Is Terror Still a Threat?
Published September 30, 2003
I was listening to the Howard Stern show, and he and the crew were going over Michael Moore's appearance on the Bill Maher show this weekend. Maher says he is going to play the "devil's advocate" as he goes on a low-level rant (including stats) how terrorism isn't a threat in the United States. His point was that the different alert levels and everything else are unnecessary.
Michael Moore obviously loves this and he pipes in about how the various terror alerts are to help drum up support for the right wing agenda. There is no terror threat. Maher comes in with the stats. Don't quote me on this, but it was something to the effect of, more Americans died from shoveling snow last year than from terrorism. More Americans died from bee stings than from terrorism.
I understand the argument. I understand the conspiracy theory. I might even be able to buy that it could be true that the right side is using the terror alerts to drum up support for the president. But, what does Michael Moore mean when he says the right wing agenda. I thought that was one of the biggest complaints about our president thus far is that we aren't sure what the agenda is. I know that has been one of my biggest worries.
Also, do you really think terror isn't a threat in this country anymore? Because nothing has happened really since the anthrax after 9/11 does that mean terror isn't a threat? I don't buy it. There were people with enough intelligence, know-how, and planning in this country who were able to kill 3000 people in a single day. Is it so long ago that you forget that? How is it that after an incident like that, we can feel safe a mere two years later? Shouldn't we be overly cautious and wary for at least a decade before we declare there is no threat?
Finally, this "no terror" thinking runs contrary to what we are doing in the rest of the world, and the things that Maher and Moore have been most critical of. The one thing that I think most people can agree on, whether you think we should have gone to war or not, whether you are a democrat, republican or some minority party, is that what we are doing isn't popular in the rest of the world. We know this for a fact. Wouldn't this be justification enough to assume there is still a threat of terror in this country?
If you constantly argue that the war is unpopular worldwide from one side of your mouth, and then through the other side say that the right side is making up the terror threat for their own agenda, isn't that a direct contradiction of yourself logically?
I am not in any way claiming that if you are a democrat that Bill Maher and Mike Moore represent you anymore than I would claim Rush and O'Reilly represent the Republicans.
Craig Lyndall writes about all things related to Cleveland sports for WaitingForNextYear.com. 
- Is Terror Still a Threat?
- Published: September 30, 2003
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- Section: Politics
- Filed Under: Culture: Media
- Writer: Craig Lyndall
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Comments on this articleComments
Michael Moore might not be far off in that respect, but to say that there is no terror threat in the United States anymore is ludicrous.
Because we haven't had any further attacks, doesn't mean the threat isn't there.
I agree that there are definitely terror threats and I believe they are more numerous now than ever before. I agree with you.
We shouldn't let down our guard. Ever. I don't mind the increased security at the airports, but I think maybe things have gotten out of hand with the stripping of some freedoms and privacy under the guise of "security"
I think they with the things put in place in the last year, the potential for it getting out of control is real and serious. My big point of this article is that I think it is funny to hear Maher and Moore talking about the right-wing agenda as if the left wing doesn't have one also. The war is unpopular, yet there is no terror threat, might be the most illogical argument I have ever heard.
Craig, it's nonsense, you're right. Let's keep Ashcroft in check and keep a close eye on our civil liberties and how they are being compromised - the confrontation with the librarians forced him to give up more info than his paranoid little mind wanted to.
But the War on Terror must continue full speed ahead: iraq must be rebuilt, al Qaeda must be tracked, thwarted and incapacitated at every turn. the fact that we haven't had a major domestic incident since 9/11 doesn't mean it's time to back off, it means our plan has been working.
Oy.
I suspect that Moore (who is annoyingly imprecise, grrr) meant that the US is no more a terror threat than the countries that deal with tangible terror attacks with much more frequency than people living on US shores. Terror threatens everyone on the planet.
The War on Terror, though, IMO, is indeed a dangerous tactic of a right-wing agenda that seeks power over the planet.
Here come the attacks...
Don't be too quick to dismiss threats of terrorism...
Here is an item from HindustanTimes.com
Kuwait foils smuggling of chemicals, bio warheads from Iraq
Associated Press
Kuwait City, October 2
Kuwaiti security authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle $60 million worth of chemical weapons and biological warheads from Iraq to an unnamed European country, a Kuwaiti newspaper said on Wednesday.
The pro-Government Al-Siyassah, quoting an unnamed security source, said the suspects had been watched by security since they arrived in Kuwait and were arrested "in due time." It did not say when or how the smugglers entered Kuwait or when they were arrested.
The paper said the smugglers might have had accomplices inside Kuwait. It said Interior Minister Sheik Nawwaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah would hand over the smuggled weapons to an FBI agent at a news conference, but did not say when.
Government officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Iraqi Interior Minister Nouri Al-Badran met on Tuesday with Sheik Nawwaf and discussed cooperation between the two countries in security matters. His visit is the first by an Iraqi interior minister to Kuwait since 1990.
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I am of the opinion that America has always been under threat from terrorists long before Bush came in office. I think the FBI, CIA and other government organizations have done an exceptional job allowing 'not in the know' Americans like myself from worrying about it. I think they should be commended for their job. I also believe that regardless whatever the 'right wing agenda' is, politicians, specifically Republicans, use fear as a motivating factor in pushing their Bills and wills through Congress. This is nothing new, they just are using different tools. I think Michael Moore may be extreme in his opinion but I dont think he's so far off the point that his opinion should be disregarded.