NationStates Jolt Archive

I don't know if any of you are aware of a show that aired on the BBC in the UK during october called the Power of Nightmares.

It was a documentary that talked about the idea that the whole war on terror concept was actually engineered in order to restore faith in politicians. The idea that in the past politicians had promised populations dreams and failed to deliver. That this had in turn led to disillusionment in the political process. In order to restore faith, an idea was created that instead of promising dreams, politicians should promise to protect the populace from nightmares.

Anyhow, here's the link to part one of the documentary: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/video1037.htm
(part 2 is linked on that page)

My questions:

What do you think? Is the war on terror largely a fabrication?
Are things such as strong national identity and religion important in being the glue that binds a society together?

Thank you.

the war on terror is obviously a cover for some shit with all the lies and deciet going into the start and continued duration of it, the question is what exactly. im going for american control of the middle east, ie oil

One of the reasons I reccomend watching the video is that it puts that as a secondary concern of the US administration.

It puts forward the idea that fear of an enemey (fictional or not) and a strong national identity, plus religious ideals are a strong method for controlling a nation. In such a climate, unprecedented actions restricting or stepping over civil liberties might be possible such as the US patriot act.

It doesn't just talk about that however, it talks about the rise of islamic militancy and terrorism in the middle east. Starting with rather hardline muslims studying in the US and reviling against the comparatively lax moral climate (when compared with the middle east) and how the rise of oppressive regimes in the region helped hardline muslim beleifs to spread.

the war on terror is obviously a cover for some shit with all the lies and deciet going into the start and continued duration of it, the question is what exactly. im going for american control of the middle east, ie oil

nah not oil... too obvous.... I think they they rearly did believe blowing up everyone that dissagreed with you was the only way of stopping terrorism (or as bush calls it terrrrrrrrrrrorrrrrrrrrrism (you would have thought after 4 year he would be able to say the damn work), that scares the hell out of me beacuse it would have to oppersite effect. think about it when the World trade towers fell, the world wanted to kill the ones responcable, so they did, so innocent people who got killed/injured or there family would want revenge so they would join the terrorist groups.

please tell if my logic is a bit loopy (its 2am, i hate insomia)

Is the war on terror largely a fabrication?
Are things such as strong national identity and religion important in being the glue that binds a society together? Thank you.
Yep. They're right. The War on Terror is so bogus. The US deliberately flew two of its own planes into the World Trade Center towers and another into the Pentagon just so we could all feel better about our politicians. We then declared the "War on Terrorism" so that we could continue to feel better about our politicians. We invaded Afghanistan and Iraq just to make it even more real, and all so we could feel better about our politicians.

Anyone who actually believes this bullshit fell out of the Stupid Tree and hit every branch on the way down.

Bush so planed the attack on the twin towers and the pentagon and the attemept on camp david! Why? because he needed a reason to attack Sudam Hussein! the nation wassn't behind him so he brought them together! He had acces to Bin Laden, how he was trained by the CIA so he knew where to find him. Why Saddam and Afgan and Iraq? watch Farenheight 911 and you will see that bush(is an asshole) and Saddamwere buissness partners! so why did he attack him? A buisness deal gone bad? Money missing? I dont know ill let you figure that out yourself

The program doesn't profess that the government flew two planes into the world trade center...

*sigh*

I'm not trying to intimate that the entire thing was fabricated from step 1.

For example, what about the possibility that a relatively small but quite well trained terrorist organisation known as al qaeda pulled off a successful bombing and hijacking, killing thousands of people in the process, maybe they're not so small...

What the program suggests is that the government took the terrible events that happened and capitalised on it. I'm not saying I beleive it, but I do think its something thats interesting to think about.

Both episodes are there, streaming video, watch them they're interesting even if some of the arguments are fanciful they do have [i[some[/i] evidence to back up their ideas.

Promising to protect people from the boogey-man has always been a part of political policy...its called scapegoating.

Its one way to keep the sheep in line, as they are steered slowly towards the slaughter pen, where they will be...nevermind.

Bush so planed the attack on the twin towers and the pentagon and the attemept on camp david! Why? because he needed a reason to attack Sudam Hussein! the nation wassn't behind him so he brought them together! He had acces to Bin Laden, how he was trained by the CIA so he knew where to find him. Why Saddam and Afgan and Iraq? watch Farenheight 911 and you will see that bush(is an asshole) and Saddamwere buissness partners! so why did he attack him? A buisness deal gone bad? Money missing? I dont know ill let you figure that out yourself
You believe Farenheight 9/11??? ROFLMAO!!!!! Aaahahahahahahahahahaha!

News flash - if we had wanted Iraq's oil fields, we would have taken them in '91.

Is the war on terror largely a fabrication?

I believe it's just a fancy concept to make people think something can actually be done to "stop" terrorism, when in fact, you can never stop - and/or prevent - it.

Are things such as strong national identity and religion important in being the glue that binds a society together?

I think religion is much stronger than national identity, as faith proves to know no bounds.

There have been wars on drugs, terror and communism.

There has not been a war on ignorance.

There's a reason for this.

Bush is an Orwellian dictator who uses religion to enslave peoples minds

Bush is an Orwellian dictator who uses religion to enslave peoples minds

What's up, MK? :D

If the so-called war on terror was meant to restore our faith in politicians then it hasn't done a very good job.

"we're gonna hunt down Bin Laden"
some time later...
"Bin Laden? I don't give him too much thought." (paraphrased)

WTF?!? This was THE guy we we're supposed to be going after. Maybe we still are, but from what Bush said, it sure doesn't sound like it. Maybe when Osama's troops set off the next attack we'll focus on him again, but for how long? And I'm not even going to get into the administrations blunders in Iraq. Faith in politicians? NOT!