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How the Conservative Right Undermined U.S. National Security and Let Americans Die

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  • How the Conservative Right Undermined U.S. National Security and Let Americans Die

    The need for more monitoring of domestic terrorism


    Domestic terrorism
    The benefits of hindsight
    The need for more monitoring of domestic terrorism
    Aug 18th 2012 | ATLANTA | from the print edition

    Watching the right people?
    ON APRIL 7th 2009 a unit of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) charged with monitoring domestic, non-Islamic terrorism released a paper warning that the economic downturn and the election of the first black president “present unique drivers for right-wing radicalisation and recruitment.” Other causes included fears over illegal immigration and the possibility of more restrictive gun laws, and the challenges faced by returning military veterans. It compared the economic and political climate of 2009 to that of the early 1990s, “when right-wing extremism experienced a resurgence fuelled largely by an economic recession, criticism about the outsourcing of jobs and the perceived threat to U.S. power”; that period culminated in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh, a disgruntled veteran who found a home in America’s right-wing fringe movements.

    The report, released just as the “tea-party” movement was heating up, came under withering criticism from the right. Commentators complained that it unfairly placed conservatives under suspicion. John Boehner, the House Speaker, said it cast veterans as “potential terrorists”. Daryl Johnson, who headed the unit responsible for that report, said that DHS promptly caved in to the pressure. Within months his unit, which had six-full time analysts and two supplemental staff—fewer by far than the team that monitored Islamic threats—was gutted, “out of malice and risk aversion”, Mr Johnson maintains, and out of fear of politically motivated budget cuts. Training and publications were cut too.

    Nor is this imbalance limited to the DHS: since coming under Republican control in 2010, the House Homeland Security Committee has held five hearings on Muslim radicalisation, and none on right-wing threats. Yet America’s right-wing extremists commit a vastly greater number of murderous attacks (though leading to fewer deaths) than Muslims do. According to the Extremist Crime Database (ECDB), published by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, between 1990 and 2010 right-wing extremists carried out 145 murderous attacks, resulting in 348 deaths, 168 of which resulted from the Oklahoma City bombing. During that same time period Muslim extremists committed around 25 attacks, which killed over 3,000 people; but 9/11 accounted for 2,977 of these.

    The Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC), which monitors right-wing extremists, saw the number of such groups wane during the 2000s, before soaring back following the election of Barack Obama and the economic downturn, as Mr Johnson predicted: by the end of 2011 it counted 1,274 anti-government “Patriot” groups, far more than existed in the mid-1990s and up from a nadir of 131 just four years earlier.

    The murder of six Sikhs at a gurdwara in Wisconsin by a white supremacist earlier this month brought calls to redress this balance. But talking about right-wing extremist threatens howls of protest. Nice idea, shame about the politics.
    The only thing we have to be thankful for is that right-wing terrorists are significantly less competent than their Muslim counterparts.
    “As a lifelong member of the Columbia Business School community, I adhere to the principles of truth, integrity, and respect. I will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”
    "Capitalism ho!"

  • #2
    Muslim terrorists are right wing extremists

    Comment


    • #3
      During that same time period Muslim extremists committed around 25 attacks, which killed over 3,000 people; but 9/11 accounted for 2,977 of these.
      So Muslims kill 10x as many? Clearly the problem is Muslims. Thanks for confirming that dashi!
      Scouse Git (2) La Fayette Adam Smith Solomwi and Loinburger will not be forgotten.
      "Remember the night we broke the windows in this old house? This is what I wished for..."
      2015 APOLYTON FANTASY FOOTBALL CHAMPION!

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Ben Kenobi View Post
        So Muslims kill 10x as many? Clearly the problem is Muslims. Thanks for confirming that dashi!
        Don't be so cocky Ben, the catholic church are still responsible for the death of milions of children.
        With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

        Steven Weinberg

        Comment


        • #5
          Other causes included fears over illegal immigration and the possibility of more restrictive gun laws
          hmm

          and the challenges faced by returning military veterans. It compared the economic and political climate of 2009 to that of the early 1990s, “when right-wing extremism experienced a resurgence fuelled largely by an economic recession, criticism about the outsourcing of jobs and the perceived threat to U.S. power”; that period culminated in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh, a disgruntled veteran who found a home in America’s right-wing fringe movements. The report, released just as the “tea-party” movement was heating up, came under withering criticism from the right. Commentators complained that it unfairly placed conservatives under suspicion. John Boehner, the House Speaker, said it cast veterans as “potential terrorists”.
          does sound like they're targeting vets, or the vets that show up on their "radar" by associating with right wingers out on the fringe

          and Tim McVeigh was motivated by Waco (and Ruby Ridge) - attacks by federal agents enforcing gun laws - the author missed that bit of irony

          Daryl Johnson, who headed the unit responsible for that report, said that DHS promptly caved in to the pressure. Within months his unit, which had six-full time analysts and two supplemental staff—fewer by far than the team that monitored Islamic threats—was gutted, “out of malice and risk aversion”, Mr Johnson maintains, and out of fear of politically motivated budget cuts. Training and publications were cut too.
          We're at war with Islamic terrorist organizations, the Feds shouldn't be spying on people without probable cause - does the 4th Amendment count for anything? No, we lost that one with Reagan's drug war.

          Yet America’s right-wing extremists commit a vastly greater number of murderous attacks (though leading to fewer deaths) than Muslims do. According to the Extremist Crime Database (ECDB), published by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, between 1990 and 2010 right-wing extremists carried out 145 murderous attacks, resulting in 348 deaths, 168 of which resulted from the Oklahoma City bombing. During that same time period Muslim extremists committed around 25 attacks, which killed over 3,000 people; but 9/11 accounted for 2,977 of these.
          Excluding McVeigh, were these 144 attacks committed by some terrorist organization or just a bunch of various right wingnuts who finally loosened the screw too far? Some murders are crimes, not acts of war.

