Why I am not and have not been afraid of terrorist attacks on American soil

[Thedrin]

Originally posted by Arrian
I hope not. But it is an election year.

-Arrian

What he said. It shouldn't happen but the administration (or at least elements within it) have shown that they are willing to reveal elements of national security to give themselves a relative boost. Just how far said elements would be willing to go is an nuknown.

[Darius871]

I don't know how you can possibly compare the Plame affair to a terror investigation. One ended a woman's career in an attempt to discredit a vocal critic, while the latter could potentially cost hundreds of civilian lives. Even this administration wouldn't go that far.

Edit after reading your edit: even IF 'certain elements' were morally capable of such a thing, they would still be evil geniuses enough to know outraged intel actors at the ground level would almost certainly leak to the press that the admin is playing political games with civilian lives. Even a completely amoral official - knowing the past leaks over secret prisons, Abu Ghraib, domestic spying, and the call log database - would still be deterred by practical problem of potential leaks. They just wouldn't take the risk for a <1% spike in approval ratings.

[Thedrin]

Originally posted by Darius871 Even this administration wouldn't go that far.

I suspect strongly that you're right but (as with any administration) I do not know how far every individual with access to the relevant data is prepared to go.

[Vesayen]

Originally posted by Darius871
I don't know how you can possibly compare the Plame affair to a terror investigation. One ended a woman's career in an attempt to discredit a vocal critic, while the latter could potentially cost hundreds of civilian lives. Even this administration wouldn't go that far.

Edit after reading your edit: even IF 'certain elements' were morally capable of such a thing, they would still be evil geniuses enough to know outraged intel actors at the ground level would almost certainly leak to the press that the admin is playing political games with civilian lives. Even a completely amoral official - knowing the past leaks over secret prisons, Abu Ghraib, domestic spying, and the call log database - would still be deterred by practical problem of potential leaks. They just wouldn't take the risk for a <1% spike in approval ratings.

Bush and Co. have shown repetadly they will compromise intelligence, sanity and the well being of our nation, to make themselves look good. It seems laughable to suggest if they ACTUALLY stopped terrorists, they would not immediatly reveal it to gain good points for themselves.

[Thedrin]

I'd disagree with that. Even if they were willing to do so they'd at least wait til a point where they were in danger of losing power in some way.

[Vesayen]

They are in serious danger now. Unless things change, the Republicans will proboably loose their majority.

[Thedrin]

Darius's faith in the administration: vindicated.

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Vesayen
Bush and Co. have shown repetadly they will compromise intelligence, sanity and the well being of our nation, to make themselves look good.

Of course, I'm not denying that. However, you must agree that another devastating attack on U.S. soil would make them look bad, right? Since "keeping the homeland safe" is about the only shred of political capital they have left? Knowing this, why the hell would they deliberately compromise the intel community's ability to hunt down terrorists, and thus increase the likelihood of an attack that would destroy what's left of their credibility?

Also, as aforementioned, cutting our intel community off at the knees like that would result in leaks that would damage the admin's public image FAR more than announcing a few foiled plots would improve it.

Originally posted by Thedrin
Darius's faith in the administration: vindicated.

Let's get one thing straight, I have NO faith whatsoever in this administration's moral compass or even that it has this country's best interests at heart. However, I DO have faith in their determination and skill in covering their own asses. From a stone-cold, amoral, cost/benefit analysis perspective, willingly damaging our own ability to prevent terror attacks would - in the long term - do more harm to admin PR than good.

[Vesayen]

Originally posted by Darius871


Of course, I'm not denying that. However, you must agree that another devastating attack on U.S. soil would make them look bad, right? Since "keeping the homeland safe" is about the only shred of political capital they have left? Knowing this, why the hell would they deliberately compromise the intel community's ability to hunt down terrorists, and thus increase the likelihood of an attack that would destroy what's left of their credibility?

That is under the assumption we can, or have succesfully learned about major plots before they occur. That ability or occurence is in question.

[Darius871]

Of course that's in question; I am only pointing out possibilities that preclude any certainty in your logic. You were making the basic assumption that because A) polytubbies know of no foiled plots then B) there have been none and C) thus there is no threat.

Not only does B not guarantee C, but A certainly does not guarantee B (for obvious reasons). You do not have access to the information necessary to draw the conclusion that is the topic of this thread. That's all I wanted to point out.

[Thedrin]

Originally posted by Darius871
Let's get one thing straight, I have NO faith whatsoever in this administration's moral compass or even that it has this country's best interests at heart. However, I DO have faith in their determination and skill in covering their own asses. From a stone-cold, amoral, cost/benefit analysis perspective, willingly damaging our own ability to prevent terror attacks would - in the long term - do more harm to admin PR than good.

That's the only type of faith in the administration that you expressed (that I know of) and, consequently, was talking about.

Am I going to have to fill every statement with disclaimers?

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Ecthy
"would of" doesn't exist

I think he meant wood of.

[Sikander]

I find myself in agreement with the O.P., I'm not afraid in the least of a terrorist attack on Vesayen.

[General Ludd]

Re: Why I am not and have not been afraid of terrorist attacks on American soil

Originally posted by Vesayen

How many pounds of c4 strapped onto an oil tanker in New York’s harbor would turn the New York coast into an ecological disaster?

Zero. It already is an ecological disaster.