Terrorizing a Primal Fear: Falling from the Sky. In Response, Bush Terrorized Us and Al Qaeda Won.

BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG

By Mark Karlin

When you look back over the 9/11 act of terror that Bush could have likely prevented, but was too lazy to try and prevent after being warned, Al Qaeda beat the Neo-Cons from that point on. 

Not only have we lost thousands of GIs, but also we were driven to the brink of national bankruptcy because of PNAC and Cheney's obession with securing Iraqi oil and de facto military control of the Middle East, except Al Qaeda was allowed to retreat to Pakistan. Then, the Bush Administration accomplished the terrorists' goals for them: driving America into insolvency and scaring Americans half to death.

At some point, you have to ask what quality of life issues are left when you have a nation quivering in fear because some religious fanatics believe that they can win a war with the "infidels" by blowing up planes in the sky.

The Christmas holiday explosion attempt on a Detroit-bound plane does have all the markings of an Al Qaeda operation -- perhaps an "experiment" to test a new bombing technique. 

There are no doubt a number of radical Islamic cells bent on blowing up Westerners, particularly Americans (although remember the deadly British and Spanish train bombings), but remind yourself that the purpose of terrorism is to terrorize, and the Bush Administration (with all its ginned up terror alerts) assisted Al Qaeda in their goal: terrorizing us and forcing us to fight wars that only radicalized more fanatics. That was Bush's "mission accomplished": accomplishing Al Qaeda's goal: fear, chaos, and economic self-destruction.

President Obama has a lower key approach. Terrorism has existed throughout history as a tool of radical idelogues and revolutionaries. It has been used by those seeking democracy and those seeking authoritarian regimes of the right and left alike. Terrorism has been used by religious fanatics of all stripes.

If America is a great nation, it will follow the path of Winston Churchill and FDR: there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

The hysteria of FOX and the GOP only enable Al Qaeda.

Bush and Cheney accomplished far more than Osama bin Laden (whether he is alive or dead) could have hoped.

It appears Obama is taking a different path, and that his concern about the nukes in Pakistan falling into terrorist hands is far more on target in regards to our safety, and is a strategic approach to terrorism rather than an end run for oil fields. It's important to also note that by destabilizing Iraq, Bush and Cheney only made the theological extremists in Iran all the stronger.

Let's hope that our primal fear of falling from the sky doesn't overcome our ability to outmaneuver the terrorists.

Becoming terrorized only accomplishes their goals.

BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG

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