Thursday, August 10, 2006
Who Do I Fear These Days?
So, yes. The London airline bomb plot. Big story of the day, apparently.
And I really don't know which way to go on it. And I'm scared by that.
I know, I honestly know, that we are still in danger. That there are people out there who want to strike blows against the US for rather unfounded reasons and who don't give two shits about collateral damage. I know that these people must be stopped, and I congratulate anyone who does.
On the other hand, I know that, in the past, the administration has lied to me. I know that they have played politics with terror. I know they have said that anyone who disagrees with how they run the country doesn't care about whether we get blown to kingdom come-- hell, in some cases, they've said we directly aid those who want to kill us. I know that they treat fear as a motivational tool, using color -coded charts that operate based on how the president's top men feel that day and viewing terror tapes as ploys for votes.
And I know that the president has instituted this plan only today, despite apparently having known about it for days. And I know that he, Cheney, and Snow are using this issue to paint Democrats as wholly unmotivated on terror.
I know that this was a real danger. I know that this could have rivalled 9/11 for sheer disaster. I jusst wish I knew who to listen to about what this really means.
UPDATE: John Rogers has talked about why this was only acted on today while US intelligence knew about it for a long-ass time: to net as many people involved as possible. I can't object to that, although I still object to the climate of fear and intimidation engendered by our administration.
And I really don't know which way to go on it. And I'm scared by that.
I know, I honestly know, that we are still in danger. That there are people out there who want to strike blows against the US for rather unfounded reasons and who don't give two shits about collateral damage. I know that these people must be stopped, and I congratulate anyone who does.
On the other hand, I know that, in the past, the administration has lied to me. I know that they have played politics with terror. I know they have said that anyone who disagrees with how they run the country doesn't care about whether we get blown to kingdom come-- hell, in some cases, they've said we directly aid those who want to kill us. I know that they treat fear as a motivational tool, using color -coded charts that operate based on how the president's top men feel that day and viewing terror tapes as ploys for votes.
And I know that the president has instituted this plan only today, despite apparently having known about it for days. And I know that he, Cheney, and Snow are using this issue to paint Democrats as wholly unmotivated on terror.
I know that this was a real danger. I know that this could have rivalled 9/11 for sheer disaster. I jusst wish I knew who to listen to about what this really means.
UPDATE: John Rogers has talked about why this was only acted on today while US intelligence knew about it for a long-ass time: to net as many people involved as possible. I can't object to that, although I still object to the climate of fear and intimidation engendered by our administration.
