NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok. Seen enough of you say this and that about terrorists, some saying that terrorists are not terrorists, or that the government is making it all up, etc. Plenty of tinfoil "the government knows all and is framing people", or "al-Qaeda doesn't exist" or "there's no threat from anyone" or "fill in the blank, because terrorism is not real".

So here's your hypothetical situation for the day.

You're on an airliner. Transatlantic flight.

You're sitting in business class, and enjoying yourself as best you can, when 20 "brothers" (as they term themselves) rise up and take control of the passenger cabin. Even though this is post-911, most passengers are either incapable or unwilling to resist so many people acting with force.

They all appear to be South Asian (Pakistani, you guess), but they are speaking a mix of Urdu and English - you do catch the word "detonator".

Now, you see them tinkering with something near the left wall of the aircraft, in your section.

This isn't a discussion of what you would do.

The question is, would you think now that terrorism is real?

Is that what it would take for some of you?

I believe that there are terrorists. But because there are terrorists doesn't preclude the government framing people for terrorist attacks, or al-Qaeda not existing.

Which is not to say I believe either of those.

But belief that the 9-11 attacks were faked does not necessarily equal belief that there are no terrorists.

Which is not to say that I believe the 9-11 attacks were faked.

The situation makes the assumption that terrorism is real, so how can you ask someone to see themselves in a situation and ask if they think terrorism is real now?

The situation makes the assumption that terrorism is real, so how can you ask someone to see themselves in a situation and ask if they think terrorism is real now?
I'm just wondering if you would be thinking, "oh, those are really US agents, who are pretending to be terrorists, and are blowing up this plane to help Bush".

Only someone who is extremely ignorant would believe that terrorism doesn't exist, don't let the CIA spookophiles get to you DK

These people believe whatever they want to, talking sense into them is impossible

The situation makes the assumption that terrorism is real, so how can you ask someone to see themselves in a situation and ask if they think terrorism is real now?

Its real to begin with though. Suicide bombers and videotaped evidence of the wrath that will fall upon their enemies. We have tapes of everything, even the bombings themselves. Terrorism is real, and its been here.

By denying it you are fooling yourselfs.

The question is, would you think now that terrorism is real?

Except for a few conspiracytheorylovers almost everyone already knows that terrorism is real.
What people tend to argue about is whether or not terrorism is such an enormous threat as the media and governments claim it is. If it makes sense to pump billions of dollars into combating it, or if that money is better spent elsewhere.

Except for a few conspiracytheorylovers almost everyone already knows that terrorism is real.
What people tend to argue about is whether or not terrorism is such an enormous threat as the media and governments claim it is. If it makes sense to pump billions of dollars into combating it, or if that money is better spent elsewhere.

Its not a huge threat, but its there and the economic effects are worth the spending of the money on it to prevent another disaster (even if we will have one sometime later).

Eraclea']Its real to begin with though. Suicide bombers and videotaped evidence of the wrath that will fall upon their enemies. We have tapes of everything, even the bombings themselves. Terrorism is real, and its been here.

By denying it you are fooling yourselfs.

I know terrorism is real. However, it has gotten so politicized that its hard to believe its not some joke to increase approval ratings or gain possible votes. The way that it is being used in the US today is more tragic than the acts themselves.

Eraclea']Its not a huge threat, but its there and the economic effects are worth the spending of the money on it to prevent another disaster (even if we will have one sometime later).

I am not convinced of that. Sofar terrorist attacks seldomn claim more than a few hundred lives. Over a thousand is considered exceptional. On a yearly basis the average number of victims circles around 600. About that many children under 5 years old die every 30 minutes due to malnutrition, lack of healthcare etc. Yet governments pump far, far less money into combating that.

In addition, the actions governments take against terrorists are mainly aimed at stopping the amateurs. Professionals, which are the ones who would actually be able to obtain those high tech weapons of mass destruction that could really cause a high death count, will barely be hindered by all these measures.

Islamic terrorism unequivocally exists. No government, with the omission of the totalitarian despot, massacres thousands of its populace in a fabricated act of terror, nor would they be capable of doing so.

Its bloody well immature to contend otherwise.

Islamic terrorism unequivocally exists. No government, with the omission of the totalitarian despot, massacres thousands of its populace in a fabricated act of terror, nor would they be capable of doing so.

Its bloody well immature to contend otherwise.

I might add that the CIA can't tie its own shoelaces, much less concoct any successful, completely secret plot.

I am recalling the many failures of the CIA, including Mr. Tenet's conclusion that it was a slam-dunk that WMD were in Iraq.

Please - they couldn't organize any large scale conspiracy. I bet they have trouble getting lunch catered successfully.

I might add that the CIA can't tie its own shoelaces, much less concoct any successful, completely secret plot.

I am recalling the many failures of the CIA, including Mr. Tenet's conclusion that it was a slam-dunk that WMD were in Iraq.

Please - they couldn't organize any large scale conspiracy. I bet they have trouble getting lunch catered successfully.

My point precisely. I do wonder as to how conspiray theorists accredit MI5 with fabricating the evidence for Iraq, yet concurrently characterise them as incompetent.

The chances of that happening are incredibly slight. Slight enough for it to not even register as a concern amongst rational people - and definitely not threatening enough to errode century-old traditions of civil liberty.

Next.

Yay for fear-mongering! Without, such great governments (at risk of Godwinning myself here) such as Il Duce's Italy, Hitler's Germany or Tojo's Japan wouldn't have been able to exist.

Hope you thoroughly checked under your bed before you posted Kimchi.

Ok. Seen enough of you say this and that about terrorists, some saying that terrorists are not terrorists, or that the government is making it all up, etc. Plenty of tinfoil "the government knows all and is framing people", or "al-Qaeda doesn't exist" or "there's no threat from anyone" or "fill in the blank, because terrorism is not real".

So here's your hypothetical situation for the day.

You're on an airliner. Transatlantic flight.

You're sitting in business class, and enjoying yourself as best you can, when 20 "brothers" (as they term themselves) rise up and take control of the passenger cabin. Even though this is post-911, most passengers are either incapable or unwilling to resist so many people acting with force.

They all appear to be South Asian (Pakistani, you guess), but they are speaking a mix of Urdu and English - you do catch the word "detonator".

Now, you see them tinkering with something near the left wall of the aircraft, in your section.

This isn't a discussion of what you would do.

The question is, would you think now that terrorism is real?

Is that what it would take for some of you?


Pull out my liquid nitrogen that is handily stored in my water bottle and blow the plane up first!

Ok. Seen enough of you say this and that about terrorists, some saying that terrorists are not terrorists, or that the government is making it all up, etc. Plenty of tinfoil "the government knows all and is framing people", or "al-Qaeda doesn't exist" or "there's no threat from anyone" or "fill in the blank, because terrorism is not real".

So here's your hypothetical situation for the day.

You're on an airliner. Transatlantic flight.

You're sitting in business class, and enjoying yourself as best you can, when 20 "brothers" (as they term themselves) rise up and take control of the passenger cabin. Even though this is post-911, most passengers are either incapable or unwilling to resist so many people acting with force.

They all appear to be South Asian (Pakistani, you guess), but they are speaking a mix of Urdu and English - you do catch the word "detonator".

Now, you see them tinkering with something near the left wall of the aircraft, in your section.

This isn't a discussion of what you would do.

The question is, would you think now that terrorism is real?

Is that what it would take for some of you?

Never recall saying that they didnt exist. They just don't nessecarily exist in the same numbers or for the same reasons as spouted by some fat assed yanks.