71% Say Another 9/11 is Likely To Happen

[Sherry]

I was living in a small town in SW Missouri during 9-11, and thought then that if the terrorists wanted to instill REAL terror, they would strike in small town America in a wave of attacks. Maybe their theory is "go big, or go home", but I don't pretend to know the minds of terrorists.

Consider all the reasons Goldcatt listed, it's not feasible for the terrorists to attack a small target and kill only several people when they can strike a big target and kill 10x as many. They're not looking for small targets to instill fear, no matter what they do fear is instilled here. What they're looking for is a body count, that way they can make better propaganda overseas.

Also, if small targets were their thinking...then there would have been attacks already perpetrated on those place.

As she said, they are open season pretty much.

One must consider...when was there EVER an attack on a rural place or small town...in ANY part of the world in modern history?

People like Sherry need to start THINKING instead of FEELING.

Oh yeah, because I'm so fucking emotional about the issue. Contemplating different ideas and perspectives is obviously beyond my capabilities.

 

[Sherry]

Oh well, accuse me of overestimating their abilities. If we have succeeded in making high level targets nearly impossible, then I don't think it unreasonable to consider that they might attempt another alternative.

That right there is what they want being said. They want people to once again think that high level targets are impossible to strike, which is why they are continuing to try and strike at these targets. They want to eliminate America's sense of untouchable not only at home but around the world.

Our thought process would then be is "If they can strike the Pentagon, or the CIA Headquarters, then what is stopping them from attacking little ol' me?"

That is how they instilled fear on 9/11, and how they try to continue so today. It's been proven to work, that's why they do it.

I remember when Israel's coffee houses and such were continuously under attack, and yet they were determined go about their everyday lives. I don't see it from your perspective that Americans are gripped with a sense of fear.

 

[goldcatt]

I was living in a small town in SW Missouri during 9-11, and thought then that if the terrorists wanted to instill REAL terror, they would strike in small town America in a wave of attacks. Maybe their theory is "go big, or go home", but I don't pretend to know the minds of terrorists.

Consider all the reasons Goldcatt listed, it's not feasible for the terrorists to attack a small target and kill only several people when they can strike a big target and kill 10x as many. They're not looking for small targets to instill fear, no matter what they do fear is instilled here. What they're looking for is a body count, that way they can make better propaganda overseas.

Oh well, accuse me of overestimating their abilities. If we have succeeded in making high level targets nearly impossible, then I don't think it unreasonable to consider that they might attempt another alternative.

Oh, it might well be attempted. My point is, it's not likely to succeed. And anybody intelligent enough to think it all through is likely to realize how low the chances of success are and go a different route - which is where I come back to the idea of the Columbine-style attack being far more likely.

 

[MarcATL]

Oh yeah, because I'm so fucking emotional about the issue. Contemplating different ideas and perspectives is obviously beyond my capabilities.

The fact that you feel it necessary to resort to words such as this tells me all I need to know about your emotional state on the matter.

 

[Modbert]

I remember when Israel's coffee houses and such were continuously under attack, and yet they were determined go about their everyday lives. I don't see it from your perspective that Americans are gripped with a sense of fear.

Here's your problem Sherry, you're comparing Israel and America as if they are the same thing. Israel's entire history has been plagued with attacks. They are use to it by now because they've been attacked so often. I'm not saying Americans aren't determined to go about their everyday lives, it's just that the fear can override that objective a lot of the time.

As Patton once said, "Courage is just fear holding on for a minute longer."

 

[Sherry]

Oh yeah, because I'm so fucking emotional about the issue. Contemplating different ideas and perspectives is obviously beyond my capabilities.

The fact that you feel it necessary to resort to words such as this tells me all I need to know about your emotional state on the matter.

Awww does my potty mouth give you special insight?? Exellent!!

 

[Sherry]

I remember when Israel's coffee houses and such were continuously under attack, and yet they were determined go about their everyday lives. I don't see it from your perspective that Americans are gripped with a sense of fear.

