Reason, on the "War on Terror"

[unixronin]

An excellent article from Shikha Dalmia at Reason, via Bruce Schneier, points out that in any realistic sense the threat from Al-Qaeda to the US is all but non-existent.

But this year marks the 10th anniversary of 9-11 and none of the horrible scenarios conjured then have materialized.  Islamic terrorists have not flown more planes into buildings.  They haven’t detonated “loose nukes” or dirty bombs.  They haven’t released nerve gas into subway stations.  They haven’t poisoned the water supply.  They haven’t even strolled into one of America’s hundreds of malls or farmer’s markets and blown themselves up.

Maybe this is because enhanced post-9/11 security has made America invulnerable.  Or maybe the Islamists never posed that big a threat to begin with.

The article quotes Ohio State University political-science professor John Mueller, who observes that even taking 9/11 into account, an average American is more likely to drown in his or her bathtub than to be killed by international terrorism.  Unfortunately, all that screaming hysteria about terrorism sells newspapers, justifies increased budgets and new government agencies, and provides a rationale for expanded local and federal police powers.

The true threat to America is not international terrorism.  It is Washington DC's reaction to — and eager exploitation of — international terrorism.  It is Capitol Hill, not Al-Qaeda, that is destroying America.

Comments

[hugh_mannity]

The true threat to America is not international terrorism. It is Washington DC's reaction to — and eager exploitation of — international terrorism. It is Capitol Hill, not Al-Qaeda, that is destroying America
I've been saying that for years. Of course the media has happily played along and assisted in creating the climate of universal fear.

Let's face it, the IRA in England in the '70s might not have had quite as high a body count, but in terms of keeping up a steady flow of attacks, they put Al-Q to shame. There was a point when there was a car bomb or parcel bomb almost every week.

[unixronin]

Agreed. And the IRA had the balls to do their own work, not recruit penniless young women to carry suicide bombs for them.

[merlinpendragon]

Your last paragraph flatly states exactly what I've felt is wrong with our country. Except, it isn't just DC's reaction to international terrorism that is the problem. It's DC's reaction to EVERYTHING that is the problem. DC doesn't ever address and fix a problem, they just want to be seen as addressing the problem. Any problem. Every problem. All they have to do is convince the majority of the public that they are trying to do something and they have successfully justified next year's budget. That is all they care about.

But, heaven forbid that you ever actually fix a problem. You will have the entirety of Capitol Hill screaming for your head, because they have lost a justification for funding, busy work, and ineffectiveness.

[unixronin]

Yup. I agree 100%. Any issue that you actually FIX is an issue that can't be used in the next election campaign.