What happened in Boston was horrific, and we all mourn the victims...

[Ken Burch]

But these things need to be remembered:

1)These attacks occurred while our defense budget was already massive;
2)They occurred while the National Security/Homeland Security State was running at full repressive tilt;
3)And they occurred while we are STILL in Afghanistan, and while it's still not certain that our leaders won't cave into Netanyahu's bellicose demands and start an unjustified war with Iran.

Therefore, we already know that no hawkish response will achieve anything, and no greater repressive measures will be of any use, either.

[Carolina]

1. TOUCHE! K&R

[SoCalDem]

2. The problem is that people who plan to do mayhem, always have the edge

Last edited Wed Apr 17, 2013, 08:26 AM - Edit history (1)

They know the when, the how, and the where. To "succeed", they only have to have ONE event be "successful".

The people who try to prevent mayhem, have to succeed 100% of the time to be successful, and when something bad did NOT happen, few people ever know about the thwarting of an event.

There have always been bombings, and there probably always will be. We all are somewhat protected by the law of averages, but no one is ever truly safe, no matter how much is spent..

Americans have always felt "special"...and safe.. We are neither, and have never been. We have been lucky.

For a few hundred years we have benefited from two oceans and two friendly neighbors who meant us no harm ..(Mexico was not pleased with us for a long time, but they were no match for us).

Even though we went around the world bullying helping people, they were unable to reach us with retaliation of any consequence....until recently. The ones abroad who want payback, figured out that to attack our sense of well-being & freedom was all that was needed....and could be done randomly and cheaply.

Our inner-demons (hate groups) are mingled with us, and can (and do) strike out whenever they feel like it.

[raccoon]

12. Good post. nt

[frazzled]

3. Might I just point out

that your post presumes some foreign element was involved in the Marathon bombing. We have no idea that this is true at this point.

Second: Our Security/Homeland Security state is "running at full repressive tilt"? Hyperbole much? What represssion have you experienced of late from the so-called "security state"? I just spent some time with my nephew, who had just returned from India, where he says he was searched and frisked at least 5 times each day, including upon entering and leaving his (five-star) hotel. And he was part of a US delegation of scientists with the National Science Foundation. He said he felt like kissing the ground when he got back. I don't think anyone here knows a thing about "security repression."

It remains to be seen if Afghanistan has anything to do with anything here. I feel you really really really want this to be about what you want it to be about. But it may not be about that.

And we don't know either how many potential other bombings have been stopped before they occurred because of our "repressive security state." Actually, numbers of terrorist incidents in the US are at their lowest point since the 1970s.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/16/eight-facts-about-terrorism-in-the-united-states/

[Ken Burch]

5. I fully realize this could be someone or something domestic.

Still, would you put it past our leaders to use this as a pretext for something brutal and insane?

If this thread is about anything, it's about preventing another "rush to war"-because our leaders, of both parties unfortunately, are always going to be looking for some reason to get us into another conflict somewhere, anywhere...because they can't live WITHOUT having an "enemy".

[frazzled]

6. We don't subscribe to Alex Jones "false flag" conspiracies here

Brutal? Insane? I honestly don't know what you're talking about. All I hear is that the Marathon will be bigger and better next year. There have been no reports of excessive measures that have been taken beyond the first few hours yesterday afternoon. Everyone from the mayor to the governor to the president wants everyone and everything to get back to normal.

[Ken Burch]

7. I'm not an Infowars type, and I think Alex Jones is a mega-whackjob.

It's just about being aware of what our establishment does, and how quickly it can move.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. What happens when they don't since likely this is domestic?

[Ken Burch]

17. I'd be relieved.

You're assuming that they'll admit it was domestic, though.

I hope you're right and I hope that no rush to war starts, since nothing could possibly be worse than another war.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. I don't think the current administration wants another war

[Bake]

4. Until we know who did it, no response is justified.

That is all.

Let's find out who did it.

Bake

[Poll_Blind]

8. Actually, that's an interesting point- and kind of a frightening one- about....

...the fact that all of this occurred in the current "homeland" security state. It does... It shows how little effect this entire apparatus has.

PB

[jessie04]

9. Thats something.

"while it's still not certain that our leaders won't cave into Netanyahu's bellicose demands and start an unjustified war with Iran"

Dragging israel into the Boston marathon bombings is quite an acheivement.

And I agree....yes, we all mourn the victims.

[Ken Burch]

14. Netanyahu is not "Israel"

It was just a comment about the degree to which a lot of U.S. politicians have become subservient to his hateful ideas.

[onenote]

10. These things also need to be remembered

The cherry blossoms were in bloom.
The baseball season had started.
And April 15 is Seth Rogan and Emma Watson's birthday.

All of which, based on what we currently know, seem as relevant as what you posted.

[raccoon]

11. You think TPTB should MISS an opportunity to pre-emptively attack another country? :sarcasm: nt

[MineralMan]

13. There is no real connection between what happened

and your three points, as far as anyone knows. What will happen because of it? People will be more watchful at events like this one, and there may be a tick-up in security precautions.

Once we discover who was behind the Boston bombings, what might need to be done to try to prevent duplications of that will be more evident. Right now, we know very little, so predictions are worthless.

[DevonRex]

15. Cart before horse. nt

[99Forever]

19. You are absolutely correct.

Guns, missiles, surveillance, sabor rattling, "smart" bombs, and police "crackdowns" WILL NOT fix this.

This Nation needs to find it's conscience and start using it.