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[Get Real!]

Five myths about keeping America safe from terrorism…

By Stephen Flynn
Sunday, January 3, 2010; B03


With President Obama declaring a "systemic failure" of our security system in the wake of the attempted Christmas bombing of a Detroit-bound airliner, familiar arguments about what can and should be done to reduce America's vulnerabilities are again filling the airwaves, editorial pages and blogosphere. Several of these arguments are based on assumptions that guided the U.S. response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks -- and unfortunately, they are as unfounded now as they were then. The biggest whopper of all? The paternalistic assertion that the government can keep us all safe without our help.

1. Terrorism is the gravest threat facing the American people.

Americans are at far greater risk of being killed in accidents or by viruses than by acts of terrorism. In 2008, more than 37,300 Americans perished on the nation's highways, according to government data. Even before H1N1, a similar number of people died each year from the seasonal flu. Terrorism is a real and potentially consequential danger. But the greatest threat isn't posed by the direct harm terrorists could inflict; it comes from what we do to ourselves when we are spooked. It is how we react -- or more precisely, how we overreact -- to the threat of terrorism that makes it an appealing tool for our adversaries. By grounding commercial aviation and effectively closing our borders after the 2001 attacks, Washington accomplished something no foreign state could have hoped to achieve: a blockade on the economy of the world's sole superpower. While we cannot expect to be completely successful at intercepting terrorist attacks, we must get a better handle on how we respond when they happen.

2. When it comes to preventing terrorism, the only real defense is a good offense.

The cornerstone of the Bush administration's approach to dealing with the terrorist threat was to take the battle to the enemy. But offense has its limits. We still aren't generating sufficiently accurate and timely tactical intelligence to adequately support U.S. counterterrorism efforts overseas. And going after terrorists abroad hardly means they won't manage to strike us at home. Just days before the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253, the United States collaborated with the Yemeni government on raids against al-Qaeda militants there. The group known as al-Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula is now claiming responsibility for having equipped and trained Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who allegedly tried to blow up the flight. The group is also leveraging the raids to recruit militants and mount protests against Yemen's already fragile central government.

At the same time, an emphasis on offense has often come at the expense of investing in effective defensive measures, such as maintaining quality watch lists, sharing information about threats, safeguarding such critical assets as the nation's food and energy supplies, and preparing for large-scale emergencies. After authorities said Abdulmutallab had hidden explosives in his underwear, airline screeners held up flights to do stepped-up passenger pat-downs at boarding gates -- pat-downs that inevitably avoided passengers' crotches and buttocks. This kind of quick fix only tends to fuel public cynicism about security efforts. But if we can implement smart security measures ahead of time (such as requiring refineries next to densely populated areas to use safer chemicals when they manufacture high-octane gas), we won't be incapacitated when terrorists strike. Strengthening our national ability to withstand and rapidly recover from terrorism will make the United States a less appealing target. In combating terrorism, as in sports, success requires both a capable offense and a strong defense.

3. Getting better control over America's borders is essential to making us safer.

Our borders will never serve as a meaningful line of defense against terrorism. The inspectors at our ports, border crossings and airports have important roles when it comes to managing immigration and the flow of commerce, but they play only a bit part in stopping would-be attackers. This is because terrorist threats do not originate at our land borders with Mexico and Canada, nor along our 12,000 miles of coastline. They originate at home as well as abroad, and they exploit global networks such as the transportation system that moved 500 million cargo containers through the world's ports in 2008. Moreover, terrorists' travel documents are often in perfect order. This was the case with Abdulmutallab, as well as with shoe-bomber Richard Reid in 2001. Complaints about porous borders may play well politically, but they distract us from the more challenging task of forging international cooperation to strengthen safeguards for our global transportation, travel and financial systems. They also sidestep the disturbing fact that the number of terrorism-related cases involving U.S. residents reached a new high in 2009.

4. Investing in new technology is key to better security.

Not necessarily. Technology can be helpful, but too often it ends up being part of the problem. Placing too much reliance on sophisticated tools such as X-ray machines often leaves the people staffing our front lines consumed with monitoring and troubleshooting these systems. Consequently, they become more caught up in process than outcomes. And as soon procedures become routine, a determined bad guy can game them. We would do well to heed two lessons the U.S. military has learned from combating insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan: First, don't do things in rote and predictable ways, and second, don't alienate the people you are trying to protect. Too much of what is promoted as homeland security disregards these lessons. It is true that technology such as full-body imaging machines, which have received so much attention in the past week, are far more effective than metal detectors at screening airline passengers. But new technologies are also expensive, and they are no substitute for well-trained professionals who are empowered and rewarded for exercising good judgment.

