The terror alert level has to do with how much money government agencies spend on security based on how likely we consider an attack to be. The fact that the media has made a big deal out of the pretty colors doesn't mean it's meaningless.

Michael-     

     If the US is such a terible nation in comaprison to other nations of the world then leave. If you think there is a better nation that is... No? Why is that? Oh? Because there isn't one? Ah i see...

     Besides the fact that I despise organized religion myself, just let me know when the Christian Coalition starts flying passenger planes into buildings.

     Addtionally after you spend a decade or two in intelligence let me know how "they" should have "known" that this particular report about people on a watch list entering the country (one report of literally hundreds of thousands generated each day) should have told them that a terrorist act of unprecedented proportions would occur. Further explain then how extra security now is a bad idea.

     Your opinion is your right (especially on your blog), i just heartily disagree with every single point of it. I would be more open if you presented some solutions in your article. Give some options that would work better than the ones in place. Criticism without an alternative is nothing more than kvetching.

Regrettably, Michael, there are no facts in your rant, let alone "bright shining truth." I admit that the color-coding threat thing is a bit lame and subject to this kind of mindless ridicule, but your suppositions and conclusions are more than just a stretch. You'd do well to remember that, for reasonable and arguably valid reasons (as judged at that time), our foreign and domestic intelligence capabilities were separated by overt conscious intention. 9/11 demonstrated clearly that the premise for that separation was, on a practical level, false, or at least misguided. You'd also do well to remember the political climate prior to 9/11, which it seems much of the media and virtually all the Bush bashers have conveniently forgotten. Had the government (Clinton's administration or anyone else's) tried to implement the kind of security measures and domestic surveillance capable of having prevented 9/11, there would have been a deafening outcry about infringement of our individual liberties based on rumor and guesswork, the specter of Big Brother, etc. That argument is being made by many even after 9/11, so it's not too big a stretch to imagine what it would have been like without 9/11. Also remember the whole area of concern was considered a criminal matter, something that by definition is dealt with after the fact (except in Minority Report, of course). I respect your right to voice your opinion and hope you are open-minded enough to accept constructive critique.

Cheers,
Daiwa

Thank you again Madine,

The terror alert level has to do with how much money government agencies spend on security based on how likely we consider an attack to be

You see all the money in world did not prevent the 9/11 hijackings did they? And as far as "...how likely we consider an attack to be...", I will let you explain that to the family members of those who died on that fateful day. Once again the United States is using a color coded system to show how "Close" the U.S. is to being attacked, now with the color-coded scheme the U.S. not only induces paranoia, but have turned into modern day Soothesayers predicting with colors; how close we are to getting attacked.
Come on!

Madine, the colors are meaningless...the only thing that will change that, is a change in government. That will be next to impossible, because of the power a few wield.

Thank you Greywar,

If the US is such a terible nation in comaprison to other nations of the world then leave. If you think there is a better nation that is... No? Why is that? Oh? Because there isn't one? Ah i see...

This is not about who's who of nations. Yes there are better nations out there. Did you know in Holland there were only three deaths attributed to guns last year? In England the beat cops carry no guns, and so far this year none of them have been shot?
In Singapore the streets are cleaner than the inside of some homes? In Canada every citizen gets FREE healthcare? While our senior citizens who put their years into this nation, have to beg and scratch just to get their insurance to cover ONE QUARTER of the total cost. Greywar I was born here, I'm not going anywhere...but I will not let you or anyone spout propaganda contrary to what the real truth is...open your eyes, this is my opinion...if you have a problem with it maybe you should leave; because I'm one of the MANY who feel this way.

Besides the fact that I despise organized religion myself, just let me know when the Christian Coalition starts flying passenger planes into buildings.

That's like comparing apples and oranges. Lets look look at what OUR national Catholic church has been doing over the years, sure they're not flying planes into buildings, I give you that...but when you are in a position of trust, you do not molest those who are most vulnerable...Secondly, while the Vatican may not be flying planes into buildings...how many people died on 9/11? About 2,500. Well I'll tell you the Catholic church has executed more than that throughout the years when the inquisition was at its highest peak. That's just only a grain of sand, there's more.

Addtionally after you spend a decade or two in intelligence let me know how "they" should have "known" that this particular report about people on a watch list entering the country (one report of literally hundreds of thousands generated each day) should have told them that a terrorist act of unprecedented proportions would occur. Further explain then how extra security now is a bad idea.

