Post by unlawflcombatnt on Dec 23, 2007 19:47:46 GMT -6
The incessant and dishonest discussion of the "War on Terrorism" needs to addressed. Those who continue to exaggerate the threat of terrorism need to be put in their place. They've overstated such threats to the point of insanity.
Terrorists are not the greatest threat we face today. Terrorists are not the greatest danger to our freedom. To the contrary, it's those who have made the exaggerated terrorist threat claims. It is those who have stated, restated, overstated, and misstated this threat. The danger is not the terrorists, it's the tactics, policy, and mindset employed to fight "the war on terror."
Going back to the start of American history, the United States has never been LESS threatened by foreign military attacks, than it is at present. We have never been MORE secure from violent attacks on American soil, and we have never been safer from foreign threats, or violence from groups within the United States, than we are right now. We have never been more secure. Not at any time--going back all the way to 1775.
Early in our history, there was always a real threat of attack by the British, and to a lesser extent the French or Spanish. In the earliest days, there was a constant threat that our own government would fall. In the earliest years, there were multiple groups that staged small revolts, all of which were successfully put down.
Following the Revolutionary War, we had a weak military that provided little protection from invasion by a major foreign power. This can be seen by our lack of victory in the War of 1812, which started partly because the British stopped American ships on the high seas at will, and even kidnapped American sailors.
In the Civil War, our country was seriously divided, and again would have had great trouble defending against an attack by a major foreign power.
During the 1st half of the 20th century, we did eventually develop a strong military. But this was in response to serious threats by Germany and Japan.
At the end of World War II, we had the most powerful military on earth. But we also faced the most powerful enemy we'd ever faced--the USSR. It also became the most dangerous one we'd ever faced--once they acquired nuclear weapons, and the ability to strike the U.S. with ICBMs and submarine launched missiles. The threat of nuclear holocaust threatened the very existence of life on this planet.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, the nuclear holocaust threat collapsed as well. The U.S. no longer faced the threat of being hit by 10's or 100's of nuclear warheads.
With the elimination of the nuclear holocaust possibility, the U.S. became the safest it has ever been from foreign attack. It became the most secure it's ever been from any kind of outside attack, as well as internal revolution or violent overthrow of the government.
There is just no comparison between the threat of a nuclear holocaust, and that of a terrorist attack. It's not in the same league. It's not even on the same planet. It's not like comparing apples and oranges. It's like comparing apples and grains of salt.
We've had 1 major terrorist attack since 2001, killing over 3,000 people. We've had none in the 7 years since.
Implying that the threat of "terrorism" puts us in a historical state of peril is not just dishonest, it's fraudulent. Implying there is this "grave threat" in this "post 9/11" world is idiotic. To claim we're in greater danger than we've ever been is either criminal dishonesty, or certifiable psychosis.
This is the kind of completely concocted threat used by dictators throughout history to impose dictatorship, and justify extra-legal actions. Hitler did it. Pinochet did it. 3rd world dictators have done it.
And now the Bush administration, and its NeoCon-Artist supporters are doing it. And it's done on completely false premises.
There is no comparison between the alleged threat of "radical Islamic terrorism", and a Soviet-mediated nuclear holocaust. It is dishonest, disgusting, and irresponsible to make such a claim. And it is foolish for anyone to believe it.
Even with the possibility of a terrorist attack, we Americans live in the LEAST threatening world we've ever lived in. We are the safest we've been in our entire history. By a long shot.
Our biggest threat is not a terrorist attack. It's the "war on terrorism" itself. It has been used as a justification to ignore statutory law, and the Constitution itself. The biggest danger we face is not an attack by terrorists. It is the loss of our rights and freedoms--falsely justified in this "epoch", history-making "War on Terrorism."
Bush and his co-conspirators often regurgitate soundbites about terrorists, saying "they hate our freedom" and that we are "fighting for freedom."
In reality, it is Bush who "hates our freedom." And the only "freedom" he is fighting for is his own. Bush is fighting for "freedom" from the Constitution, the law, the Congress--and even his own freedom from criminal prosecution.
In the 30's, FDR said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
Today, "the only thing we have to fear are fear-mongers themselves."
Another historic adage also applies:
"We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us."
We Americans are at far greater danger of losing our freedom, our rights, and even our country--than we are of being attacked by terrorists.
