Things about Bin Ladden - :P

Cobra Commander · 2002-12-27 17:03:17

Sure, the quiet majority are ignoring the warnings, but its the vocal minority that counts.

How delightfully democratic

Seriously though, what if the "vocal minority" is harping on it constantly? Americans, in our infinite wisdom (or unwillingness to accept uncomfortable reality) really don't pay attention. I don't know anybody that is genuinely afraid of being involved in a terrorist attack. If terrorism is going to work, it needs to be a regular thing. Memories of past horrors don't go very far here.

Auqakah · 2002-12-27 18:05:26

Since when did the word 'democratic' actually mean anything?

And anybody can see that if terrorism is common, then people aren't as frightened by it. Take Britain. The IRA and other groups have blown people up, shot people, blown up some more people and shot some more people, but to what avail? None. Nobody really cares; "Oh those poor people," is about the sum of the reaction.

No, for terrorism to work, it has to be rare, but potent strikes. Anything that happens often is less frighteneing than something that doesn't happen often. And thats a fact.

And as for nobody in America being frightened of further attacks; goodness me, don't you talk to your countrymen (and women)?

soph · 2002-12-27 18:17:49

i havent seen anyone building underground bunkers in case of nuclear war.

and people in israel fear going onto buses. thats the result of common strikes. no, common strikes dont reduce your fear, they just desensitize you to the reality of it. you accept the strikes as part of life. you give in, which is what the terrorists want.

Cobra Commander · 2002-12-27 18:23:06

No, for terrorism to work, it has to be rare, but potent strikes.

A nuclear attack would fit the bill nicely, don't you think?

And as for nobody in America being frightened of further attacks; goodness me, don't you talk to your countrymen (and women)?

I talk with plenty of people about it, and no one doubts that another attack is coming, eventually. But no one I know is genuinely frightened to the point of altering behavior. Some won't fly, but it's because of inconvenient and ineffective security rather than fear. No one I know ever considers not going somewhere because they might be killed by terrorists, no one really worries about it in more than an intellectual sense. Right now it's like being struck by lightning, it's possible, but no one really worries about it. Another major terrorist attack is the only way to create the fear the terrorists seek. Not that there aren't genuinely frightened people out there, I'm sure there are, but they're a small minority.

Auqakah · 2002-12-27 18:41:40

I'm off to bed in a mo, so just a short post, I'll waffle more tomorrow.

Terrorists don't want us to be desensitized, because that means we aren't terrified. And so, saying that the attacks in Israel have desensitized people to further attacks just proves my point.

Cobra Commander · 2002-12-27 18:49:18

Terrorists don't want us to be desensitized, because that means we aren't terrified. And so, saying that the attacks in Israel have desensitized people to further attacks just proves my point.

The reason every hint of a terrosist plot makes the news in the US is certainly because we haven't been desensitised, but it's not relevant to the level of fear. In Israel terrosism is just part of life, but Israelis know they could be blown up every time they get on a bus, go to the market, or go to a nightclub. Americans don't have that mindset.

The Israelis are more scared than we are.

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Re: Things about Bin Ladden - :P

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