5. Average citizens aren't an effective bulwark against terrorist attacks.

Elite pundits and policymakers routinely dismiss the ability of ordinary people to respond effectively when they are in harm's way. It's ironic that this misconception has animated much of the government's approach to homeland security since Sept. 11, 2001, given that the only successful counterterrorist action that day came from the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93. These passengers didn't have the help of federal air marshals. The Defense Department's North American Aerospace Defense Command didn't intercept the plane -- it didn't even know the airliner had been hijacked. But by charging the cockpit over rural Pennsylvania, these private citizens prevented al-Qaeda terrorists from reaching their likely target of the U.S. Capitol or the White House. The government leaders whose constitutional duty is "to provide for the common defense" were defended by one thing alone -- an alert and heroic citizenry.

This misconception is particularly reckless because it ends up sidelining the greatest asset we have for managing the terrorism threat: the average people who are best positioned to detect and respond to terrorist activities. We have only to look to the attempted Christmas Day attack to validate this truth. Once again it was the government that fell short, not ordinary people. A concerned Nigerian father, not the CIA or the National Security Agency, came forward with crucial information. And the courageous actions of the Dutch film director Jasper Schuringa and other passengers and crew members aboard Flight 253 thwarted the attack.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 59_pf.html

[Paphitis]

The Taliban and Al Qaeda should have thought about all this before they attacked New York, Bali, and attempted to attack Australian soil on at least 3 separate occasions.

Additional 300 Australian SAS to be deployed in the coming weeks and I wish the Aussie SAS, the world's best by far, every success in accomplishing their stated mission and Godspeed....





To our dear Afghan Allies, Australia will NEVER abandon and leave you to the Taliban's mercy. Viva Afghanistan!

[miltiades]

Is it not the same Stephen Flynn who wrote" HOW OUR GOVERNMENT IS FAILING TO PROTECT US FROM TERRORISM"
What on earth is he trying to state that just because a few million people die every year as a result of accidents we should stop prosecuting one man for one murder ?

GR , you are clutching at straws , your insatiable hatred for the West and in particular the USA , your expressed admiration and support for the Islamists and in particular Al Qaeda are indeed worrying. That is not for you but for any reader of this forum who might conceivably consider your assertions as being held by most Cypriots.
I will offer you some advice. This forum is being read , you are known as fiercely anti American , a warmonger , one who suggested that even in Cyprus Cypriots could become suicide bombers in YOUR war against Turkey. You are a complete nutter , a menace to the cause of Cyprus , furthermore I doubt very much whether you care , you are screwed up good and proper. The only encouraging sign is that I , do cause you concern because I expose you for what you are , a screwed up Al Qaeda potential activist.
What a Plonker .

[Paphitis]

Is it not the same Stephen Flynn who wrote" HOW OUR GOVERNMENT IS FAILING TO PROTECT US FROM TERRORISM"
What on earth is he trying to state that just because a few million people die every year as a result of accidents we should stop prosecuting one man for one murder ?

GR , you are clutching at straws , your insatiable hatred for the West and in particular the USA , your expressed admiration and support for the Islamists and in particular Al Qaeda are indeed worrying. That is not for you but for any reader of this forum who might conceivably consider your assertions as being held by most Cypriots.
I will offer you some advice. This forum is being read , you are known as fiercely anti American , a warmonger , one who suggested that even in Cyprus Cypriots could become suicide bombers in YOUR war against Turkey. You are a complete nutter , a menace to the cause of Cyprus , furthermore I doubt very much whether you care , you are screwed up good and proper. The only encouraging sign is that I , do cause you concern because I expose you for what you are , a screwed up Al Qaeda potential activist.
What a Plonker .

One thing you need to realise is that if one Cypriot sacrifices himself for his country using whatever means necessary against a militarily superior opponent, then this must be respected and admired. This is exactly what men of honour such as Lt Gregoris Afxentiou did, and there is a very fine line between that sacrifice, Kamikaze Pilots and suicide bombers Miltiades, so be very careful with the words you choose. Soon, all Cypriots will come to the realisation that WAR, as opposed to a negotiated settlement could very well be our only salvation from occupation.

Now back to suicide bombings. It is a well known fact that Al Qaeda and Taliban are unable to engage their enemy face to face, because they would inevitably be obliterated and casualties against better trained coalition will be meager at best. Therefore, they engage their 'enemy' using other means by hitting soft targets, as gruesome as this is.