The threat to our freedom and way of life IS real. But it's our own government, not terrorism, that poses the real threat. Terrorists could never take away our freedom or our rights.
Only our government can do that.
Terrorists are not the greatest threat we face today. Terrorists are not the greatest danger to our freedom. To the contrary, it's those who have made the exaggerated terrorist threat claims. It is those who have stated, restated, overstated, and misstated this threat. The danger is not the terrorists, it's the tactics, policy, and mindset employed to fight "the war on terror."
Going back to the start of American history, the United States has never been LESS threatened by foreign military attacks, than it is at present. We have never been MORE secure from violent attacks on American soil, and we have never been safer from foreign threats, or violence from groups within the United States, than we are right now. We have never been more secure. Not at any time--going back all the way to 1775.
Early in our history, there was always a real threat of attack by the British, and to a lesser extent the French or Spanish. In the earliest days, there was a constant threat that our own government would fall. In the earliest years, there were multiple groups that staged small revolts, all of which were successfully put down.
Following the Revolutionary War, we had a weak military that provided little protection from invasion by a major foreign power. This can be seen by our lack of victory in the War of 1812, which started partly because the British stopped American ships on the high seas at will, and even kidnapped American sailors.
In the Civil War, our country was seriously divided, and again would have had great trouble defending against an attack by a major foreign power.
During the 1st half of the 20th century, we did eventually develop a strong military. But this was in response to serious threats by Germany and Japan.
At the end of World War II, we had the most powerful military on earth. But we also faced the most powerful enemy we'd ever faced--the USSR. It also became the most dangerous one we'd ever faced--once they acquired nuclear weapons, and the ability to strike the U.S. with ICBMs and submarine launched missiles. The threat of nuclear holocaust threatened the very existence of life on this planet.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, the nuclear holocaust threat collapsed as well. The U.S. no longer faced the threat of being hit by 10's or 100's of nuclear warheads.
With the elimination of the nuclear holocaust possibility, the U.S. became the safest it has ever been from foreign attack. It became the most secure it's ever been from any kind of outside attack, as well as internal revolution or violent overthrow of the government.
There is just no comparison between the threat of a nuclear holocaust, and that of a terrorist attack. It's not in the same league. It's not even on the same planet. It's not like comparing apples and oranges. It's like comparing apples and grains of salt.
We've had 1 major terrorist attack since 2001, killing over 3,000 people. We've had none in the 7 years since.
Implying that the threat of "terrorism" puts us in a historical state of peril is not just dishonest, it's fraudulent. Implying there is this "grave threat" in this "post 9/11" world is idiotic. To claim we're in greater danger than we've ever been is either criminal dishonesty, or certifiable psychosis.
This is the kind of completely concocted threat used by dictators throughout history to impose dictatorship, and justify extra-legal actions. Hitler did it. Pinochet did it. 3rd world dictators have done it.
And now the Bush administration, and its NeoCon-Artist supporters are doing it. And it's done on completely false premises.
There is no comparison between the alleged threat of "radical Islamic terrorism", and a Soviet-mediated nuclear holocaust. It is dishonest, disgusting, and irresponsible to make such a claim. And it is foolish for anyone to believe it.
Even with the possibility of a terrorist attack, we Americans live in the LEAST threatening world we've ever lived in. We are the safest we've been in our entire history. By a long shot.
Our biggest threat is not a terrorist attack. It's the "war on terrorism" itself. It has been used as a justification to ignore statutory law, and the Constitution itself. The biggest danger we face is not an attack by terrorists. It is the loss of our rights and freedoms--falsely justified in this "epoch", history-making "War on Terrorism."
Bush and his co-conspirators often regurgitate soundbites about terrorists, saying "they hate our freedom" and that we are "fighting for freedom."
In reality, it is Bush who "hates our freedom." And the only "freedom" he is fighting for is his own. Bush is fighting for "freedom" from the Constitution, the law, the Congress--and even his own freedom from criminal prosecution.
In the 30's, FDR said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
Today, "the only thing we have to fear are fear-mongers themselves."
Another historic adage also applies:
"We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us."
We Americans are at far greater danger of losing our freedom, our rights, and even our country--than we are of being attacked by terrorists.
The threat to our freedom and way of life IS real. But it's our own government, not terrorism, that poses the real threat. Terrorists could never take away our freedom or our rights.
Only our government can do that.