Sunday, July 16, 2006

SAFE AT HOME

STATISTICALLY, WE ARE ALL SAFE.
THE NEARLY 3,000 PEOPLE KILLED ON 9/11 REPRESENT A FRACTIONAL PART OF OUR 300,000,000 POPULATION.
SHOULD WE SUFFER FROM ANOTHER TERRORIST ATTACK, THE ODDS ARE IMMENSE THAT YOU’LL BE SAFE FROM PHYSICAL HARM.
THE SECURITY RATIO IS EVEN GREATER IF YOU LIVE IN, SAY, CANTON OHIO OR RURAL NORTH DAKOTA (IS THERE ANY OTHER TYPE OF DAKOTA OTHER THAN ‘RURAL’?).
THE DANGER INCREASES ONLY SLIGHTLY BY RESIDING IN ANY OF OUR HALF DOZEN GREAT CITIES.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU AND I WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE VICTIMS OF A TERRORIST ATTACK.

THE BAD NEWS IS THAT WE PROBABLY WILL BE SPECTATORS.


THE HOME IS SAFE.
HOWEVER, THE ‘HOMELAND’ IS NOT.

WHAT CAN THE GOVERNMENT DO TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY?
VERY LITTLE, OTHER THAN THE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS, BAG SEARCHES, AND SHOE REMOVALS WHICH SALVE OUR FEARS AND GREASE OUR ECONOMY.

IT’S AS IF WE GRANTED OURSELVES AN ORDER OF PROTECTION FROM THE BRUTE.
BUT, LIKE ANY ORDER OF PROTECTION, IT ONLY WORKS BY FRIGHTENING THE OFFENDER WITH SEVERE PENALTIES.
TERRORISTS SEEM NOT TO BE DETERRED BY FEAR OF IMPRISONMENT OR EXECUTION.

COMING NEXT: ONE DISASTROUS SCENARIO.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent article. I am amazed that we don't have at least one terrorist act a day somewhere in this country.

Anonymous said...

I don't care that terrorism will probably never strike my home town. Terrorism against one of us is an act against all of us.

The only penalty that will work against radical muslims is death.
I don't believe there is any negotiating with them.

Anonymous said...

Our president continues to show disrespect to other countries, cultures, religions. Homeland security is a farce. He keeps us fearful to control us. Freedom of the press seems to be a part of the constitution that this president likes to ignore (as well as other freedoms we are "guaranteed").

quicksand said...

WHICH ONLY PROVES THAT I LIVE IN A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD....BRIGHT FOLKS!

quicksand said...

I AGREE WITH POL-IMP.

THAT'S THE POINT. IF THEY WANT TO DO US HARM, THERE'S NEARLY NOTHING WE CAN DO TO STOP IT.

quicksand said...

DEAR ANON,

DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAYING THE SAME THING ABOUT US?

Anonymous said...

Political Impaler....you are right. It is because of the war in Iraq that has taken the focus off us, brilliantly played by our President....though the Libs and the Dems hate him so much they can't see the truth. Neighbor likes to talk about the President without one example....just reiterating what he/she hears on CNN. Sure Neighbor....the President wants to keep us fearful, but the terrorists don't, and if Big Bad Bush would just leave them alone, they would leave us alone. Yeah, right! Homeland security is a farce, yet there are over 100 credible threats to our homeland on a monthly basis, and yet there hasn't been any attacks. The obvious Liberal connection is....well it can't be Homeland Security! The President continues to show disrespect to other countries....etc...yet these countries now can vote, go to school, practice their religions, they abolished the prisons for children....but this is all bad....because Liberals cannot admit that Bush has done the right thing. Anonymous, you are right as well. They want to kill us, they have always wanted to kill us, (read some Muslim writings and historical documents) and unfortunately backing down as Clinton did only made them angrier because they see that as weakness.

Anonymous said...

COMING NEXT: ONE DISATROUS SCENARIO

My prediction for the above: A Democrat may win an election!

Anonymous said...

Most pathetic statement I ever heard in my life:

"If they want to do us harm, there's nearly nothing we can do to stop it"

Are you kidding?? We did nothing but empower these fanatics for many years. We were hit time and again with little or no response.

The concept is very simple. You get them before they get us. Any other plan is useless.

Quicksand, be careful. Statements like yours might just keep Republicans in power. Sticking your head in the sand will not work.

quicksand said...

DEAR SUPPORTER OF THE PRESENT PRESIDENT,

PLEASE READ MY ENTRY AGAIN.
IT WAS NOT ABOUT ASSIGNING BLAME.
YOU MAY EVEN WANT TO HALT HITTING THE 'KILL BILL' DEFAULT BUTTON.