Furthermore, you seem to think it is OK for the coalition to obliterate any nation but you are very misguided. Whilst the coalition has very valid reasons to wage war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, it did not have the right to wage war in Iraq unless you are a supporter of regime change which is probably the only objective that has satisfactorily been accomplished, although the legalities of coalition action in Iraq is dubious at best (not that this is any deterrent in the real world as we all know only too well). You may also wish to get it through your head, for the sake of not being such a massive hypocrite, that if the coalition has every right to engage the Taliban (only due to the fact the Taliban and Al Qaeda have managed to engage coalition nations on their own soil), then Cyprus too has every right to engage the Turkish Army who still occupies the RoC and is committing its own terrorism against the Cypriot people, our culture and heritage...

Ease up on the hypocrisy Milti...you sound like a fool!

[miltiades]

Is it not the same Stephen Flynn who wrote" HOW OUR GOVERNMENT IS FAILING TO PROTECT US FROM TERRORISM"
What on earth is he trying to state that just because a few million people die every year as a result of accidents we should stop prosecuting one man for one murder ?

GR , you are clutching at straws , your insatiable hatred for the West and in particular the USA , your expressed admiration and support for the Islamists and in particular Al Qaeda are indeed worrying. That is not for you but for any reader of this forum who might conceivably consider your assertions as being held by most Cypriots.
I will offer you some advice. This forum is being read , you are known as fiercely anti American , a warmonger , one who suggested that even in Cyprus Cypriots could become suicide bombers in YOUR war against Turkey. You are a complete nutter , a menace to the cause of Cyprus , furthermore I doubt very much whether you care , you are screwed up good and proper. The only encouraging sign is that I , do cause you concern because I expose you for what you are , a screwed up Al Qaeda potential activist.
What a Plonker .

One thing you need to realise is that if one Cypriot sacrifices himself for his country using whatever means necessary against a militarily superior opponent, then this must be respected and admired. This is exactly what men of honour such as Lt Gregoris Afxentiou did, and there is a very fine line between that sacrifice, Kamikaze Pilots and suicide bombers Miltiades, so be very careful with the words you choose. Soon, all Cypriots will come to the realisation that WAR, as opposed to a negotiated settlement could very well be our only salvation from occupation.

Now back to suicide bombings. It is a well known fact that Al Qaeda and Taliban are unable to engage their enemy face to face, because they would inevitably be obliterated and casualties against better trained coalition will be meager at best. Therefore, they engage their 'enemy' using other means by hitting soft targets, as gruesome as this is.

Furthermore, you seem to think it is OK for the coalition to obliterate any nation but you are very misguided. Whilst the coalition has very valid reasons to wage war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, it did not have the right to wage war in Iraq unless you are a supporter of regime change which is probably the only objective that has satisfactorily been accomplished, although the legalities of coalition action in Iraq is dubious at best (not that this is any deterrent in the real world as we all know only too well). You may also wish to get it through your head, for the sake of not being such a massive hypocrite, that if the coalition has every right to engage the Taliban (only due to the fact the Taliban and Al Qaeda have managed to engage coalition nations on their own soil), then Cyprus too has every right to engage the Turkish Army who still occupies the RoC and is committing its own terrorism against the Cypriot people, our culture and heritage...

Ease up on the hypocrisy Milti...you sound like a fool!

Paphitis , cut out the lecture mate you are too young.
A G/C blowing himself up in the centre of Kyrenia killing innocent men women and children is not a hero but a fucking lunatic. Cut out the nonsense now , Afxentiou was a freedom fighter not a bloody suicide bomber , huge difference.
The Taliban shit are killing their own people , including barbers and those that refuse to grow those grotesque medieval beards.
I full comprehend what goes on I do not need a little boy lecturing me.
Happy new year mate !
As for Cyprus having every right to engage the occupiers on their own soil , we are already aren't we , but not the type of engagement that you have in mind. Its called a political war , no blood , no tears just sophisticated legal political actions.

[Paphitis]

Is it not the same Stephen Flynn who wrote" HOW OUR GOVERNMENT IS FAILING TO PROTECT US FROM TERRORISM"
What on earth is he trying to state that just because a few million people die every year as a result of accidents we should stop prosecuting one man for one murder ?

GR , you are clutching at straws , your insatiable hatred for the West and in particular the USA , your expressed admiration and support for the Islamists and in particular Al Qaeda are indeed worrying. That is not for you but for any reader of this forum who might conceivably consider your assertions as being held by most Cypriots.
I will offer you some advice. This forum is being read , you are known as fiercely anti American , a warmonger , one who suggested that even in Cyprus Cypriots could become suicide bombers in YOUR war against Turkey. You are a complete nutter , a menace to the cause of Cyprus , furthermore I doubt very much whether you care , you are screwed up good and proper. The only encouraging sign is that I , do cause you concern because I expose you for what you are , a screwed up Al Qaeda potential activist.
What a Plonker .

