Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: muckmaw on July 08, 2004, 11:39:01 AM
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Ridge Warns of 'Credible' al-Qaida Plot
20 minutes ago Add White House - AP Cabinet & State to My Yahoo!
By KATHERINE PFLEGER SHRADER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The United States is tightening security in the face of a steady stream of intelligence indicating al-Qaida may seek to mount an attack aimed at disrupting elections, the White House said.
The Department of Homeland Security is addressing the threat and has efforts under way to "ramp up security," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Thursday.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said the Bush administration based its decision to bolster security on "credible" reports about al-Qaida's plans, coupled with the pre-election terror attack in Spain earlier this year and recent arrests in England, Jordan and Italy.
"This is sobering information about those who wish to do us harm," Ridge said. "But every day we strengthen the security of our nation."
U.S. officials do not have specific knowledge about where, when or how such an attack would take place, but the CIA (news - web sites), FBI (news - web sites) and other agencies "are actively working to gain that knowledge," Ridge said.
Notwithstanding the heightened air of vigilance, the government is not raising its color-coded terror alert status, he said.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist told reporters that Americans should not expect a major announcement on homeland security any time soon, indicating that the nation's threat level could remain at its "elevated" level.
"There's, obviously, no reason for panic, or paralysis," Frist said after a briefing for senators on intelligence matters. "The country is at some increased risk between now and the time of the presidential election. It's important for people to be aware of that."
"What is clear is that law enforcement has generally been notified. ... There are enhanced activities on behalf of law enforcement around the country to engage in deterrence and prevention," he said.
In April, a working group made up of representatives from agencies that touch on law enforcement, homeland security and intelligence was established to deal with a series of events through the election that may be attractive targets for terrorists, including the presidential nominating conventions.
Senior administration officials and counterterrorism experts view the coming months as a time to increase vigilance out of concern that Islamic militants may try to replicate the political success they had in Spain with coordinated pre-election train bombings.
Nearly 200 died in the March attack, and the prime minister's ruling Popular Party lost to a rival who promised a pullout of Spanish troops from Iraq (news - web sites).
Elaborate plans are already in the works to protect the Republican and Democratic party conventions in New York and Boston, which have been classified as National Security Special Events. With the designation — a concept that evolved from the 1996 Summer Olympics (news - web sites) in Atlanta — comes federal funds, increased preparations and heightened security.
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Once again, thank you Spain for demonstrating that terrorism works. I'm sure that the various militant organizations around the world thank you.
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So if they blew up a train here, would that mean Kerry would take a pacifist approach and pull out of Iraq? I don't think so.
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For what it's worth, I'd rather get hit when our rediness is at its highest. If the AQ bastardminds are going to commit what assets they have in theater, better for us to have it when we're expecting it.
But don't get me wrong, I work in Downtown DC and ride the train every day. I don't want to get blown up.
-Sik
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Actually, now that you mention it, someone called "Ahmed the honest car dealer" is giving Ferraris for free around here!!
I got myself two: one black and one yellow.
Daniel
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Originally posted by CyranoAH
Actually, now that you mention it, someone called "Ahmed the honest car dealer" is giving Ferraris for free around here!!
I got myself two: one black and one yellow.
Daniel
hehe
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This Just in...
There will be a major earthquake in or around Los Angeles at somepoint in the future...Date, time, epicenter, and level of intensity are as of yet unknown.
SSDD
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Originally posted by CyranoAH
Actually, now that you mention it, someone called "Ahmed the honest car dealer" is giving Ferraris for free around here!!
I got myself two: one black and one yellow.
Daniel
pick one up for me to will you?
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Originally posted by CyranoAH
Actually, now that you mention it, someone called "Ahmed the honest car dealer" is giving Ferraris for free around here!!
I got myself two: one black and one yellow.
Daniel
No red ones left?
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Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
No red ones left?
are you a commie?
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Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
No red ones left?
