Anyone in America could be a terrorist. That’s why the NSA is spying on all Americans. Because every American could be an American.
Holding the Line Against Midrange IQs
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication, WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal, a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "The Stringer."
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Most of the so-called terrorists apprehended have been those most easily coached by intelligence agencies into doing the absurd. You know the type: those who will lick a lamppost in the middle of a deep freeze on a dare.
It’s on this basis I question the “intelligence” of the intelligence agencies. Birds of a feather…
The government doesn’t need intelligence to murder someone — just opportunity.
The U.S. is literally still training tomorrow’s foreign terrorists (Somalia) while committing terrorist acts itself (drones). Its intelligence apparatus is pointed at its citizens, who are its de facto and de jure enemies.
Insofar as everyone the U.S. doesn’t like is a terrorist by definiton, including its own citizens who commit no crime and pose no threat to other citizens, then yeah, I think its dragnet will likely scoop up a lot of our dumber peeps.
Glenn,
You’re close. It’s a standard business concept.
1. Set up situation to catch terrorist.
2. Go to chat room and other forums. Egg terrorists on.
3. Provide the terrorists you, yourself, have incited with fake weapons.
4. Arrest them, with lots of media coverage.
5. Get a budget increase.
6. Make more of 1.
Ted, I believe you just illustrated what is meant by «regression to the mean». The only thing new here is that it’s all Mr Snowden’s fault, which I hadn’t realised previously – but now I’m regressing just as fast as I can !…
Henri