Here's your problem Sherry, you're comparing Israel and America as if they are the same thing. Israel's entire history has been plagued with attacks. They are use to it by now because they've been attacked so often. I'm not saying Americans aren't determined to go about their everyday lives, it's just that the fear can override that objective a lot of the time.

As Patton once said, "Courage is just fear holding on for a minute longer."

No, young man, my perspective is certainly not a problem. If you choose to view Americans in that light, so be it. My experience tells me something different. Perhaps I am just surrounded by unusually strong individuals.

 

[rightwinger]

Domestic loonies are more likely to fly under the radar, no pun intended. (Thinking of the Austin pilot here) People tend to trust their neighbors. I'm not sure even they would be able to pull off much in the way of "significant" attacks when compared to 9/11 though, that would require a level of planning and sophistication that would likely trigger an alarm in more vigilant times. It's possible any old goon squad could get lucky I guess, but do you honestly think a McVeigh would have been successful in the post-9/11 environment? I doubt it.

Again, I would doubt anyone pulling off an explosive type attack of the magnitude of McVeigh. However, it is easier for a McVeigh type to rent a van and acquire materials than someone with an islamic name.
I still see the greatest threat to be a single nut obsessed withabortion, taxes or thinking his guns will be taken away initiating an attack. I think a Columbine type terrorist attack is more likely than Oklahoma City

Discounting the threat of Muslim terrorism here in the U.S. despite the evidence? How fascinating. I mean predictable.

I think we need to be wary of all potential terrorism. The history of the US shows that we have been more vulnerable to domestic terrorists than international terrorists. While I am fully aware of the conservative fear mongering of US born Muslims killing us in our sleep, it is the Tim McVeighs, Ted Kaczinskis, Eric Rudolphs and countless lunatic fringe who are more likely to kill us

 

[goldcatt]

I remember when Israel's coffee houses and such were continuously under attack, and yet they were determined go about their everyday lives. I don't see it from your perspective that Americans are gripped with a sense of fear.

Here's your problem Sherry, you're comparing Israel and America as if they are the same thing. Israel's entire history has been plagued with attacks. They are use to it by now because they've been attacked so often. I'm not saying Americans aren't determined to go about their everyday lives, it's just that the fear can override that objective a lot of the time.

As Patton once said, "Courage is just fear holding on for a minute longer."

No, young man, my perspective is certainly not a problem. If you choose to view Americans in that light, so be it. My experience tells me something different. Perhaps I am just surrounded by unusually strong individuals.

I think Modbert has a point here. Think about the changes that took place on 9/11, and what is meant by the pre-9/11 and post-9/11 societies. Before 9/11 IMO most Americans saw this kind of terrorism as something sad and horrible that happened elsewhere - like Israel. Other than a few domestic loons loading a van with amfo, we were immune from real attack. There hadn't been a war or invasion or foreign attack on our soil in living memory (ETA: Forgot Pearl Harbor, but that's a very different situation). The only enemy was within, and we knew them. They were the fringe nutters, and the gangbangers, and the sociopathic outcasts, and we pretty much had a handle on what to expect.

9/11 destroyed that feeling of invulnerability for us as a nation, and we're still coping with that both individually and in our sort of political schizophrenia on the issue of security. I don't see too many Americans admitting they're living in fear, but how many of them are telling themselves or anyone else the truth as evidenced by their actions? I'm not going to make any personal judgments here, but to say "Americans" aren't fearful as a whole just isn't true.

 

[KissMy]

I think we need to be wary of all potential terrorism. The history of the US shows that we have been more vulnerable to domestic terrorists than international terrorists. While I am fully aware of the conservative fear mongering of US born Muslims killing us in our sleep, it is the Tim McVeighs, Ted Kaczinskis, Eric Rudolphs and countless lunatic fringe who are more likely to kill us

Yea, Sure Mayor Bloomberg

 

[Flopper]

I doubt if they have the ability to duplicate an attack of the magnitude of 9-11. Planes are no longer available and security is much tighter than ten years ago. The command structure of AlQaida has been severely compromised and their access to funding has been cut.
More importantly, they do not have the support of the Islamic world they once did. I believe there was a romantic view towards jihadists as freedom fighters and martyrs. They are now seen as the terrorists they are.
Recent attempts at attacks have been amateurish blunders showing how far they have fallen in terms of preparation and execution.

