Michael Scheur –
When you don’t do the hard things, you end up doing the extreme things.
and
Foreign Policy is not what defines what America is, it defends what it is.
Here is the interview
Category Archives: Terrorism
Two from Newsweek
- Terrorist Triage – basically posits that the struggle is in fact winnable (to a large degree) and is in fact, won (as much as we’re going to win). Remember though, that desperate times call for random vehicle searches.
- Women and their ovaries make for interesting reading
Recommended Friday viewing
Check out this speech by Michael Sheurer.
The best new development in some time
Check out this article on MSNBC about American computer geeks disrupting and scooping al Qaida’s internet efforts. Basically they just troll message boards and other places on the internet and post bin Laden’s releases early and generally disrupt the marketing effort.
Since most of radical Islam consists of marketing, this is a wonderful, unexpected organic development. A heroic romantic vision of a struggle appeals to disgruntled losers everywhere, but a bumbling piece of incoherent crap will just send them back to video games and porn.
Everyone feel free to attach the 5th Generation terminology of your choice…
History rhymes in funny ways
While perusing coverage of the latest British terror plots, I came across the words “Doctor’s” and “plot” in the same sentence. Being morbidly interested in Russian History, I thought of Stalin’s final purge, happily stopped by his death, the Doctors’ Plot, which is thought to be his pretext for getting rid of Russia’s Jews.. I was looking over the Wikepedia entry on the subject and came across this little tidbit
In the course of his career, Stalin became increasingly suspicious towards physicians. In his later years, he refused to be treated by doctors, and would only consult with veterinarians about his health.
Weird!
Three on Iraq
First, there is this depressing report on civilian casualties in Iraq. The numbers are all going the wrong way.
Second is this post from Ross Douthat about the long term impact of Iraq, and how similar wars have affected the US and the British.
Last is this post from the Belmont Club. I haven’t read that site in quite some time (it’s a weird combination of gloom and optimism), but Wretchard does do sweeping phrases well. To wit:
Al-Qaeda, like all the evil vapors of the world through history, inevitably comes to resemble its predecessors. Soldiers of the dark eventually find themselves wearing the same livery. Flowers bloom in myriad ways, but evil, like pornography, is repetitive. It marches to same dull beat that all the Lost of the ages have heard call. Poor men, these al-Qaeda, they who would remake the world in their ostensibly new vision only to find it had been templated long ago by some sad and ancient corruption.
Notably absent
I haven’t heard of any acts of terrorism in Russia lately. Lots of state repression, yes, but no terrorism. In 2004 there were several plane hijacking and the Beslan mass murder. And then nothing.
Granted, Russia has moved a long way to dictatorship (making terrorism less effective) in that period, and secret policing is something they do well. It’s still odd though. It’s not as if the Chechens would become more peaceful in last three years.
The insurgency in Iraq
Check out this interview with terrorism expert Evan Kohlmann. It’s a fascinating look at the current state of the insurgency in Iraq.
Thursday rapid fire
- Hitchens reviews Stein – personally I don’t think the demographic argument carries much weight – look at the performance of Japan vs China and Germany vs Russia in WWII. A productive culture beats a backward one in a life or death struggle. It’s an interesting read though. To clarify – the reason that Japan and Germany lost was American material and military support. While they could die bravely, that doesn’t lead to many wins.
- Toddler’s Temper Ousts Family From Plane –
She was removed because “she was climbing under the seat and hitting the parents and wouldn’t get in her seat” during boarding, Graham-Weaver said.
- Police in Tijuana Issued Sling Shots –
The police department has issued about 60 slingshots to officers in the violent border city of Tijuana, where soldiers confiscated police weapons two weeks ago on allegations of collusion with drug traffickers.
Yet the war on drugs continues. This time for sure!
- Battery Breakthrough – Well worth reading. If true, this changes American society for the better in ten years or less. Sadly, most scientific breakthroughs tend to be either false or meaningless
- Diane Feinstein and conflicts of interest
- Winning the battle for freedom – RTWT – from the founder of Whole Foods no less.
Thoughts on today
Another terror plot is centered in London and Pakistan, as were the 7/7 plot.
I wonder if the prime focus of radical Islam is not the Arab word but Central Asia. Perhaps Arab culture, for good or ill, is too strongly ingrained to be replaced by a pure (messianic cult) version of Islam. The Central Asian states, might be more pliable due to 70 years of Soviet purges weakening the societies.
Just a thought.