Red? But.. but.. that's so.. martial! We are against war here, you know.
Daniel
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Notwithstanding the heightened air of vigilance, the government is not raising its color-coded terror alert status, he said.
More double speak from the DHS.
:aok
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Originally posted by Sandman
More double speak from the DHS.
:aok
done as to not burn out the ppl, guess they don't know it is too late for many in more ways than one ..
whine if you get warnings, whine if you don't, just ain't happy unless you are complaining about this admin in one way shape or form - you sure you guys don't have some sort of male PMS?
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Originally posted by Red Tail 444
This Just in...
There will be a major earthquake in or around Los Angeles at somepoint in the future...Date, time, epicenter, and level of intensity are as of yet unknown.
SSDD
LoL Good point.. DHS could have gotten their prediction models from the US Geologist dept..
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Originally posted by Nilsen
are you a commie?
Last generation commie educated baby! Heck I still rememember chernobyl disaster...
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Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Last generation commie educated baby! Heck I still rememember chernobyl disaster...
So a red Lada would not be completly wrong then?
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this got hijacked fast.
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Originally posted by Nilsen
So a red Lada would not be completly wrong then?
Red Yugo!!!!
Check out the sport package!
(http://www.subrew.com/library/yugo/yugo_rear.jpg)
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Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Red Yugo!!!!
Check out the sport package!
oh man.... that is just pure beauty!!
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Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Red Yugo!!!!
Check out the sport package!
(http://www.subrew.com/library/yugo/yugo_rear.jpg)
How come everytime I see a photo of a Yugo, the sky is cloudy and rainy-looking?
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So, has the threat level raised back up to duct tape yet? 'Cause I've got 5 rolls at the ready, and have practiced the duck-and-cover in case of a nuclear attack!
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Originally posted by SOB
So, has the threat level raised back up to duct tape yet? 'Cause I've got 5 rolls at the ready, and have practiced the duck-and-cover in case of a nuclear attack!
The new threat system:
Duct Tape
Masking Tape
Elerctrical Tape
Scotch Tape
Post it Note
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Originally posted by gofaster
How come everytime I see a photo of a Yugo, the sky is cloudy and rainy-looking?
cause the finish looks best on a cloudy day?
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Originally posted by Chairboy
Once again, thank you Spain for demonstrating that terrorism works. I'm sure that the various militant organizations around the world thank you.
So now it's Spain's fault. Add them to the same hate list as France and let us all forget who the real enemy is. Terrorism is working by dividing America from it's friends and eroding everyone's rights, reducing our freedom to travel and increasing fears. That's how terrorism works.
Don't play their game.
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Too late cpxxx - they threw us the ball and we're going straight for a touchdown. Extra two points as well if we don't learn our lesson real soon.
BTW SOB - Duct tape is worthless for a nuclear attack... you need double sided tape so the radiation and radiated materials stick to the other side and don't come through.
-SW
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Ooh, double-sided tape, good thinking SW! But in a pinch, I think the duck-and-cover method will offer plenty of protection...Uncle Sam told me so!
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Originally posted by cpxxx
So now it's Spain's fault. Add them to the same hate list as France and let us all forget who the real enemy is. Terrorism is working by dividing America from it's friends and eroding everyone's rights, reducing our freedom to travel and increasing fears. That's how terrorism works.
Don't play their game.
Let's not leave out the Irish. Thanks, Ire-land!
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Originally posted by SOB
Ooh, double-sided tape, good thinking SW! But in a pinch, I think the duck-and-cover method will offer plenty of protection...Uncle Sam told me so!
Duck and cover!
Famous Civil Defense film for children in which Bert the Turtle shows what to do in case of atomic attack!
http://www.archive.org/movies/details-db.php?collection=prelinger&collectionid=19069
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Originally posted by SOB
Ooh, double-sided tape, good thinking SW! But in a pinch, I think the duck-and-cover method will offer plenty of protection...Uncle Sam told me so!