          The murder of six Sikhs at a gurdwara in Wisconsin by a white supremacist earlier this month brought calls to redress this balance. But talking about right-wing extremist threatens howls of protest. Nice idea, shame about the politics.
          a very stupid bigot or a drone sent by a terrorist mastermind?

          I dont know how I feel about this, I'm not a fan of the Patriot Act and Homeland Security (and the drug war) - imo they violate our privacy

          oh yeah, thats how I feel about it

          I can understand the increased surveillance after Bush and Clinton got us stuck in another war, but that war is with Islamic terrorists - not the American people because somebody says 145 right wingers committed murder. Ruby Ridge was the result of the Feds convincing a not too bright guy into selling them a sawed off shotgun so they could pressure him into becoming a mole - the Feds had to show him where to cut the gun they were buying. It was entrapment and they murdered his wife, even targeted her. The sniper who took her out got a medal and promotion.

          If right wingers have blood on their hands, whose got her blood all over them? Can we get a body count from all the people killed in govt raids over BS like drugs and guns? Those people who died at Waco, Ruby Ridge and Oklahoma City would be alive if the Feds (BATF) weren't behaving like thugs, thats just the truth.

          Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

          I get drunk, smoke some cigs and shoot off a few rounds (of golf ) and its their friggin business?

          Comment


          • #6
            ? Can we get a body count from all the people killed in govt raids over BS like drugs and guns? Those people who died at Waco, Ruby Ridge and Oklahoma City would be alive if the Feds (BATF) weren't behaving like thugs, thats just the truth.
            Sure, if you had proper gun control, then it would be easy to distinguish between loonies and organized weapon buildups. Please stop pretend that more guns prevent crime and mass murders - it's idiotic.
            With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

            Steven Weinberg

            Comment


            • #7
              most of those people were killed by a bomb and 4 planes

              Comment


              • #8
                So what, if they hadn't carried guns it wouldn't have happened
                With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

                Steven Weinberg

                Comment


                • #9
                  Don't be so cocky Ben, the catholic church are still responsible for the death of milions of children.
                  [citation needed]
                  Scouse Git (2) La Fayette Adam Smith Solomwi and Loinburger will not be forgotten.
                  "Remember the night we broke the windows in this old house? This is what I wished for..."
                  2015 APOLYTON FANTASY FOOTBALL CHAMPION!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Berzerker View Post
                    hmm



                    does sound like they're targeting vets, or the vets that show up on their "radar" by associating with right wingers out on the fringe

                    and Tim McVeigh was motivated by Waco (and Ruby Ridge) - attacks by federal agents enforcing gun laws - the author missed that bit of irony



                    We're at war with Islamic terrorist organizations, the Feds shouldn't be spying on people without probable cause - does the 4th Amendment count for anything? No, we lost that one with Reagan's drug war.



                    Excluding McVeigh, were these 144 attacks committed by some terrorist organization or just a bunch of various right wingnuts who finally loosened the screw too far? Some murders are crimes, not acts of war.



                    a very stupid bigot or a drone sent by a terrorist mastermind?

                    I dont know how I feel about this, I'm not a fan of the Patriot Act and Homeland Security (and the drug war) - imo they violate our privacy

                    oh yeah, thats how I feel about it

                    I can understand the increased surveillance after Bush and Clinton got us stuck in another war, but that war is with Islamic terrorists - not the American people because somebody says 145 right wingers committed murder. Ruby Ridge was the result of the Feds convincing a not too bright guy into selling them a sawed off shotgun so they could pressure him into becoming a mole - the Feds had to show him where to cut the gun they were buying. It was entrapment and they murdered his wife, even targeted her. The sniper who took her out got a medal and promotion.

                    If right wingers have blood on their hands, whose got her blood all over them? Can we get a body count from all the people killed in govt raids over BS like drugs and guns? Those people who died at Waco, Ruby Ridge and Oklahoma City would be alive if the Feds (BATF) weren't behaving like thugs, thats just the truth.

                    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

                    I get drunk, smoke some cigs and shoot off a few rounds (of golf ) and its their friggin business?
                    Were you drunk when you posted this?
                    “As a lifelong member of the Columbia Business School community, I adhere to the principles of truth, integrity, and respect. I will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”
                    "Capitalism ho!"

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      not at all, news years resolution - no more than 2-3 beers any given day

                      we'll see if I survive a round of golf next week

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        You might want to quit the wiskey, and drink the beer.
                        I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
                        - Justice Brett Kavanaugh

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          You can't ignore 9-11 even though locks on the cockpit doors could have prevented it.

                          "We would have won that game if the other team hadn't scored all those points!"

                          Right wing extremists of any race, color or creed are usually the biggest terrorist threats.
                          To us, it is the BEAST.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Stalin was right wing? Oh right, he was Red, so obviously he was.
                            Scouse Git (2) La Fayette Adam Smith Solomwi and Loinburger will not be forgotten.
                            "Remember the night we broke the windows in this old house? This is what I wished for..."
                            2015 APOLYTON FANTASY FOOTBALL CHAMPION!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Who mentioned Stalin? Oh, I forgot you like to have imaginary arguments.

                              But since you asked, authoritarianism in any form belongs on the "right"... for the simpletons that think there are only two political ideologies.
                              To us, it is the BEAST.

                              Comment

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