IT IS MY SIMPLE BELIEF THAT
WE CANNOT PROTECT OURSELVES FROM ALL POSSIBLE THREATS. WE CAN REDIRECT THEM BUT NOT ELIMINATE THEM.

YOU SUGGEST THAT WE 'GET THEM BEFORE THEY GET US.'

PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR PROPOSAL.

Anonymous said...

For many years, through many administrations, our government did not recognize the threat radical Islam represented.

Radical muslims have become so powerful because they have not been confronted directly. In my opinion, we have nurtured their existence through our lack of response to many attacks.

Their ideas must be challenged. For many years our government has been pathetic in this sense.

In addition, they must also be confronted militarily. Make them spend as much time as possible worrying about their own safety so they don't have the freedom to plot endlessly against us. Not a perfect plan. Not even close. Probably won't stop some attacks from getting through. I know this.

If we shine a light on their beliefs and kill every one of them we can find, I think we stand a chance.

Anonymous said...

Anon,

I believe it all started in Beirut. The marines were bombed. We left. Lesson over.

quicksand said...

TO MR. ANON,

ANY IDEAS ABOUT WHY THEY ATTACKED US SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST?
NO, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT IT BE EXCUSED, JUST EXPLAINED.

YOU SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE TO KILL THEM. WHERE AND HOW DO WE START. PLEASE EXPLAIN.

HAS THIS ADMINISTRATION REDUCED OR INCREASED THE NUMBER OF ANTI-AMERICN TERRORISTS?

Anonymous said...

Bruce,
Where are all the others who used to agree with your political comments? Heard from MilesofDavis lately?
-

quicksand said...

ALL ARE WELCOME TO WRITE ANYTHING HERE.
NO VULGARITY.
NO ADVERTISEMENTS.
NO PERSONAL NOTES.

Anonymous said...

I am not the Anon that Quicksand asked to respond, but here is a least one answer to the question...
ANY IDEAS ABOUT WHY THEY ATTACKED US SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST?
NO, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT IT BE EXCUSED, JUST EXPLAINED.

YOU SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE TO KILL THEM. WHERE AND HOW DO WE START. PLEASE EXPLAIN.

Ever since the advent of Islam, it spreads its word of peace by killing those who refuse to accept them. This is a part of their faith which you can look up. They believe so strongly that this is what Allah wants, that they willingly go to their deaths. We will not convert and so we must be killed. We are the Infidels. As far as the second part of your question goes, we have started to kill them. We took the fight to their own soil. It would be lovely actually to negotiate with them. I would suggest that someone give that a shot, perhaps Bill Clinton would like to go. After all if he's willing to die for Israel, perhaps he'd be willing to die for the United States. From the news: Bill Clinton says that he would take up arms and "fight and die" for Israel if Iraq attacks the Jewish state. "If Iraq came across the Jordan River, I would grab a rifle and get in the trench and fight and die," the ex-president said to wild applause at a
Jewish fund-raiser in Toronto.

This is the first time in recent memory that I actually agree with the former President.

Anonymous said...

Quicksand, you know better than that.

99.9% of muslims are peace loving people. Without question.

How many radical muslims have you met? Radical muslims believe that non-believers of their strict interpretations of Islam are infidels.

If you haven't read about what goes on at their schools and in their communities, then I think you should.

The radicals are the ones that are at war with moderate muslims and the western world. They understand that we are finally confronting them. Why do you think they are fighting so fiercely?? Where will they go if we take away their safe havens. Of course, it won't be easy. I am not saying it will be. I think it is our only option.

Maybe, when they understand that we are finally willing to make a stand, they will see that they won't be rewarded for these acts of terrorism like they have in the past.

quicksand said...

THE FEW MUSLIMS THAT I KNOW HAVE NEVER TRIED TO CONVERT ME.
THEY HAVEN'T KILLED ME...SO FAR.

1:55 PM

quicksand said...

DEAR ANON,
YOU ASK HOW MANY RADICAL MUSLIMS I'VE MET.
NONE.

YOU SEEM TO HAVE MET MANY. NO?

Anonymous said...

Quicksand, weren't you the one who posted the piece asking for vigorous question and answer sessions to facilitate honest debate in our government???

Yet, you conveniently play the polished politician by not addressing the issues being debated here. In place of a response, you ask a lame question trying to accomplish I don't know what.

Explanation????? Response to the above posts???? What should be done to deal with RADICAL MUSLIMS????

quicksand said...

