Al Qaeda Targets Amtrak N'east Corridor

[oofrostonoo]

The tunnels and subways in NYC are more secure. At least they have a bigger police presence. Almost every day going in I see a box truck or 2 stopped and being looked around by cops.

Half the cops in NYC seem less worried about whats going on around them and more involved in conversations with fellow officers. In the subway they usually stand around talking to each other. I mean I'd be bored too if i had to stand in a subway station all day, that is a sh!t job.

They need to invent some bomb detection stuff, almost like a metal detector that everyone has to go through... That'd be good for bridges/tunnels.

[SC Devs Fan]

I've heard so many people say that the way Bush went about it is wrong-fair enough. What I'd like to hear is which way should Obama go about it instead of only complaining about the way Bush went. I want to hear ideas as opposed to "Bush is wrong" etc.

Ah but NZT the Republicans will be able to take the tact that Obama took for the next election - ask not what I can do, just let me point out the wrong moves the President before me made. Doesn't matter if he can't offer up solutions - after all, change has to be better doesn't it?

I laugh at the fact that Obama took Hillary to task for "having tea" with foreign leaders as her foreign policy experience yet names her Secretary of State. During the election she was not qualified according to him, now she is. Not just qualified but the best there is.

The sooner people realize Obama will be like most politicians before him - who promises change but toes the line once elected - the more realistic people will be about what he can accomplish.

[devilsfan26]

I've tried to stay out of this as its just become name calling... but a better question would be to ask which of those groups are most likely to cause American casulties in the forseeable future.

Personally, I am a racial profiler, so I guess I'm a racist. If 15 cars are stolen in my neighborhood (which has few African Americans) by African Americans and I see one walking in my neighborhood at night, am I wrong to be worried about that person? Before all you jump one me, that doesn't mean all AAs are thiefs and all cars are stolen by AAs but statistics don't lie. The current threat to American security - be it real or blown up by media - are Islamics. That doesn't mean that they are all bad or an attack is going to happen - or that some one else, including an American, might be the cause - but to be all PC and say we shouldn't worry about them is crap. Might as well all hold hands and sing kumbayah.

BTW, great episodes of the Simpsons where Homer racially profiles a middle Easterner last night.

There's a difference between worrying about them and going out and killing them. If your stolen car scenario happened in real life, are you going to kill the one you see walking in your neighborhood at night?

[SC Devs Fan]

Absolutely, but I don't believe anyone (at least on this board) is preaching to eradicate all Muslims.

[squishyx]

The tunnels and subways in NYC are more secure. At least they have a bigger police presence. Almost every day going in I see a box truck or 2 stopped and being looked around by cops.

Half the cops in NYC seem less worried about whats going on around them and more involved in conversations with fellow officers. In the subway they usually stand around talking to each other. I mean I'd be bored too if i had to stand in a subway station all day, that is a sh!t job.

They need to invent some bomb detection stuff, almost like a metal detector that everyone has to go through... That'd be good for bridges/tunnels.

I disagree completely. Their is an increased police presence, that may discourage someone who was on the brink of committing some kind of bombing activity, but for your hard line terrorists that we are talking about I don't think it will change anything. Me and my dad drove through the Brooklyn tunnel in a SUV yesterday and while there were 1 or 2 cops not a single one looked at us or had us stop the car. We easily could have had it full of explosives and detonated in the middle of the tunnel. And subways? if i strapped a bomb to my chest and put a heavy coat on, no one would be the wiser. So maybe they are "slightly" more secure but that wasn't really what I was getting it, my point is that if someone want's to do something on a small scale, there is very little in place to stop them and I'm not sure we are technologically advanced enough at this point to ever stop it no matter how many officers or dollars we throw at it.

[squishyx]

Is "war on Islam" different than or less pc than "war against Islamic extremists" ?

It's all the difference in the world.

What if I said we were at "war with the Jews", or "war with the Christians" instead of "Jewish terrorists" or "Christian extreme fundamentalists"? how can you not see the dramatic difference? It's not being PC for the sake of being PC. And honestly if you read how Loulam talks about Muslims, I honestly think he literally means all Muslims.

[Neutral Zone Trap]

It's all the difference in the world.

What if I said we were at "war with the Jews", or "war with the Christians" instead of "Jewish terrorists" or "Christian extreme fundamentalists"? how can you not see the dramatic difference? It's not being PC for the sake of being PC. And honestly if you read how Loulam talks about Muslims, I honestly think he literally means all Muslims.

What's wrong with calling a spade a spade? IMO the time for "tact" has long sinse elapsed.

[squishyx]

Ok Squish.

You believe that the way Bush went about fighting the war on terror to be the wrong way, point taken. What are the ways you think the war on terror should be fought ? what kind of approach do you think Obama should take ?

I've heard so many people say that the way Bush went about it is wrong-fair enough. What I'd like to hear is which way should Obama go about it instead of only complaining about the way Bush went. I want to hear ideas as opposed to "Bush is wrong" etc.

For the record, what you quoted was not me saying Bush did a lousy job of securing this nation, it was a commentary that we could never stop every small operation like the one that happened on 9-11 from occurring again.

