Are we being set up?

The short answer is, "Yes, we're being set up."


One of the basic, in fact defining, characteristics of a terrorist act is the acription of blame for "causing" the act and the acceptance of "credit" for performing the act.


Essentially the only things that differentiate terrorism from any other crime are the political motive of the terrorist and the appearance of that political philosophy being advanced or demonstrated by the act itself. In this case, the US was to "blame" by being in Saudi Arabia and sullying the sacred sites of all Islam. The terrorists gain creedence for their political position by showing that Allah was actually all powerful because he allowed the "true and faithful" to fly the infidel's airplanes into the infidel's buildings.


The fact that noone has taken credit for the attacks indicates that the desired effect of the attacks hasn't been felt or that some other effect was generated instead. Given that bin Laden/Al-Qaeda are banking on the Holier-Than-The-Great-Satan angle, it follows that their loss of public support from places such as Pakistan, Tadjikistan and even Iran may have potentially damaged the leadership in the view of the members of the group.


The other option is that the attacks are simply not finished and the message won't be revealed to the "true and faithful" until the US has been given the full-meal-deal by the righteous of all Islam.


Most likely is a combination of the two. The US was hit hard and the terrorists didn't expect the speed or the global reach of the initial public outcry. They played the US National Anthem at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and outside the US Embassy in Tashkent. Pro-US protesters staged an Islamic peace rally outside the US Embassy in Islamabad. Oops... maybe we hit the Great Satan too hard... let's wait and see what happens... meanwhile we'll just let page two of our cunning plan work its way out while the US jumps out its own ass trying to figure out what it is.


It's not over for the US and it's probably not even over for Al-Qaeda. When they go down there are a dozen more waiting to take their place. Some of those replacements will have enough money and cunning to fill the void created by bin Laden's fall. ObL is smart enough to understand that himself so it's very doubtful that he doesn't have a fallback plan in the event that this becomes too big for him personally. Fall back, regroup, let the new generation of Islamic hotheads take up the reins and crazy ol' unca' Osama will sit back and preach them the "Truth".


The US can either go to war completely and unequivocally and squash terrorists of every stripe where ever they're found. Or the US can make a giant public show of hunting Al-Qaeda down and proving that "we can't be pushed around by those damned towel-heads." It remains to be seen what the American public will want. The US is not known for a society wide degree of patience when it comes to solving it's problems. We want quick fixes and we want them now, damnit. Even today we've got people complaining that there aren't cruise missiles raining down on Afghanistan and Special Forces troops climbing in through people's windows in downtown Kabul. Quick fix, make it right and do it right now. Let's hope the US gets a longer attention span. They'd almost forgotten about Osama bin Laden between the '93 bombing of the WTC and the 9-11 attack. This is much bigger but even so, will the US be able to hold out its rage for the amount of time necessary to actually create the changes it desires?


Sigh... I guess I'm more bummed out than I thought... I hate terrorists. I hate people who kick kittens, rapists, child molesters, strong-arm robbers and the kind of people who think it's funny to jerk on a puppy's leash just to watch his tongue bulge out. I think I need a shot of good single-malt, an hour in a hot tub, a good massage and a mind-numbing orgasm or two. Then I'll still hate all of those I listed but I won't be nearly as bummed out... then I think it'll be time to play poker...


Jeff James


The Bar0n


Student of the world of Terrorists, Warfare and other things


the human race should be ashamed of.