Will there ber attacks in the future? Probably yes, but they will be relatively minor

You took the words out of my mouth. I think 9/11 made it clear we are not immune and sooner or later another attack will happen. But another attack on the same scale? I doubt it. Look also at the level of vigilance in the public and the fact that law enforcement takes citizen reports seriously. Before 9/11, would the would-be Times Square bombers have been reported? Would the people reporting it have been laughed off? If somebody were taking pilot lessons now and didn't want to learn how to land, would it be shrugged off? It's a whole different attitude and awareness. That makes a difference.

I think the next significant terrorist attack will probably come from domestic terrorism rather than international terrorism. There has been a dramatic increase in the amount of anti-government rhetoric in the past few years.
I think a Tim McVeigh type attack has a better chance of success than one from outside the US, but there is much more vigilance in reporting suspicious activity making a major event more unlikely

I agree. In 2001, the United States was totally unprepared for an attack. The landscape has changed a lot. I think there will be another terrorist attack, but it won't be from the Muslim extremist.

According to Pew polls, support for Al Qaeda has been dropping around the Muslim world in the years leading to 2008. The numbers supporting suicide bombings in Indonesia, Lebanon, and Bangladesh, for instance, have dropped by half or more in the last five years. In Saudi Arabia, only 10 percent now have a favorable view of Al Qaeda, according to a December poll by Terror Free Tomorrow, a Washington-based think tank.

Al-Qaeda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

.

 

[Modbert]

No, young man, my perspective is certainly not a problem. If you choose to view Americans in that light, so be it. My experience tells me something different. Perhaps I am just surrounded by unusually strong individuals.

You're free to believe whatever you want, I'm just telling you that it is inaccurate.

Part of me is more worried about this than anything else:

A hidden world, growing beyond control | washingtonpost.com

 

[Sherry]

Here's your problem Sherry, you're comparing Israel and America as if they are the same thing. Israel's entire history has been plagued with attacks. They are use to it by now because they've been attacked so often. I'm not saying Americans aren't determined to go about their everyday lives, it's just that the fear can override that objective a lot of the time.

As Patton once said, "Courage is just fear holding on for a minute longer."

No, young man, my perspective is certainly not a problem. If you choose to view Americans in that light, so be it. My experience tells me something different. Perhaps I am just surrounded by unusually strong individuals.

I think Modbert has a point here. Think about the changes that took place on 9/11, and what is meant by the pre-9/11 and post-9/11 societies. Before 9/11 IMO most Americans saw this kind of terrorism as something sad and horrible that happened elsewhere - like Israel. Other than a few domestic loons loading a van with amfo, we were immune from real attack. There hadn't been a war or invasion or foreign attack on our soil in living memory (ETA: Forgot Pearl Harbor, but that's a very different situation). The only enemy was within, and we knew them. They were the fringe nutters, and the gangbangers, and the sociopathic outcasts, and we pretty much had a handle on what to expect.

9/11 destroyed that feeling of invulnerability for us as a nation, and we're still coping with that both individually and in our sort of political schizophrenia on the issue of security. I don't see too many Americans admitting they're living in fear, but how many of them are telling themselves or anyone else the truth as evidenced by their actions? I'm not going to make any personal judgments here, but to say "Americans" aren't fearful as a whole just isn't true.

Evidenced by what actions?? The vast majority of us still get on planes. I think there's more anger than fear at the way our lives were forced to change. The human spirit is amazingly resilient, and I happen to believe that Americans are exceptional in their desire to stand strong against the face of adversary.

 

[Sherry]

No, young man, my perspective is certainly not a problem. If you choose to view Americans in that light, so be it. My experience tells me something different. Perhaps I am just surrounded by unusually strong individuals.

You're free to believe whatever you want, I'm just telling you that it is inaccurate.