However since you want to get into what I think should be done differently I will say this that imo we talk to anyone who is willing to talk with us. If you want to consider it more of a Reagan's "talk from strength" position, fine, but always talk, talk until the disagreeing sides die of old age so that a new generation can try again. This does not mean we should overlook Iran's nuclear weapon program, but it means that we aren't going to make claims about what another nation can and cannot do if we are not willing to so much as pick up the phone.

As far as fighting terrorism, we should get back to it. The guy who actually planned 9-11 could still be roaming around and we let Iraq get in the way of catching the SOB. We need to rebuild America's image and trust with the world so that countries are more willing to work with us and help eradicate them. Increase sanctions to the countries who knowingly harbor terrorists and we need to stop dropping bombs on innocent Afghany people, if we can't be sure they are terrorists we shouldn't be pushing the button.

What's wrong with calling a spade a spade? IMO the time for "tact" has long sinse elapsed.

Because you are calling the entire deck of cards the 2 of spades.

[Jimmy Leeds]

However since you want to get into what I think should be done differently I will say this that imo we talk to anyone who is willing to talk with us. If you want to consider it more of a Reagan's "talk from strength" position, fine, but always talk, talk until the disagreeing sides die of old age so that a new generation can try again. This does not mean we should overlook Iran's nuclear weapon program, but it means that we aren't going to make claims about what another nation can and cannot do if we are not willing to so much as pick up the phone.

As far as fighting terrorism, we should get back to it. The guy who actually planned 9-11 could still be roaming around and we let Iraq get in the way of catching the SOB. We need to rebuild America's image and trust with the world so that countries are more willing to work with us and help eradicate them. Increase sanctions to the countries who knowingly harbor terrorists and we need to stop dropping bombs on innocent Afghany people, if we can't be sure they are terrorists we shouldn't be pushing the button.

Interesting take.

1) We've been in high level, not the highest level, talks with Iran for years. So your notion of not "picking up the phone" is just dead wrong.

2) We caught the mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad. And that was from info developed in Iraq. And the punkass was waterboarded. Anyone have a problem with that?

3) Nice your thinking we're bombing innocent civilians.

[RowdyFan42]

Interesting take.

1) We've been in high level, not the highest level, talks with Iran for years. So your notion of not "picking up the phone" is just dead wrong.

So why is it that you guys howl whenever anyone suggests trying to talk Iran down from its nuclear perch?

2) We caught the mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad. And that was from info developed in Iraq. And the punkass was waterboarded. Anyone have a problem with that?

Methinks Squish was thinking of OBL there.

[oofrostonoo]

I disagree completely. Their is an increased police presence, that may discourage someone who was on the brink of committing some kind of bombing activity, but for your hard line terrorists that we are talking about I don't think it will change anything. Me and my dad drove through the Brooklyn tunnel in a SUV yesterday and while there were 1 or 2 cops not a single one looked at us or had us stop the car. We easily could have had it full of explosives and detonated in the middle of the tunnel. And subways? if i strapped a bomb to my chest and put a heavy coat on, no one would be the wiser. So maybe they are "slightly" more secure but that wasn't really what I was getting it, my point is that if someone want's to do something on a small scale, there is very little in place to stop them and I'm not sure we are technologically advanced enough at this point to ever stop it no matter how many officers or dollars we throw at it.

Yeah i was kinda making that point too, i wasn't too clear. The Lincoln & Holland tunnel do seem to be more observant and they do stop and search trucks alot from the limited time I see this.

In my post I was saying the same thing as you...that there are alot more cops, but they aren't necessarily doing anything. In major sub-stations (times sq, grand central, Columbus, wtc, they have tables set up for random searches. I've only seen one dude being searched.

I did see cops kick some black guys ass in the middle of the street the day that steam pipe blew up. I was coming out of the subway and everyone was standing in times square looking at the monitors because they thought it was a terrorist attack. The smoke/steam rose 200 feet high, so it didn't look good. Then i decide to walk toward my building and see some dude 5 feet in front of me realize that everyone is looking at the monitor so he swipes a sprite from the fridge of a street vendor...bam...4 cops throw is ass in the road, give him 5 or 6 shots with night-sticks and cuff him. This is another topic, but if I swiped the sprite i don't think I would have gotten that beating. It was really disturbing seeing something like that when the guy immediately dropped the sprite and layed on his face not resisting.

From my very limited understanding Giuliani wanted to put alot more cops on the street. So he dropped certain requirements, dropped entry pay, and expedited training and loaded up on the # of cops. But they could screen out as many troubled guys, and also didn't provide sufficient training/pay. So the quality is worse.

Anyways...I was just meaning to say police presence is way more than it was before.

Sometimes in Penn, WTC rail station, and other big locations there are military dudes with m16 rifles.

[oofrostonoo]

It's all the difference in the world.

What if I said we were at "war with the Jews", or "war with the Christians" instead of "Jewish terrorists" or "Christian extreme fundamentalists"? how can you not see the dramatic difference? It's not being PC for the sake of being PC. And honestly if you read how Loulam talks about Muslims, I honestly think he literally means all Muslims.

