jeudi 3 janvier 2008

How OBL won the war



The definitive victory of terrorists isn’t the number of victims they actually kill in reality but the distortion of perception they induce among the masses. Zillions $ have been spent on security around the whole world to prevent terrorist acts which, in the end -save 9/11 which cannot happen twice- can kill a very limited score of people. Granted, some security measures are necessary (particularly in the flying business) but overall the money (by the billions, really) that is spent on totally unnecessary precautions could save thousands of people, be it used wisely to fight diseases. Or by strictly implementing the basic rules of road driving safety.

There was a ship accident 2 years ago in the New York Harbour when a tourist boat sank with 5 victims (I don’t remember exactly). It wasn’t due to terrorism so it was forgotten two days later. The captain was responsible I think. Had it be caused by a terrorist attack (why would terrorists -but some nuts- want to scull a tourist boat is beyond me) another set of draconian regulations and security and screening measures would have been implemented with bio/fingerprinting of all passengers, where they come from, their ancestors etc. etc. 

It looks like (and it is admissible, given the context) the US was all in a frantic chase of murderous terrorists some weeks after 9/11 because of a purported planned attack against indiscriminate citizens with anthrax. In the end, only 3 persons died and the whole thing petered out… That’s where lays the core raison d’être of terrorism: to alter the perception of reality and eventually change reality. Not directly but by making potential victims of terrorism change reality themselves. Out of their “free will”. In that sense, you need not to be killed or even maimed to be a victim of terrorism. 

By refusing to assess reality as it is but rather participating in the distortion of said reality by nurturing the fear factor, you simply are contributing to the terrorists’ strategy and victory. By calling to endless security measures with no end in sight you’re simply turning yourself into a terrorist. When Blair once said that we will have to live with terrorism for at least a generation this dimwit played the fear factor full steam. As did G. Bush and his war against terrorism. And when will the war come to an end? 

When these two war criminals will have left their job to more responsible leaders. 

11 commentaires:

DAD a dit…

Tu mets trop de posts trop vite !
On n'a pas le temps de réagir....

Enfin.... Moi ce que j'en dis ou rien......

DAD a dit…

Boulimique !!!!

DAD a dit…

J'vais te mettre dans mes favoris pass que tu dis pas trop de conneries toi... Contrairement à moi...
Ca va relever le niveau...

Anonyme a dit…

Oui, Dad et moi, nous mettons des nouveaux posts tout les deux semaines, parfois une par semaine..


Et nous ne sommes pas aussi érudites avec nos coms entre nous .. ;) Et mon cher dad et moi, nous aimons bien rigoler.

Pour ce qu'il a de ton post, c'est vrai qu'on prend, nous Américains, la peur de la terrorisme trop loin and qu'on est à la proie d'un "fear factor"..

can kill a very limited score of people.

Bien que 9/11 était un acte de terrorism que a toué pas un "limited score". Mais c'est vrai que ça ne peux pas arriver deux fois. Enfin, j'éspère que no.

Obob a dit…

"For what it has of your post, that's true which they take, us Americans, fright of terrorism too much far and that they are in the prey of one a " fear factor ".."
I think that is the translation. Please bear with me, but I am using software to try and keep up.

And the fear factor is it. Outside of domestic terrorism, Oklahoma City and the KKK, we are have had very few outside attacks. I'll come, my kids could be on a government watch list

Obob a dit…

Back to where I was. Yes, there was a huge fear factor. From duct taping your windows to numerous cameras, we are still figuring it out. But we are learning.

Anonyme a dit…

Homeland Security in the US is a joke. With twelve-million undocumented aliens running around inside the USA, it is difficult to say that Americans are “secure” in their homes. The only thing that has changed in security at airports is an increase in passenger inconvenience. Government is chasing its own tail; it is reactive rather than proactive. Jihadists are clever — and they’ll figure out a new strategy for killing and maiming innocents; and then, the government will chase after that for a while. The fact is, most Americans do not give much thought to terrorists; nor should they, because terrorist attacks are unlikely — no more so than being a victim of some idiot with severe psychological problems or a postal worker. The DHS is a bureaucracy; it provides jobs to people who would be otherwise unemployed — and this is the principle benefit of having such an organization. I suspect it will remain so until there is another attack of some mention, and in order for citizens to remain free it will be necessary to deny them additional civil rights.

Anonyme a dit…

Yes, we are still learning.

Dakar Rally cancelled. Is this more evidence of how OBL won?

Flocon a dit…

Joann

"Dakar Rally cancelled. Is this more evidence of how OBL won?"

I certainly won't shade a tear on the cancelation of this rally.
Do you konw 50 people have been killed (road accidents, onlookers) since the inception of this rally?
So far, it's 50 to 0 against any terrorist group.

But you're right: it only goes to show how scare everyone has become of possible "terrorist" attack.

Flocon a dit…

obob

The line you translated was written by an American blogger who writes pretty good French and has the courtesy to comment in English or French, depending on the language of the post.

The translation you've got is correct, although awkward... ;-)

Flocon a dit…

Mustang

"most Americans do not give much thought to terrorists; nor should they, because terrorist attacks are unlikely"
That's the point indeed.

Save for 9/11, which is of historical magnitude, terrorist attacks can never cause as many casualties -by very far- than the usual course of life.

There are, correct me if I'm wrong, about 40.000 traffic casualties in the US per year. Since 2002, that makes 200.000 dead on American roads! Terrorists aren't even amateurs: they're insignificant in reality.

There was an accidental fire in Palestine in Feb. 2003 with 99 dead. How many people die each year in the US because of fires? 700.

But the mere possibility of a terrorist attack is given an absolutely disproportionate importance and is evidence, as Joann would say, that somehow they've won.

And to think there has been a permanent state of alert (red, orange etc.) against terrorists for the last 5 years... Sheer madness IMHO.

Regarding the discrepancy between reality and representation, you may be interested with this.