A scenario

[Quantum Windbag]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

 

[Ringel05]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

They've become much better at what they do and use more sophisticated tools.

 

[zzzz]

We did not have 24 hour news back then. It’s all about being in front of you all the time. The media needs to fill those 24 hours with something and when something happens that is out of the ordinary they focus hard on it. The odds of being in a terrorist incident is very slim, you’re more likely to die in an auto accident than see or experience a terrorist act.

But the terrorists are also understanding the psychology of the 24 hour news cycle and they play to that more and more. They use the news media. And the media feeds off that. But what can they do, people watch it and viewer numbers are important. The problem here is that the media is now in the news to make money not report the news.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

They've become much better at what they do and use more sophisticated tools.

Really?

They used box cutters on 9/11. I didn't realize those were all that sophisticated.

 

[Solace]

Interesting read, thanks for sharing.

 

[Ringel05]

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

They've become much better at what they do and use more sophisticated tools.

Really?

They used box cutters on 9/11. I didn't realize those were all that sophisticated.

Aren't you being slightly myopic. Well, may be a little more than slightly.

 

[GWV5903]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

It happened on American soil and was a live TV event......

 

[Paulie]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

Who the fuck is "WE"?

Speak for yourself there, ya cooch.

 

[glew]

It happened on American soil and was a live TV event......

 

[Quantum Windbag]

They've become much better at what they do and use more sophisticated tools.

Really?

They used box cutters on 9/11. I didn't realize those were all that sophisticated.

Aren't you being slightly myopic. Well, may be a little more than slightly.

You think I am myopic because I look at the way the government is trampling civil liberties and perceive a danger, yet you look at the same thing and think they should do more. One of us is definitely myopic, but it isn't me.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

It happened on American soil and was a live TV event......

I remember. I also remember the live TV event covering that hijacking, and all the other attacks during that 4 year period. I remember the anger I felt, and the helplessness. I also remember not being faced with the government demanding the right to search everyone who boarded a plane.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

Who the fuck is "WE"?

Speak for yourself there, ya cooch.

We is the country. If you don't like being included then convince the majority that they do not need to be afraid, otherwise you are just as much a part of the we as I am, even though I actively speak up against this stupidity.

 

[martybegan]

Middle Eastern terrorists hijack a U.S. jetliner bound for Italy. A two-week drama ensues in which the plane's occupants are split into groups and held hostage in secret locations in Lebanon and Syria. While this drama is unfolding, another group of terrorists detonates a bomb in the luggage hold of a 747 over the North Atlantic, killing more than 300 people.
Not long afterward, terrorists kill 19 people and wound more than a hundred others in coordinated attacks at European airport ticket counters.
A few months later, a U.S. airliner is bombed over Greece, killing four passengers.
Five months after that, another U.S. airliner is stormed by heavily armed terrorists at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding 150 more.
Things are quiet for a while, until two years later when a 747 bound for New York is blown up over Europe killing 270 passengers and crew.
Nine months from then, a French airliner en route to Paris is bombed over Africa, killing 170 people from 17 countries.

News flash: Deadly terrorism existed before 9/11 - Ask the Pilot - Salon.com


Why are we more afraid today than we were then?

Its a question of scale, complexity and location.

The attacks you discuss were relatively small and unsophisticated. They also all took place overseas. And there were reactions to these and other attacks, just more limited in scope (and probably done as black bag jobs.)

If you look at the 9/11 attacks while the actual hijack method was simple, the planning and execution was light years in scale beyond a simple 1 plane hijack or getting a bomb on board a plane's luggage. The attack was planned from start to finish, which planes, which buildings etc.

You also cannot discount the location, on american soil. Past terrorist events here were by our own people, with the lefty ones being ameturish and small, and the big righty one being the act of a small group of people, basically an one-shot. 9/11 was done by a well organized group, that has/had the possibility of repeating or even escalating.

One of the more symbolic things I see is what portions of the country were affected. They hit big cities/big buisiness with the WTC attacks, our military with the pentagon attacks, and (inadvertently) rural america when the plane crashed in Pennsylvania.

Finally the number of dead has to be considered.

 

[antagon]

i think terror threats were underrated in the public eye up until 9/11. the at-home-impact of the attack and the awareness follow through is what made the fear factor stick. the media and the government - even those terrorist groups who would have us fear them - are all complicit in the mongering.

 

[Ringel05]

Really?

They used box cutters on 9/11. I didn't realize those were all that sophisticated.

Aren't you being slightly myopic. Well, may be a little more than slightly.

You think I am myopic because I look at the way the government is trampling civil liberties and perceive a danger, yet you look at the same thing and think they should do more. One of us is definitely myopic, but it isn't me.

That's weird. I don't read anywhere in my posts that I wanted the government to do more. Maybe you could point it out for me, I can't seem to find it..............

 

[L.K.Eder]

Aren't you being slightly myopic. Well, may be a little more than slightly.

You think I am myopic because I look at the way the government is trampling civil liberties and perceive a danger, yet you look at the same thing and think they should do more. One of us is definitely myopic, but it isn't me.

That's weird. I don't read anywhere in my posts that I wanted the government to do more. Maybe you could point it out for me, I can't seem to find it..............

surely it was somewhere in your post.

hey, it's a post 9/11 world. a pre 9/11 mindset gets all of you and all of your loved ones killed.

 

[Ringel05]

You think I am myopic because I look at the way the government is trampling civil liberties and perceive a danger, yet you look at the same thing and think they should do more. One of us is definitely myopic, but it isn't me.

That's weird. I don't read anywhere in my posts that I wanted the government to do more. Maybe you could point it out for me, I can't seem to find it..............

surely it was somewhere in your post.

hey, it's a post 9/11 world. a pre 9/11 mindset gets all of you and all of your loved ones killed.

It must be a cryptogram........

 

[zzzz]

How many terrorist acts occur in the US everyday? Robberies happen all the time, do they not terrorize the victims. How about gang activity, do they not terrorize the neighborhood they live in? We suffer more terrorist activity from our own people (yet it is not classified as such) and do less and commit less money to combat it than we do against the very few incidents from over seas. Why is that?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

You think I am myopic because I look at the way the government is trampling civil liberties and perceive a danger, yet you look at the same thing and think they should do more. One of us is definitely myopic, but it isn't me.

That's weird. I don't read anywhere in my posts that I wanted the government to do more. Maybe you could point it out for me, I can't seem to find it..............

surely it was somewhere in your post.

hey, it's a post 9/11 world. a pre 9/11 mindset gets all of you and all of your loved ones killed.

Which is why millions of people died that day.

 

[L.K.Eder]

That's weird. I don't read anywhere in my posts that I wanted the government to do more. Maybe you could point it out for me, I can't seem to find it..............

surely it was somewhere in your post.

hey, it's a post 9/11 world. a pre 9/11 mindset gets all of you and all of your loved ones killed.

Which is why millions of people died that day.

you ARE handicapped.

sorry for treating you like a serious poster.