I watched the Hitler marathon on the discovery channel last night. They covered about how there were a few incidents(2 i believe) where Jews assassinated low ranking Nazi gov officials. This was the catalyst that allowed Hitler to categorize Jews as the problem. This specific event enabled him to have some reason behind calling all Jews evil. He released propaganda campaigns on the killings and gained larger public support for the recognition of Jews as a problem.

Taking a very insignificant sect of a religion and applying it to all people is wrong. And by this thinking, we are going in there and forcing our values onto them. Whether our values are right or wrong is irrelevant, by doing this we are pouring gas on the fire.

[oofrostonoo]

What's wrong with calling a spade a spade? IMO the time for "tact" has long sinse elapsed.

Refer to my post above. Maybe we should make Muslims wear gold Islamic symbol on their shirts.

[SC Devs Fan]

As far as security, anyone who has ever flown out of the Country realizes what a joke security was in the US, and although upgraded I can't believe if someone really wanted to bring down a plane they couldn't. With tunnels, bridges, etc. you'll never be able to protect them 100%, and if you can't protect them 100% what good is it protecting them 95%. All we can do is the best that we can do and hope some psychotic madman - be that person Islamic, Catholic or Jewish - chooses not to do it or is such a moron they will get caught. Look at the shootings in DC a couple of years ago - how long did it take to catch a rube randomly killing people.

[Jimmy Leeds]

So why is it that you guys howl whenever anyone suggests trying to talk Iran down from its nuclear perch?

Are you being serious? Because Barry H. promised to sit a table without preconditions with Machmood Ahmadi'mscrewedinthehead.

Our head of state shouldn't lower himself. Of course there needs to be dialogue and there always has been. Not that the liberal medis would tell you the truth.

Methinks Squish was thinking of OBL there.

Then that would be wrong. He had the idea and the money. KSM was the brains, if you wanna call it that.

[RowdyFan42]

Are you being serious? Because Barry H. promised to sit a table without preconditions with Machmood Ahmadi'mscrewedinthehead.

Our head of state shouldn't lower himself. Of course there needs to be dialogue and there always has been. Not that the liberal medis would tell you the truth.

You seem to be simultaneously for and against talks with Iran. Would you make up your mind?

[Jimmy Leeds]

You seem to be simultaneously for and against talks with Iran. Would you make up your mind?

Stop putting words in my posts.

Why don't you read a little.

[oofrostonoo]

Stop putting words in my posts.

Why don't you read a little.

Clear up your position. Should we or should we not talk with them?

[Jimmy Leeds]

Clear up your position. Should we or should we not talk with them?

Uh yeah. I'm actually answering a charge on a position I've never taken.

See how Rowdy spins sh it.

Our Prez should not sit at a table with deranged leaders without preconditions.

Do you disagree?

[RunninWithTheDevil]

Uh yeah. I'm actually answering a charge on a position I've never taken.

See how Rowdy spins sh it.

We've been in high level, not the highest level, talks with Iran for years.

Are you being serious? Because Barry H. promised to sit a table without preconditions with Machmood Ahmadi'mscrewedinthehead.

Our head of state shouldn't lower himself. Of course there needs to be dialogue and there always has been. Not that the liberal medis would tell you the truth.

What a spin.

Quiz for your Squish

Which of the following successfully attacked a major American city resulting in the loss of lives in the thousands?

A) The Communists

B) The Nazis

C) Islamic Terrorists

Communist Japan attacked pearl harbor by the way.

Edited December 2, 2008 by RunninWithTheDevil

[njdevil26]

As far as Mumbai goes:

The attackers have been narrowed down to those of Pakistani terror groups and Kashmiri separatists. Now the Indians haven't exactly played fair and nice over time in that region, but what does this say for the future?

Americans were killed, Rabbis were killed, and many Indians were killed during these awful attacks. Pakistan is in a vulnerable kind of transition period with its government, but they can pack a punch and they have nuclear weapons. The Indians have a large military packed with nuclear weapons as well. They have been staring at eachother over the border for years now and I feel like this incident is going to jumpstart what was inevitable. We will not sit back and stay quiet with Americans dead (the FBI is over there already) and Israel has been known get punched and react with an all out asswhooping.

It is going to be interesting and scary to see what lies ahead, but that region is in trouble. Any takers on what is going to happen over there? I'm just looking for opinions and pov's.

[Deke]

World war, Losta' fun.

Edited December 2, 2008 by Deke

[Jimmy Leeds]

Communist Japan attacked pearl harbor by the way.

Do you what to rethink this one?

[devilsadvoc8]

JL I can only hope that was an intentional error but if so, I don't get the humor or irony.

One thing about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a military strike on an overwhelmingly military target, not non-combatant men, women and children. Terrorists target military and non-military targets alike.

[Jimmy Leeds]

JL I can only hope that was an intentional error but if so, I don't get the humor or irony.

The irony is he's trying to tell us about history.

He must have missed that block of instruction.

I guess those polls are correct that shows how little American youth know about basic history.

At least he got where the Japanese bombed right.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Jimmy Leeds