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truebluegreen

(9,033 posts)

64. Well we tried practicing counter-terrorism in Vietnam, and Afghanistan.

Sat Jul 13, 2013, 07:00 AM

Jul 2013

We called it winning hearts and minds. Based on the evidence I would have to say that it is not something the military could or should do.

"Counter-terrorism" as a police action I'm OK with but not if it includes blanket surveillance. There are some things I am not willing to give up, especially since, even in our current state of "war", in this country you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than killed by a terrorist. And I don't attribute that to our friends in the NSA, or the CIA, or the FBI. Ending the "war" would only lengthen the odds imho.

I have traveled a lot, and lived in other countries at various times in my life (like now) and for the most part I don't find the world a scary place. Mostly people just want to live their lives in peace and it is not until their lives become intolerable that they take up arms. I think the best way to radicalize a population is to run roughshod over their beliefs or laws, or to exploit them economically, all for our own (or "our" corporations') selfish purposes.

But I fear we don't really want peace, only compliance, and wealth.

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You know what is hysterical? [View all] nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 OP

True, but terrorism is an actual threat, my uterus isn't. JaneyVee Jul 2013 #1

Terrorism usually is handled as a police matter. nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #2

i agree. nt DesertFlower Jul 2013 #3

No, neither of them is. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #5

It's not just about 9/11, it's global, with money flowing through charities and JaneyVee Jul 2013 #10

Terrorism is a tactic, not some kind of "ism" truebluegreen Jul 2013 #12

I get it, terrorism is an "idea", but threats of it to the international community JaneyVee Jul 2013 #14

No, it is not an "idea" like a philosophy or truebluegreen Jul 2013 #15

I agree, but can't counter-terrorism actually be productive in preventing war? JaneyVee Jul 2013 #20

What would we need it for? Hydra Jul 2013 #35

Well we tried practicing counter-terrorism in Vietnam, and Afghanistan. truebluegreen Jul 2013 #64

This post and your response preceding it are brilliant RedCappedBandit Jul 2013 #46

Thanks. truebluegreen Jul 2013 #65

"Terrorism" is the new apartheid. reusrename Jul 2013 #56

"terrorism practiced by the strong is war; war practiced by the weak is terrorism" - that aphorism, HardTimes99 Jul 2013 #44

Thank you, but I can't claim credit. truebluegreen Jul 2013 #66

Please. You seem like a rational, thinking human being. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #13

My life has already been effected by terrorism. Not looking forward to it happening again. JaneyVee Jul 2013 #16

Mine too! hrmjustin Jul 2013 #19

Then just like Garp, you are that much safer than the rest of us. Quit being a sucker. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #32

Why is it being a sucker to worry about terrorism. I live in NYC and take the trains all the time. hrmjustin Jul 2013 #33

Because you are not in any imminent danger. You are far more likely, living in NYC, Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #39

Well I agree it is unlikely and it does not rule my life. I also agree that the fearof terrorism has hrmjustin Jul 2013 #40

So is contracting the West Nile Virus. The point is that worrying about it, Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #42

Point taken! hrmjustin Jul 2013 #43

You are 8 times more likely to be killed by a domestic law enforcement officer than HardTimes99 Jul 2013 #48

Because there are far more imminent and real threats to the average American than terror. If sabrina 1 Jul 2013 #57

So you dont think our imperialists smacking the hornet's nest with drones bombings is going to be ErikJ Jul 2013 #17

No. They are justifiably enraged and have been egregiously harmed, but the bottom line in this case Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #31

What you said. zeemike Jul 2013 #18

And these fuckers are making more money from it than old Phineas could even imagine. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #55

Basic question. Does the "security state" make us safer or less safe from terrorism? BlueStreak Jul 2013 #52

Much less. It's not even honestly debatable. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #54

K&R MotherPetrie Jul 2013 #4

Conservatives require an underclass or three to abuse. DirkGently Jul 2013 #6

This is not just conservatives. nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #7

It's a conservative mindset, I think. DirkGently Jul 2013 #21

Slightly disagree nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #22

There's an overlap I expect. DirkGently Jul 2013 #26

Women need to be in their place... nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #29

Authoritarians & bigots play well together. DirkGently Jul 2013 #36

Exactly nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #37

You are correct! hueymahl Jul 2013 #27

You nailed it! +1000 JeffHead Jul 2013 #8

"The Gate to Women's Country" by Sheri Tepper TheJames Jul 2013 #53

i def. realize it, they both leave me with... allin99 Jul 2013 #9

Like walls closing in nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #11

To me it feels like a cloud hanging over.... allin99 Jul 2013 #74

K & R L0oniX Jul 2013 #23

I see that. nt Honeycombe8 Jul 2013 #24

yes people want to compartmentalize, marions ghost Jul 2013 #25

American Exceptionalism, Patriarchal Entitlement bluedigger Jul 2013 #28

And it is fraying now nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #30

it is funny to me ,too.... dtom67 Jul 2013 #34

Exactly. nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #38

... questionseverything Jul 2013 #71

I can give you a little insight into the war on women Hydra Jul 2013 #41

I can count on Nadin to post something thought provoking curlyred Jul 2013 #45

It would be hysterical RedCappedBandit Jul 2013 #47

See that union label nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #49

Looks like I have my homework for the evening RedCappedBandit Jul 2013 #50

Samuel Gompers nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #51

It's funny you would use "hysterical" in a post about war on women Pretzel_Warrior Jul 2013 #58

Yup, I did That on purpose nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #59

I see. I did read the op which is why Pretzel_Warrior Jul 2013 #61

I guess you will have to live through it nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #62

nationalism is a poison bobduca Jul 2013 #60

Yeah, but we are going from the garden variety nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #63

Bread and circuses hobbit709 Jul 2013 #67

"disregard of any privacy of citizens" is inaccurate Motown_Johnny Jul 2013 #68

And the truth... nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #70

Agreed. great white snark Jul 2013 #72

Russians seem to be our closest parallels in some ways carolinayellowdog Jul 2013 #69

Exactly-- both issues are about personal space felix_numinous Jul 2013 #73