FAIR ENOUGH. I ACCEPT YOUR CRITICISM.
ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE POSTED HERE WAS,
‘IS AMERICA SAFE?’,
I’LL TRY TO AVOID BEING A SPINELESS POLITICO.



WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT AND OBLIGATION TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THOSE WHO TRY TO HURT US.
THAT INCLUDES RADICAL MUSLIMS OR RADICAL ANYTHING ELSE.
EVERYONE IN THE WORLD HAS THAT RIGHT.
EVERYONE.
I’M SURE THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT TO DO US GREAT HARM.
IT WOULD BE MADNESS FOR US TO KNEEL DOWN SO THAT THEY COULD SEPARATE US FROM OUR HEADS.
WE DESTROY HE WHO SEEKS TO DESTROY US. THAT'S WHAT OUR MILITARY IS FOR.

AS TO THE MUSLIMS, FRANKLY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE MILLIONS OF MUSLIMS FEEL OR THINK. THEIR POINT OF VIEW IS RARELY EXPRESSED IN
OUR MEDIA OTHER THAN THE ATTENTION-GETTING EXTREMISTS AND THE FANATICAL SCHOOLS OF HATE.
IT WOULD BE LIKE USING SKINHEADS OR THE KLAN AS A PROTOTYPE OF AMERICA.
I SUSPECT THAT WE HAVE CARICATURED THEM INTO A BOX WHICH SERVES CERTAIN AGENDAS.
ANON SAYS THAT 99.9 % OF MUSLIMS ARE FINE. ALTHOUGH IT'S A PLEASANT ASSESSMENT, HOW DID HE REACH THIS CONCLUSION?
DO THEY REALLY WANT TO DIE AND GET A FLOCK OF VIRGINS IN HEAVEN? I DON’T KNOW. DO YOU?
IS THE KORAN TRULY A FIELD GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THEIR EVERY THOUGHT?
ISN'T THE BIBLE LACED WITH STRANGE DOGMA?
IS THE BIBLE AN OPERATOR’S MANUAL TO CHRISTIAN THOUGHT?
NOTHING HAS CONVINCED ME THAT THE MUSLIM ANGER DIRECTED AT THE UNITED STATES HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH MODERNITY OR RELIGIOUS CONVERSION. SORRY, I DON'T BUY THE PROGRAM.
I SOMETIMES FEEL THAT WE’RE NOT COMPLETELY CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO EXAMINE THE TRUTHS, WHATEVER THEY ARE.

YOU ASK, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
WE SHOULD GO AFTER THE PEOPLE WHO DESIGNED 9/11.
THEY WEREN’T TO BE FOUND IN IRAQ, ALTHOUGH I’M SURE SOME ARE NOW.
WHILE TOLERATING NO HARM DIRECTED AT US, WE SHOULD AVOID DOING HARM TO OTHERS.

Anonymous said...

If 99.9% of Muslims are peace loving then they are ignoring the tenets of their religious beliefs. There are many "peaceful" writings in the Koran, but that usually has to do with Muslim to Muslim. When they talk about Jews or Christians, then they use a different kind of language. "The only way Muslims can be guaranteed to go to heaven is through "jihad." Although it is often translated "holy war," "jihad" literally means "exerting force for God." One could be in "jihad" by writing a book about Islam, or by sharing his faith to bring others to Islam, or by physically fighting for the cause of Islam. If a Muslim dies in "jihad," he is guaranteed to go to heaven." How about some quotes from the peaceful Koran....
"...fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you...[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers."
"And when the sacred months are passed, kill those who join other gods
with God wherever you shall find them; and seize them, besiege them,
and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush: but if they shall convert,
and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms, then let them go their
way." 9:5

quicksand said...

I READ A QUOTE IN THE NYT YESTERDAY.
IT'S AN ITALIAN SAYING.

'LOOK AT THE HANDS, DON'T LISTEN TO THE MOUTH'

Anonymous said...

How can you see the hands when your head is buried in Quicksand?

quicksand said...

MY HEAD IS BURIED IN QUICKSAND BECAUSE I MIGHT NOT SHARE YOUR OPINIONS?
I'M NOT SURE I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR OPINION IS. EACH ANONYMOUS CAN BE A DIFFERENT PERSON.

I'M NOT A THEOLOGICAL SCHOLAR.
I JUST LOOK AT THE WORLD AROUND ME.

Anonymous said...

Yes, your head is buried in quicksand because you do not agree with me. I was making the point that we have been attacked many times by people who espouse what I have quoted to you from their own scriptures. If they say they want to kill us and then they do, it does not take a theological scholar to figure out why. How hard is that to understand?

quicksand said...