One thing you need to realise is that if one Cypriot sacrifices himself for his country using whatever means necessary against a militarily superior opponent, then this must be respected and admired. This is exactly what men of honour such as Lt Gregoris Afxentiou did, and there is a very fine line between that sacrifice, Kamikaze Pilots and suicide bombers Miltiades, so be very careful with the words you choose. Soon, all Cypriots will come to the realisation that WAR, as opposed to a negotiated settlement could very well be our only salvation from occupation.

Now back to suicide bombings. It is a well known fact that Al Qaeda and Taliban are unable to engage their enemy face to face, because they would inevitably be obliterated and casualties against better trained coalition will be meager at best. Therefore, they engage their 'enemy' using other means by hitting soft targets, as gruesome as this is.

Furthermore, you seem to think it is OK for the coalition to obliterate any nation but you are very misguided. Whilst the coalition has very valid reasons to wage war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, it did not have the right to wage war in Iraq unless you are a supporter of regime change which is probably the only objective that has satisfactorily been accomplished, although the legalities of coalition action in Iraq is dubious at best (not that this is any deterrent in the real world as we all know only too well). You may also wish to get it through your head, for the sake of not being such a massive hypocrite, that if the coalition has every right to engage the Taliban (only due to the fact the Taliban and Al Qaeda have managed to engage coalition nations on their own soil), then Cyprus too has every right to engage the Turkish Army who still occupies the RoC and is committing its own terrorism against the Cypriot people, our culture and heritage...

Ease up on the hypocrisy Milti...you sound like a fool!

Paphitis , cut out the lecture mate you are too young.
A G/C blowing himself up in the centre of Kyrenia killing innocent men women and children is not a hero but a fucking lunatic. Cut out the nonsense now , Afxentiou was a freedom fighter not a bloody suicide bomber , huge difference.
The Taliban shit are killing their own people , including barbers and those that refuse to grow those grotesque medieval beards.
I full comprehend what goes on I do not need a little boy lecturing me.
Happy new year mate !
As for Cyprus having every right to engage the occupiers on their own soil , we are already aren't we , but not the type of engagement that you have in mind. Its called a political war , no blood , no tears just sophisticated legal political actions.

What else would you expect? Can the Taliban fight against the SAS?

Are you stupid or what?

And no Miltiades, we are not engaging the enemy to protect individual rights that millions around the world died for!

Furthermore, you will find that the Taliban and Al Qaeda also consider themselves freedom fighters as their country is under occupation. You seem to forget this all too easily! Their methods may not be good, since they predominately target civilians, but it is not as if they could target the SAS face to face now is it, because they wouldn't last 5 minutes.

You also seem to forget that only a few decades ago, allied forces deliberately targeted civilians in Germany and Japan, killing hundreds of thousands, as did the Nazis when they targeted civilians in allied countries using dumb bombs, also killing thousands/millions. So I don't understand what you are driving at Miltiades...

[miltiades]

International terrorism poses an increasingly dangerous and difficult threat to America. This was underscored by the December 1999 arrests in Jordan and at the U.S./Canadian border of foreign nationals who were allegedly planning to attack crowded millenium celebrations. Today's terrorists seek to inflict mass casualties, and they are attempting to do so both overseas and on American soil. They are less dependent on state sponsorship and are, instead, forming loose, transnational affiliations based on religious or ideological affinity and a common hatred of the United States. This makes terrorist attacks more difficult to detect and prevent.
Countering the growing danger of the terrorist threat requires significantly stepping up U.S. efforts. The government must immediately take steps to reinvigorate the collection of intelligence about terrorists' plans, use all available legal avenues to disrupt and prosecute terrorist activities and private sources of support, convince other nations to cease all support for terrorists, and ensure that federal, state, and local officials are prepared for attacks that may result in mass casualties. The Commission has made a number of recommendations to accomplish these objectives:

Priority one is to prevent terrorist attacks. U.S. intelligence and law enforcement communities must use the full scope of their authority to collect intelligence regarding terrorist plans and methods.

