Jim Farmelant:
> And has anyone taken note of the almost gleeful
> defeatism in Cheney's remarks. He didn't say
> that suicide bombings might occur, nor even
> that inevitably attempts at such bombings will
> be made, but that such bombings are inevitable.
> In other words he is saying that we should expect
> such attacks (and by implication there is little
> that his Administration can do about it). One wonders
> what happened to all the additional billions that
> have been allocated to defense, including so-called
> homeland defense.
That's simply a fact. In a country full of cars, vans and trucks, all that is materially necessary is to fill a large van with explosives, park it appropriately, and set if off with a timer, to kill several hundred, if not thousands of people. It is not hard to make or steal powerful explosives. And no suicide is required. More serious disruptions might be obtained through the use of nerve gas, or by attacking a nuclear plant in proximity to a big city when the wind is right. Speaking as an amateur psychologist, my guess is that the more fuss is made about each attack, the greater the likelihood is that another attack will occur, as the various types attracted by such acts are drawn towards participation and competition. The excitement of the war in Afghanistan could have started dozens on the path right here in America, while magnifying hatred of the U.S. there and in other places which may be expected to produce yet more candidates.
The State -- the incarnation of the idea of permanent war -- is spewing forth its virulent progeny into a newly nutritious matrix.
-- Gordon