You make it too easy....
But for the sake of the children watching at home, I'll refrain.
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Pansie!
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Neat timing on this last announcement.
Kinda like the last one.
And the one before.
I tell ya... if I came face to face with someone who would actually threaten me with death if I didn't support him I'd clock the guy.
It's one thing to say you're strong on terrorism. It's another to try and actually frighten me for your own political gain. THAT is weazle-like to the extreme.
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Let's screw up the Terrorist and hold our Presidential Elections 2 days before the set date...Hey it worked in Iraq.....! :D
Just don't invite Spain to the Ceromonies....Wusses!
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if germany ,france and others were true friends nothing would seperate us much less some terriost......russia threaten us with war if we air lifted food and supplies to berlin how many guys died doing that why did we stick with our supposed friend under the threat of war.....with friends like ours who needs enemys
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France is just waiting for the bullets to stop flying. Spain blew it, South Korea will kick arse when the get there, Germany is just Germany, arse still healing. And don't bring the Irish into it...:D
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Originally posted by Eagler
done as to not burn out the ppl, guess they don't know it is too late for many in more ways than one ..
whine if you get warnings, whine if you don't, just ain't happy unless you are complaining about this admin in one way shape or form - you sure you guys don't have some sort of male PMS?
What leads you to assume they are male Eagler?
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Sounds like Bush slide in the polls, again.:rolleyes:
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"Terrorism is working by dividing America from it's friends and eroding everyone's rights, reducing our freedom to travel and increasing fears. That's how terrorism works."
Baloney. The US adminstration and thier neo-con groupies are dividing this nation (re: "with us or with them" and the "Hate Bush = Love Saddam and Support Terrorism" dogma) and it is the US administration that has enacted the Patriot acts which have unneecessarily "eroded rights, reduced freedom to travel and increased fears" (gee. What color are we today? Six months ago? A year go?? And how many" false alarms have been sounded out in the last three years? Many).
And.
It is the US administration that has alienated us from old friends as well as new. Remember the mocking, sarcastic rhetoric of the US adminstration calling the countries, that did not support the Iraq invasion bull****, as "OLD Europe?"
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Originally posted by Westy
"Terrorism is working by dividing America from it's friends and eroding everyone's rights, reducing our freedom to travel and increasing fears. That's how terrorism works."
Baloney. The US adminstration and thier neo-con groupies are dividing this nation (re: "with us or with them" and the "Hate Bush = Love Saddam and Support Terrorism" dogma) and it is the US administration that has enacted the Patriot acts which have unneecessarily "eroded rights, reduced freedom to travel and increased fears" (gee. What color are we today? Six months ago? A year go?? And how many" false alarms have been sounded out in the last three years? Many).
And.
It is the US administration that has alienated us from old friends as well as new. Remember the mocking, sarcastic rhetoric of the US adminstration calling the countries, that did not support the Iraq invasion bull****, as "OLD Europe?"
"And the lights are never on in Massachusetts" The BeeGees got it all wrong. But it's to be expected from the state that brought us the Kennedys, Kerry, Barney Franks, Mikey Dukakis, Tip O'Neal and a host of other clown types. The sad thing is that I lived in Mass. and the good people of that state deserve better at least the ones that I befriended in Manomet and Plymouth do.
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QUOTE]Originally posted by Arlo
Let's not leave out the Irish. Thanks, Ire-land! [/QUOTE]
Yeah, don't mention the Irish :cool: We only sent our best troops........err the Irish Guards regiment of the British army!!!!!!!
Joking aside we know how to handle terrorists, we've had to deal with them for a long time.
And Westy, I think that was my point. The current administration is playing the terrorists game by it's current policies. The lesson learned in every other terrorist conflict including Ireland is that overreacting to to the terror by taking away people's rights, sterotyping races or religions and taking extreme action against nebulous targets doesn't work. Unfortunately the only way to win a terrorist war and there are any number of examples out there is to play the long game. That means long term polices in the Middle East and solving the Israel/Palestinian issue. In my opinion Israel is the key issue in the war on terror. Take away the running sore of Israel/Palestinian conflict and much of Arab radicalism will disappear.