Part of me is more worried about this than anything else:

A hidden world, growing beyond control | washingtonpost.com

Well thanks for your permission to have a difference of opinion.

 

[rightwinger]

I think we need to be wary of all potential terrorism. The history of the US shows that we have been more vulnerable to domestic terrorists than international terrorists. While I am fully aware of the conservative fear mongering of US born Muslims killing us in our sleep, it is the Tim McVeighs, Ted Kaczinskis, Eric Rudolphs and countless lunatic fringe who are more likely to kill us

Yea, Sure Mayor Bloomberg

Yea...yea

We know all about your US born Muslim boogey-man plotting to kill us all and instil Sharia law as they take over the US

You watch too much Glenn Beck

 

[SFC Ollie]

does anyone know how many children were killed that day? cause the differece from past wars i think, is that those muslims targeted civilians, women and children and men non military. of course japan nuked notwithstanding... was the al qaeda/taliban intent to end the war?

Al Quaedas intent was to instill terror. And there were 8 children murdered that day.

5 on American 77 and 3 on United 175. The youngest was 2 years old.

 

[goldcatt]

Evidenced by what actions?? The vast majority of us still get on planes. I think there's more anger than fear at the way our lives were forced to change. The human spirit is amazingly resilient, and I happen to believe that Americans are exceptional in their desire to stand strong against the face of adversary.

Not all Americans will still get on planes. But it's more than that, perhaps "attitudes" is a better word than "actions". It's in the causes they - we - choose to support, the nature of the arguments over all issues remotely related to terrorism, the rise of nationalistic fervor and collective paranoia. Did you or anyone else notice the arguments on issues ranging from the NYC mosque to koran burning to the wars and on and on quickly devolve into blamefests and accusations while they rather decidedly avoid any concrete discussion of security - or insecurity, as the case may be? I'd say a lot of Americans are still coping, still adjusting, still evolving and in many ways still struggling with denial over their feelings of insecurity and how best to address them. Which I don't have a problem with per se, but let's then at least be honest about it.

 

[chanel]

Go back under your rock rw, and let the grownups look out for you.

The only thing I demand of the federal government is national security. They cannot monitor every bullied teenager who may plan a Columbine, but they sure as hell can look out for the Anwar al-Awlakis and the Major Hassans in this country. They can also ENFORCE immigration laws to make sure some of these bad actors aren't crossing our borders and overstaying their fake student visas.

Terrorism deniers are fringe as the Rasmussen report points out. They remind me of "troofers".

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Most of what I see is cosmetic at best. Some things like the TSA are a major step backward.

All kinds of alarm bells rang 9 years ago, but got lost in the shuffle of too much noise.

Wry Catcher brings up a problem that makes for a reason any future attack will be more successful. Normal dissenting conversation becomes equated to treasonous activity so actual activity is more likely to be ignored. We get too many domestic "wolf" calls. So any real wolf can better sneak in under the level of disgust for the fakery.

 

[Sherry]

Evidenced by what actions?? The vast majority of us still get on planes. I think there's more anger than fear at the way our lives were forced to change. The human spirit is amazingly resilient, and I happen to believe that Americans are exceptional in their desire to stand strong against the face of adversary.

Not all Americans will still get on planes. But it's more than that, perhaps "attitudes" is a better word than "actions". It's in the causes they - we - choose to support, the nature of the arguments over all issues remotely related to terrorism, the rise of nationalistic fervor and collective paranoia. Did you or anyone else notice the arguments on issues ranging from the NYC mosque to koran burning to the wars and on and on quickly devolve into blamefests and accusations while they rather decidedly avoid any concrete discussion of security - or insecurity, as the case may be? I'd say a lot of Americans are still coping, still adjusting, still evolving and in many ways still struggling with denial over their feelings of insecurity and how best to address them. Which I don't have a problem with per se, but let's then at least be honest about it.

I just don't see fear as the motivating factor in any of those examples. You can argue that fear is an underlying issue for some, and in select circumstances, but it is not what consumes us as a people.