invite more attacks.
Reality
WSG Saturday, November 29th at 6:01AM EST (link)“I fail utterly to understand the mindset of those who, with partisan blinders on, keep trying to blame President Bush for everything under the sun. He vowed to keep the Homeland safe, and DID IT. I worry daily that our President Elect will be seen as a softie, and invite more attacks.”
Weaklings and fools in positions of power get people killed in vast numbers. I present Chamberlain and Carter as evidence of such. I too hope Obama does not wonder down that same bloody path although I am preparing my family otherwise.
We are where they want us.
MarkT Saturday, November 29th at 9:44AM EST (link)The goal of those that conduct and support these attacks is to see the western liberal economic and political power slowly degrade and eventually fade away. To be replaced by a new world order dominated by an Islamic coalition.
The short term goal of this movement is to isolate America from its allies by making it unsafe to conduct business as usual. They want to encourage the current isolationist trend in the US that they feel is a direct result of their attacks.
I believe that, even though they have made plans and preparations, they have not attacked us directly because the last thing they want is a more aggressive US foreign policy. Their goals are much more achievable by attacks on our friends and allies. Carefully chosen and measured attacks overseas will keep the American public in its isolationist mood and allow the slow decline of US influence to continue.
Of course prudence requires us to be prepared and do all we can to protect the homeland. Even more important, given the goals of the Islamic conspiracy, is to be as engaged as possible with our allies in order to prevent overseas attacks and frustrate the overall goals of the terrorists. I am very concerned that the new administration will not be aggressive in combating this threat.
Post-Mumbai
redneck_hippie Saturday, November 29th at 10:46AM EST (link)rhetoric and actions will be instructive. The press may fawn over The One’s pronouncements (and I am sure that they will) but knowledgable citizens will be listening and watching closely. That’s why I keep my eyes glued to the blogs of RS.
“We must not lose our faculty to dare, especially in dark days.” - Churchill in March, 1942.
Remember NY-23; translation: RINOs Have No Base.
Follow the Money, Cautiously
briefsynopsis Saturday, November 29th at 11:02AM EST (link)The Operation in India was Dynamic and, well Coordinated, utilizing; GPS systems, Radios, and an Identifiable order of Battle. The assault teams were sacrificed with no apparent intent to egress, the command and control structure “lives” to plot their next tasking. With this level of planning and execution, the trail to the truth will be planted with dead ends and false leads, Identifying and not Misidentifying the Masterminds of this operation may well lead to a Cabal that is backed and supported by so called Western Allies with both Overt and Covert approval.
At a time when the Western Powers are struggling with Financial Ruin and Disarray, the timing of this event cannot merely be placed at the feet of Fundamentalist anything. Tracking back the movements of the Assault force will give Intelligence Allies an opportunity to work together and rebuild/build trust while forging relationships that will be desperately needed in the near future.
We should proceed Cautiously, and only strike surgically with Daggers and Rhetoric.
http://www.briefsynopsis.com
The Monster of many heads, the Hydra,
Abraham Loy Saturday, November 29th at 4:12PM EST (link)of fable and myth, is striking again. Pushed into a corner in Iraq, and under punishment in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the militant Islamic jihadists have concentrated their efforts on a target that has allowed itself to grow soft. The Congress Party in India, the largest bloc of legislators in the Parliament, has taken the same course as the US Democrat party in the years subsequent to the end of the Viet Nam war, and weakened the internal vigilance, by unilaterally cutting back on surveillance operations and refusing to take prompt action to contain and defuse dangerous activities. It is as if they had their own Jamie Gorelick working within their Ministry of Justice, subverting and short-circuiting the normal chains of command and control.
The US is planting the seeds of the very same kind of attack, by the Obama organization (I cannot bring myself to call it and “administration”, that would imply they actually had a handle on things) failing to recognize and come to grips with the renewed assault that shall surely come after January 20, 2009.
And once again, New York City will be the prime target. Just because of what it represents.
America is SO screwed. What the heck, so is the rest of the world.
Whaaa?
fsw72 Saturday, November 29th at 10:25PM EST (link)There are two subplots to this argument. One is the statement that, post 9/11, attacks were waged upon countries that were not paying attention. Great Britain had multiple attacks upon their soil by Islamic extremists, some successful and some bungled, post 9/11. They have, due to IRA terrorism, the most effective counter-terrorism measures in the world. Another main theme, not necessarily in your case, but in oh so many others, is the hypothesis that this attack is a test of the mettle of Obama and in a sense his inadequacies as a leader. This argument would them suppose that 9/11 was a test of Bush, eight months into his term. All subsequent events tested his mettle. Sadly, Bin-Laden and Al-Zawhiri are still breathing.
Bush should send Rice and Gates ASAP
hunter Sunday, November 30th at 11:01AM EST (link)Along with high level intel and anti-terror people.
Now.
He should consider going himself.
We are all Indian at this point.
We must stand together against these sleazy savages and disrupt their plans and kill them.
hunter
Since you brought it up...
seattle_ite Sunday, November 30th at 11:12AM EST (link)Spain was caught flat footed, in the railway attacks, and changed its government, rather than fight back, even pulling out the few troops they had sent to the GWOT. France let certain sections of Paris burn in riots, because they ‘didn’t see it coming’, as concerns the ‘Disaffected Muslim Youth’. Twice.
I agree that Britain has quite a bit of practice in dealing with IRA style terrorism, but as they were geared up for a largely domestic terror theater, they too were blindsided.
Other nations hit in the last eight years, don’t have as much sophisticated intel agencies as they should, leading to ease of strike capability for those who’ve trained to exploit such a condition.
As to your ‘refutation’ to my post as concerns our Presidency, Bush didn’t blink, when tested. Obama has always thought that the GWOT is a waste of time and money, and is a committed leftist, anti-war type, and hasn’t shown that he’s even capable of seeing the threats in the world, unless someone advises him to.
That clear things up, for ya?
Also...
seattle_ite Sunday, November 30th at 11:14AM EST (link)bin Laden and Zawahiri are rather masterful at hiding, cowards that they are. If it’s so easy to capture them, I suggest you try, before blaming President Bush for failure.
Britain...
fsw72 Sunday, November 30th at 10:20PM EST (link)Was indeed geared toward a domestic terrorist threat. This made the “successful” and botched attacks upon, or orchestrated upon, their soil all the more alarming. Most, if not all, were carried out by British citizens or residents of Great Britain. SO… no it is not a valid answer. Your second point of my eradicating Bin-Laden and Al-Zawhiri is valid. I’m ready when you are. Of course, we don’t have the intel and materiel support of our Commander in Chief.