I THINK RELIGION WAS NOT THE PRIMARY REASON WE WERE ATTACKED.
HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT WE PREFER TO PROMOTE THAT EXPLANATION.
FURTHERMORE, I BELIEVE THE SOONER WE REALIZE THAT, THE SOONER WE MAY BE SAFER...IF IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
I SUSPECT THAT THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD VERY ANGRY AT US. WE MUST PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THEM.
WE'D ALSO BE WISE TO REFLECT UPON THEIR GRIEVANCES. NOT TO EXCUSE THEM, BUT TO UNDERSTAND THEM SO THAT WE MIGHT ULTIMATELY BE MORE SECURE.

Anonymous said...

Hey Quicksand (an appropriate name)
Here's someone who thinks (boy is he stupid) that
religion does play a part in terrorism. You should write to him and straighten him out. You obviously know more than he does.

The psychology behind suicide bombings.

By - Pierre Rehov, documentary filmmaker





On July 15, MSNBC's "Connected" program discussed the July 7th London attacks.

One of the guests was Pierre Rehov, a French filmmaker who has filmed six documentaries on the intifada by going undercover in the Palestinian areas. Pierre's upcoming film, "Suicide Killers," is based on interviews that he conducted with the families of suicide bombers and would-be bombers in an attempt to find out why they do it. Pierre agreed to a request for a Q&A interview here about his work on the new film.





Q - What inspired you to produce "Suicide Killers," your seventh film?





A - I started working with victims of suicide attacks to make a film on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) when I became fascinated with the personalities of those who had committed those crimes, as they were described again and again by their victims. Especially the fact that suicide bombers are all smiling one second before they blow themselves up.





Q - Why is this film especially important?





A - People don't understand the devastating culture behind this unbelievable phenomenon. My film is not politically correct because it addresses the real problem, showing the real face of Islam. It points the finger against a culture of hatred in which the uneducated are brainwashed to a level where their only solution in life becomes to kill themselves and kill others in the name of a God whose word, as transmitted by other men, has become their only certitude.





Q - What insights did you gain from making this film? What do you know that other experts do not know?





A - I came to the conclusion that we are facing a neurosis at the level of an entire civilization. Most neuroses have in common a dramatic event, generally linked to an unacceptable sexual behavior. In this case, we are talking of kids living all their lives in pure frustration, with no opportunity to experience sex, love, tenderness or even understanding from the opposite sex. The separation between men and women in Islam is absolute. So is contempt toward women, who are totally dominated by men. This leads to a situation of pure anxiety, in which normal behavior is not possible. It is no coincidence that suicide killers are mostly young men dominated subconsciously by an overwhelming libido that they not only cannot satisfy but are afraid of, as if it is the work of the devil.

Since Islam describes heaven as a place where everything on Earth will finally be allowed, and promises 72 virgins to those frustrated kids, killing others and killing themselves to reach this redemption becomes their only solution.





Q - What was it like to interview would-be suicide bombers, their families and survivors of suicide bombings?





A - It was a fascinating and a terrifying experience. You are dealing with seemingly normal people with very nice manners who have their own logic, which to a certain extent can make sense since they are so convinced that what they say is true. It is like dealing with pure craziness, like interviewing people in an asylum, since what they say, is for them, the absolute truth. I hear a mother saying "Thank God, my son is dead." Her son had became a shaheed, a martyr, which for her was a greater source of pride than if he had became an engineer, a doctor or a winner of the Nobel Prize.

This system of values works completely backwards since their interpretation of Islam worships death much more than life. You are facing people whose only dream, only achievement goal is to fulfill what they believe to be their destiny, namely to be a Shaheed or the family of a shaheed.

They don't see the innocent being killed, they only see the impure that they have to destroy.





Q - You say suicide bombers experience a moment of absolute power, beyond punishment. Is death the ultimate power?





A - Not death as an end, but death as a door opener to the after life. They are seeking the reward that God has promised them. They work for God, the ultimate authority, above all human laws. They therefore experience this single delusional second of absolute power, where nothing bad can ever happen to them, since they become God's sword.





Q - Is there a suicide bomber personality profile? Describe the psychopathology.





A - Generally kids between 15 and 25 bearing a lot of complexes, generally inferiority complexes. They must have been fed with religion. They usually have a lack of developed personality. Usually they are impressionable idealists. In the western world they would easily have become drug addicts, but not criminals. Interestingly, they are not criminals since they don't see good and evil the same way that we do. If they had been raised in an Occidental culture, they would have hated violence. But they constantly battle against their own death anxiety. The only solution to this deep-seated pathology is to be willing to die and be rewarded in the afterlife in Paradise.