Unfortunately long term work doesn't sit well with public and politicians that want action now.
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I understand now. I misconstrued your point, sorry about that.
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Originally posted by Torque
Sounds like Bush slide in the polls, again.:rolleyes:
Thursday, July 8, 2004 5:23 p.m. EDT
AP Poll Rocks Kerry Camp: Edwards Hurts Ticket, Bush Now Leads
President Bush has opened up a lead over Sen. John Kerry in the latest voter survey, despite the addition of John Edwards to the Democratic ticket and 48 hours of non-stop media gushing over the selection.
The new Associated Press poll, released late Thursday afternoon, shows Bush-Cheney leading Kerry-Edwards by 49 to 45 percent.
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Originally posted by TheDudeDVant
LoL Good point.. DHS could have gotten their prediction models from the US Geologist dept..
...Or from Tom Clancy.
Who knows, maybe God himself whispered in dubya's ear (again):rolleyes:
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Originally posted by SOB
I've got 5 rolls at the ready, and have practiced the duck-and-cover in case of a nuclear attack!
That's "Newqulor attack" for the rest of the free world, SOB
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cpx... not sure that advise or examples on how to live under the threat of terrorism from you or ireland is really a good thing.
don't think advise from spain is to good either.
and.. not sure I want to live under french or german rules.
certainly don't want to be a british "subject"
and now... even the aussies have turned into pansies.
rpm... does it even sink in that you are pulling a moore and siding with the radical socialists on the board and basicly... like moore.. kissing their butts for attention by telling them how stupid and selfish we Americans are?
lazs
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My point Lazs is that damaging your own country to fight terrorism doesn't work. Terrorism is like smoke. You can fight the smoke all day but won't win unless you extinguish the fire. Even a small fire can cause a lot of smoke.
Kneejerk reactions don't work. Most countries with terrorist problems learned that the hard way. Americans are not stupid and they learn fast. But Americans are on a steep learning curve.
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Originally posted by cpxxx
My point Lazs is that damaging your own country to fight terrorism doesn't work. Terrorism is like smoke. You can fight the smoke all day but won't win unless you extinguish the fire. Even a small fire can cause a lot of smoke.
Kneejerk reactions don't work. Most countries with terrorist problems learned that the hard way. Americans are not stupid and they learn fast. But Americans are on a steep learning curve.
We will find, manipulate conditions, control and anhiliate them because we are the greatest power on earth. resistence is futile.
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well then perhaps we should learn from the countries that have been successful in stopping terrorism like ireland for instance? france? spain? which?
Maybe it is you who is on a steep learning curve... maybe it is because we had 8 years of european like thought that we are in the mess that you are in?
what would kerry do to combat terrorism? What would you suggest?
I suggest hunting down all the people who are known terrorists and all the people who fund them... I propose pointing out to countries that a govenment that supports terrorists is a government that is about to be replaced.
lazs
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Originally posted by cpxxx
So now it's Spain's fault. Add them to the same hate list as France and let us all forget who the real enemy is. Terrorism is working by dividing America from it's friends and eroding everyone's rights, reducing our freedom to travel and increasing fears. That's how terrorism works.
Don't play their game.
But we can still hate France right?
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Why of course!!
For if there is at least one thing in this day and age that we have in an overabundance of in this country it is hate.
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Originally posted by Westy
Why of course!!
For if there is at least one thing in this day and age that we have in an overabundance of in this country it is hate.
Spoken like a true liberal
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Great op-ed piece in the Washington Post today:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37954-2004Jul8.html
Site requires a login (seems they all do these days) so I'll paste it in here in case you don't have/want one...
