Blair's evidence against Bin Laden

[Luke Weiger]

>
> Luke,
>
> >Although Israeli assassinations may not completely thwart terrorism, it's
> >plausible to assume that they might well limit it.
>
> Why is that?  I'd say it is plausible to assume the opposite - that these
> assassinations merely encourage future attacks.  Israel certainly hasn't
> been spared from terrorist attacks because of these assassinations.  Right
> off the cuff, the only bit of evidence I remember directly contradicts
your
> thesis.  After one of the assassinations, the members of the Palestinian
> group who had their leader killed vowed revenge.  I believe they said
> something to the effect that the Israelis would "pay for this with their
> blood."
>
> Brett

The fact that their are still homicides in the US does not mean that
imprisonment of murderers isn't an effective tool of prevention.  Gauging
just how effective it is or isn't is an extremely difficult exercise.

As Wojtek stated before, the analogy between 9-11 and past terrorism in
Israel is not particularly strong.  It may indeed be true that killing
Palestinian terrorist merely encourages more low-tech bombers.  In this
case, the issue is motivation as opposed to means.  On the other hand, when
it comes to bin Laden and co, there simply aren't any other terrorists
networks that appear to be capable of inflicting the sort of damage that
shook New York.  Destroy the network and it is far from certain that another
will be able to take its place.

-- Luke