Q - Are suicide bombers principally motivated by religious conviction?





A - Yes, it is their only conviction. They don't act to gain a territory or to find freedom or even dignity. They only follow Allah, the supreme judge, and what He tells them to do.





Q - Do all Muslims interpret jihad and martyrdom in the same way?





A - All Muslim believers believe that, ultimately, Islam will prevail on earth. They believe this is the only true religion and there is no room, in their mind, for interpretation. The main difference between moderate Muslims and extremists is that moderate Muslims don't think they will see the absolute victory of Islam during their lifetime, therefore they respect other beliefs. The extremists believe that the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Islam and ruling the entire world as described in the Koran, is for today. Each victory of Bin Laden convinces 20 million moderate Muslims to become extremists.





Q - Describe the culture that manufactures suicide bombers.





A - Oppression, lack of freedom, brain washing, organized poverty, placing God in charge of daily life, total separation between men and women, forbidding sex, giving women no power whatsoever, and placing men in charge of family honor, which is mainly connected to their women's behavior.





Q - What socio-economic forces support the perpetuation of suicide bombings?





A - Muslim charity is usually a cover for supporting terrorist organizations. But one has also to look at countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are also supporting the same organizations through different networks. The ironic thing in the case of Palestinian suicide bombers is that most of the money comes through financial support from the Occidental world, donated to a culture that utterly hates and rejects the West (mainly symbolized by Israel).





Q - Is there a financial support network for the families of the suicide bombers? If so, who is paying them and how does that affect the decision?





A - There used to be a financial incentive in the days of Saddam Hussein

($25,000 per family) and Yasser Arafat (smaller amounts), but these days are gone. It is a mistake to believe that these families would sacrifice their children for money. Although, the children themselves who are very attached to their families, might find in this financial support another reason to become suicide bombers. It is like buying a life insurance policy and then committing suicide.





Q - Why are so many suicide bombers young men?





A - As discussed above, libido is paramount. Also ego, because this is a sure way to become a hero. The shaheed are the cowboys or the firemen of Islam. Shaheed is a positively reinforced value in this culture. And what kid has never dreamed of becoming a cowboy or a fireman?





Q - What role does the U.N. play in the terrorist equation?





A - The U.N. is in the hands of Arab countries and third world or ex-communist countries. Their hands are tied. The U.N. has condemned Israel more than any other country in the world, including the regime of Castro, Idi Amin or Kaddahfi. By behaving this way, the U.N. leaves a door open by not openly condemning terrorist organizations. In addition, through UNRWA, the U.N. is directly tied to terror organizations such as Hamas, representing 65 percent of their apparatus in the so-called Palestinian refugee camps. As a support to Arab countries, the U.N. has maintained Palestinians in camps with the hope to "return" into Israel for more than 50 years, therefore making it impossible to settle those populations, which s till live in deplorable conditions. Four hundred million dollars are spent every year, mainly financed by U.S. taxes, to support 23,000 employees of UNRWA, many of whom belong to terrorist organizations (see Congressman Eric Cantor on this subject, and in my film "Hostages of Hatred").





Q - You say that a suicide bomber is a 'stupid bomb and a smart bomb' simultaneously. Explain what you mean.





A - Unlike an electronic device, a suicide killer has until the last second the capacity to change his mind. In reality, he is nothing but a platform representing interests which are not his, but he doesn't know it.





Q - How can we put an end to the madness of suicide bombings and terrorism in general?





A - Stop being politically correct and stop believing that this culture is a victim of ours. Radical Islamism today is nothing but a new form of Nazism. Nobody was trying to justify or excuse Hitler in the 1930s. We had to defeat him in order to make peace one day with the German people.





Q - Are these men traveling outside their native areas in large numbers? Based on your research, would you predict that we are beginning to see a new wave of suicide bombings outside the Middle East?





A - Every successful terror attack is considered a victory by the radical Islamists. Everywhere Islam expands there is regional conflict. Right now, there are thousands of candidates for martyrdom lining up in training camps in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Inside Europe, hundreds of illegal mosques are preparing the next step of brain washing to lost young men who cannot find a satisfying identity in the Occidental world. < u2:place u3:st="on">Israel is much more prepared for this than the rest of the world will ever be. Yes, there will be more suicide killings in Europe and the U.S. Sadly, this is only the beginning.

quicksand said...

WELL...........GLAD THAT'S ALL CLEARED UP.