CIA guidelines adopted in 1995 restricting recruitment of unsavory sources should not apply when recruiting counterterrorism sources.
The Attorney General should ensure that FBI is exercising fully its authority for investigating suspected terrorist groups or individuals, including authority for electronic surveillance.
Funding for counterterrorism efforts by CIA, NSA, and FBI must be given higher priority to ensure continuation of important operational activity and to close the technology gap that threatens their ability to collect and exploit terrorist communications.
FBI should establish a cadre of reports officers to distill and disseminate terrorism-related information once it is collected.
U.S. policies must firmly target all states that support terrorists.
Iran and Syria should be kept on the list of state sponsors until they stop supporting terrorists.
Afghanistan should be designated a sponsor of terrorism and subjected to all the sanctions applicable to state sponsors.
The President should impose sanctions on countries that, while not direct sponsors of terrorism, are nevertheless not cooperating fully on counterterrorism. Candidates for consideration include Pakistan and Greece.
Private sources of financial and logistical support for terrorists must be subjected to the full force and sweep of U.S. and international laws.
All relevant agencies should use every available means, including the full array of criminal, civil, and administrative sanctions to block or disrupt nongovernmental sources of support for international terrorism.
Congress should promptly ratify and implement the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism to enhance international cooperative efforts.
Where criminal prosecution is not possible, the Attorney General should vigorously pursue the expulsion of terrorists from the United States through proceedings which protect both the national security interest in safeguarding classified evidence and the right of the accused to challenge that evidence.
A terrorist attack involving a biological agent, deadly chemicals, or nuclear or radiological material, even if it succeeds only partially, could profoundly affect the entire nation. The government must do more to prepare for such an event.
The President should direct the preparation of a manual to guide the implementation of existing legal authority in the event of a catastrophic terrorist threat or attack. The President and Congress should determine whether additional legal authority is needed to deal with catastrophic terrorism.
The Department of Defense must have detailed plans for its role in the event of a catastrophic terrorist attack, including criteria for decisions on transfer of command authority to DoD in extraordinary circumstances.
Senior officials of all government agencies involved in responding to a catastrophic terrorism threat or crisis should be required to participate in national exercises every year to test capabilities and coordination.
Congress should make it illegal for anyone not properly certified to possess certain critical pathogens and should enact laws to control the transfer of equipment critical to the development or use of biological agents.
The President should establish a comprehensive and coordinated long-term research and development program for catastrophic terrorism.
The Secretary of State should press for an international convention to improve multilateral cooperation on preventing or responding to cyber attacks by terrorists.
The President and Congress should reform the system for reviewing and funding departmental counterterrorism programs to ensure that the activities and programs of various agencies are part of a comprehensive plan.
The executive branch official responsible for coordinating counterterrorism efforts acrossthe government should be given a stronger hand in the budget process.
Congress should develop mechanisms for a comprehensive review of the President's counterterrorism policy and budget.
http://www.fas.org/irp/threat/commission.html

[Paphitis]

All good and well Miltiades, and the above is exactly why a war is being waged against the Taliban and Al Qaeda as we speak.

So we agree, that Cypriots have the right to wage warfare against an occupier now! I'm glad you now see sense....

For a moment I was thinking you were a hypocrite and a fool!

[miltiades]

There is not one iota of similarity between the Cypriot people and their culture and that of the Taliban barbarians.
Sanctity of life does not exist in this pre historic places , the devoutness to our dead does not exist either. We value life , they value death, we bury our loved ones but NEVER forget them Our culture is defined by thousands of years of civilization. These people haven't even entered the 1st century let alone the 21st.We must fight to preserve OUR way of life , we must fight to ensure that future generations can exercise their right to grow a beard or not . We must continue OUR culture because in our culture we do not condemn s a human to death for the crime of having extra marital sex , we do not publicly execute women for wearing a skirt , for wearing lipstick or for listening to music.
These people , the Taliban , and their ideology must be challenged at all costs.
CYPRIOTS ARE NOT TALIBAN

[Paphitis]

There is not one iota of similarity between the Cypriot people and their culture and that of the Taliban barbarians.
Sanctity of life does not exist in this pre historic places , the devoutness to our dead does not exist either. We value life , they value death, we bury our loved ones but NEVER forget them Our culture is defined by thousands of years of civilization. These people haven't even entered the 1st century let alone the 21st.We must fight to preserve OUR way of life , we must fight to ensure that future generations can exercise their right to grow a beard or not . We must continue OUR culture because in our culture we do not condemn s a human to death for the crime of having extra marital sex , we do not publicly execute women for wearing a skirt , for wearing lipstick or for listening to music.
These people , the Taliban , and their ideology must be challenged at all costs.
CYPRIOTS ARE NOT TALIBAN

If the damn Turks continue the occupation for many more years, then you will see that the Cypriots are far worse than the Taliban and rightfully so!!!

Afghan culture is also defined by thousands of years of culture, but Cypriots are very naive and culturally immature by world standards, because somewhere along the way we lost ours as it was snuffed out about 2,000 years ago!