_____________________________ _
Blixful Amnesia
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, July 9, 2004; Page A19
Thank God for Hans Blix. Whenever we become lax and forgetful about how the world changed on Sept. 11, former chief inspector Blix is there to make the case for mindless complacency. In a recent speech in Vienna he warned that one should be wary of the claim that "the risk that reckless groups and governments might acquire weapons of mass destruction is the greatest problem facing our world today."
Why? Because "to hundreds of millions of people around the world, the big existential issue is hunger, and also that wherever you live on this planet, the risk of global warming and other environmental threats are existential."
Here we are at the crux of a debate over the United States'
aggressive interventionism of the past few years. Is Islamic radicalism in potential alliance with terrorist states that possess such weapons a threat to the very existence (hence:
"existential") of the United States and of civilization itself?
On Sept. 12, 2001, and for many months after, that proposition was so self-evident that it commanded near unanimous support. With time -- three years in which, contrary to every expectation and prediction, the second shoe never dropped -- that consensus has evaporated.
The new idea, expressed by Blix representing the decadent European left, and recently amplified by Michael Moore representing the paranoid American left, is that this existential threat is vastly overblown. Indeed, deliberately overblown by a corrupt/clueless (take your pick) President Bush to justify American aggression for reasons of . . . and here is where the left gets a little fuzzy, not quite being able to decide whether American aggression is intended simply to enrich multinational corporations -- or maybe just Halliburton alone -- with fat war contracts, distract from alleged failure in Afghanistan, satisfy some primal masculine urge or boost poll ratings.
We have come a long way in three years. The idea that Sept.
11 was a historic turning point, a wake-up call to a war declared by our enemies but ignored by us, has begun to fade. The week after the attacks, the late-night comedy shows went dark -- and upon returning to the air they were almost apologetic about telling jokes, any jokes, ever again. Today, Moore produces a full-length film parody of Sept. 11 and its aftermath that is not just highly celebrated but commands a huge popular audience. To be sure, Moore's version is not quite as crazed as the French bestseller claiming that the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center were remotely controlled by the CIA at the behest of the president. Moore merely implies some sinister plot, citing connections between the Bush and bin Laden families. It's a long way from two years ago, when Rep. Cynthia McKinney was run out of Congress for suggesting that Bush had foreknowledge. (She is today in a tight race, with a very good chance of regaining her seat.)
Unlike the French book or the Moore movie, Blix is not deranged. He is merely in denial, discounting the uniqueness of the WMD-terrorism issue by comparing it to global warming and hunger. Yes, hunger is an existential issue to the people suffering it. As are car accidents, heart disease and earthquakes. But they hardly threaten to destroy civilization. Hunger is a scourge that has always been with us and that has not been a threat to humanity's existence for at least 1,000 years. Global warming might one day be, but not for decades, or even centuries, and with a gradualness that will leave years for countermeasures.
There is no gradualness and there are no countermeasures to a dozen nuclear warheads detonating simultaneously in U.S.
cities. Think of what just two envelopes of anthrax did to paralyze the capital of the world's greatest superpower. A serious, coordinated attack on the United States using weapons of mass destruction could so shatter America as a functioning, advanced society that it would take generations to rebuild.
What is so dismaying is that such an obvious truth needs repeating. The passage of time, the propaganda of the anti-American left and the setbacks in Iraq have changed nothing of that truth. This is the first time in history that the knowledge of how to make society-destroying weapons has been democratized. Today small radical groups allied with small radical states can do the kind of damage to the world that in the past only a great, strategically located and industrialized power such as Germany or Japan could do.
It is a new world and exceedingly dangerous. Everything is at stake. We are now deeply engaged in a breast-beating exercise for not having connected the dots before Sept. 11.
And yet here we are three years after Sept. 11, with the dots already connected, and we are under a powerful urge to ignore them completely.
letters@charleskrauthammer.com
C 2004 The Washington Post Company