Why does the media give them ideas??

[Fire2123]

Ever since 9/11, the media have given the terrorists plenty of ideas. If the terrorists can't think of anything, all they have to do is turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper. Why do they do this? It's like they want them to strike again. A lady and I were talking about this the other day. And then today, I read a story at FoxNews.com titled "Truck Bombers Can Find Many D.C. targets." The article reads:

"And though law enforcement has fortified Washington, D.C., adding jersey walls in many places and loading up on the police presence downtown — a quick tour downtown shows that a truck bomb could easily roll under or nearby the Department of Labor, the new addition to the D.C. Court of Appeals and the Kennedy Center."

[Dalmatian90]

So people can't go around with their heads in the sand? "I didn't know..."

There's very few things that are truly needing special protection. Vulnerabilities at nuclear power plants? Yep, you should release what they where and when they were fixed so that they're held accountable.

Vulnerabilities of tunnels and such? It ain't giving away anything someone driving a taxi wouldn't know already if they were looking, and it reminds people to just be a little vigilant -- not paranoid, just think if something seems strange -- in those areas.

Here's a little secret for those who haven't figured it out:
Our infrastructure has vulnerabilities. It has and always will.

The only way to secure it is not by fortifying it -- forts haven't worked for centuries. Germans ran through the Maginot Line, US & England ran through the Atlantic Wall. Fixed defenses are impractically expensive and present an easy target to concentrate planning around.

There's two things you do about that vulnerability.

One, you make it robust & redundant so it can take several major hits and keep on ticking. If you hide your infrastructure behind, "Classified" stamps, then independent, outside people can't review to know whether or not the emperor has no clothes or not. Someone planning to take out the electrical grid wouldn't be helped much by a map -- they'd need field recon anyway to decide where to hit it, and they can map it themselves then. But interested members of the general public/politicians/etc can look at a map and quickly question, "Well, what if that went down, what would happen?" They can also read news articles to summarize what would happen, and maybe pay a bit more attention to unusual activity happening at a substation they pass everyday.

The second thing is you take the fight to those who threaten it -- mobility on the battlefield, good intelligence work, whatever you want to call it, identify them, find them, kill them.

All the money in the U.S. poured down the rabbit hole of "Homeland Security" doesn't matter, all the jersey barriers in the world won't stop the attacks. The things that are going to stop it are having robust enough systems (economic, infrastructure, political) that the attacks don't have a practical effect, having strong enough character that we don't allow ourselves to be afraid of them, and until the enemy realizes they can't hurts us bad enough and they can't scare us we keep up pressure everywhere to find them and hold them personally accountable.

[Bones42]

and here's another thing....if a reporter is smart enough to find this information to write about it, a terrorist is also.

[Dalmatian90]

if a reporter is smart

Generally those aren't two words you see that close together ;)

[DaSharkie]

Dal,

Don't you work witha bunch of reporters over at the T&G? If anyone should know, it is you.

[oldman21220]

What gets me even more than that, is when a government offical says, "no one ever thought of that." For years I have read Tom Clancy type novels and I have yet to hear of a new type of attack, yet these things never occur to people associated with government. I'll go along with smart and reporter not appearing that close together. I'll also go along with smart and government not appearing close together either

[Bones42]

I can imagine the space station coming out of orbit and crashing on top of my house. I can imagine a car running a stop sign and T-boning into another and then hitting the car wash on the corner.

I will plan for what has a reasonable chance of happening.

Both could happen, and if the space station hits my house, people will say it's my fault for not planning for that. :rolleyes:

[DaSharkie]

Tom Clancy type novels

As fantastical as Mr. Clancy's novels have gotten, there is a lot of stuff in them that do seem to be somewhat prophetic.

An airplane crashing into the Capitol building, talk of a terrorist group building a nuclear device (wheras in hsi book they actually detonate it in Denver), a rogue nation develops and disperses a biological agent in several parts of the country.

Many other books, by a variety of authors have some not too far fetched ideas about things that are easily done too and it is mindblowing how they are blown off as being too dificult to do.

[MINoSILLYWALKS]

Fire2123, I have scratched my head over the same thing.

'Course, reading or watching something is a lot different than doing it yourself. I've watched McGuiver contruct all kinds of fabulous, destructive things from toothpaste and duct tape, and I'd never manage to repeat that myself.

We can only hope that terrorists are as inept as I am.
::: smile :::

[ChiefReason]

MAYBE, IT'S BAIT!
CR

[FlyingKiwi]

MAYBE, IT'S BAIT!

ROTFL.

Using the clueless to catch the brainless. Now thats GOOD.

[VollieFireman]

So you are saying that the reports that ask someone who just lost their spouse due to a drive by shooting/fire/car accident...etc. "How do you feel?" is expected to know not to write about possible vunerabilities.

However, I do believe that our reporters have a responsiblity to help the public hold accountable our leaders. I do not think that they do a good job of it however.

[hwoods]

Originally posted by DaSharkie
Dal,

Don't you work witha bunch of reporters over at the T&G? If anyone should know, it is you.

T & G ??? T & G ?? Tar and Gravel??:p :p

[pfd3501]

Originally posted by Dalmatian90
The only way to secure it is not by fortifying it -- forts haven't worked for centuries. Germans ran through the Maginot Line, US & England ran through the Atlantic Wall. Fixed defenses are impractically expensive and present an easy target to concentrate planning around.


.
I think the Germans went around the Maginot Line, not through it (at least initially)

but your point is well taken

[MINoSILLYWALKS]

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/US/internet_sensitive_info_040812-1.html

Another example.

[CaptainGonzo]

Originally posted by hwoods


T & G ??? T & G ?? Tar and Gravel??:p :p

The T & G is the Worcester Telegram and Gazette... not to be be confused with Granny Clampett's favorite newspaper...

The Arkansas Razorback Hog Beaters Gazette! :D

[FlyingKiwi]

I think the Germans went around the Maginot Line, not through it (at least initially)

Correct, then they simply walked up behind the bunkers, and tapped the french on the shoulder and said "HAHA". All the french guns were now facing the wrong way.

The only fort taken by direct assault was the Belgium fort of Eban Emal, which was taken by landing gliders inside the fort walls and a fast shock assault followed.

[Driver76]

There is no other group that collectively has the ability to do and say whatever they want, then wrapping themselves in the constitution, get away with it.
The old WWII saying "loose lips sinks ships" was respected by the news media of that era. Hark !!! Another reason it is called "the greatest Generation". -bob-