Sorry to burst your bubble Greywar, but unfortunately there are those who knew: You see they have a "Terrorist Watch List", thats why you've read about the 9/11 hearings, right? Unfortunately there may be one scapegoat if any. By the way 9/11 was not an act of "Unprecedented Proportions" I love how everyone just sensationalizes it. The people in Beirut, and the Gaza strip deal with those kinds of attacks everyday. The only difference it happened on U.S. soil. It's okay to go into someone else's backyard and take a dump, but if it happens to us...Oh no! Who us, we're innocent--we weren't bothering anyone. Get over yourself Greywar, and open up those eyes of yours, you've been asleep too long.

Your opinion is your right (especially on your blog), i just heartily disagree with every single point of it. I would be more open if you presented some solutions in your article. Give some options that would work better than the ones in place. Criticism without an alternative is nothing more than kvetching.

I appreciate your point of view, though you disagree with me, I still like that you you've presented your views...My place here is not to take the place of the law makers, but to inform those who would listen.

Thank you Daiwa,


One question: Do you have any information contrary? Solid concrete evidence? Then if you do not, then what you are saying is your opinion; and though they are your opinions, I fear you are misguided in your patriotic duty to stand up for the biggest terrorist organization: which is the White House.

Daiwa, I hope you take no offense- but I would hope that you shed your idealisms, and face reality: The United States IS the big bad wolf.

This is not about who's who of nations. Yes there are better nations out there. Did you know in Holland there were only three deaths attributed to guns last year? In England the beat cops carry no guns, and so far this year none of them have been shot? In Singapore the streets are cleaner than the inside of some homes? In Canada every citizen gets FREE healthcare? While our senior citizens who put their years into this nation, have to beg and scratch just to get their insurance to cover ONE QUARTER of the total cost.

I never realized that if a nation has one trait better than the US, it's a better country. One would think to compare the whole of a nation to the whole of another nation and not just the best trait of one to the worst traits of another.

That's like comparing apples and oranges. Lets look look at what OUR national Catholic church has been doing over the years, sure they're not flying planes into buildings, I give you that...but when you are in a position of trust, you do not molest those who are most vulnerable...Secondly, while the Vatican may not be flying planes into buildings...how many people died on 9/11? About 2,500. Well I'll tell you the Catholic church has executed more than that throughout the years when the inquisition was at its highest peak. That's just only a grain of sand, there's more.

The Catholics aren't the only ones. Teachers are notorious for having sexual relationships with children too.

Also, if you're criticizing Catholics for what Catholics did centuries ago, don't you think you should judge England for what they've done before. Hell, it wasn't too long ago that they were still being rather shitty to the Irish. Of course, this is more an anti-Catholic thing, eh?

That's like comparing apples and oranges. Lets look look at what OUR national Catholic church has been doing over the years, sure they're not flying planes into buildings, I give you that...but when you are in a position of trust, you do not molest those who are most vulnerable...Secondly, while the Vatican may not be flying planes into buildings...how many people died on 9/11? About 2,500. Well I'll tell you the Catholic church has executed more than that throughout the years when the inquisition was at its highest peak. That's just only a grain of sand, there's more.

You ARE aware that not all Christians are Catholics, I hope?

We weren't spendng a great deal of money preventing airplane hijackings prior to 9/11. The government did not consider the hijacking of domestic flights or the use of commerical airliners as suicide weapons to be serious threats. One of the main reasons for the Dept of Homeland Security is to identify such threats and prevent them.

Are you saying that we should not try to anticipate terrorist attacks?

It's easy to be an armchair quarterback. What's your plan for preventing terror?

By the way 9/11 was not an act of "Unprecedented Proportions"

What other terrorist attacks caused 3k+ deaths?

Messy Buu,

I never realized that if a nation has one trait better than the US, it's a better country. One would think to compare the whole of a nation to the whole of another nation and not just the best trait of one to the worst traits of another.

Oh I could go on and on, but why? Do realize that by you saying saying such things you lose the will to think as an individual? You sound like a mindless robot writing down what you are programmed to say. No, it's not just one bad trait the United States has--it's only one of the many.

The Catholics aren't the only ones. Teachers are notorious for having sexual relationships with children too.Also, if you're criticizing Catholics for what Catholics did centuries ago, don't you think you should judge England for what they've done before. Hell, it wasn't too long ago that they were still being rather shitty to the Irish. Of course, this is more an anti-Catholic thing, eh?

Once again, while you were sleeping through class you would have known that America was founded by the Europeans, therefore; no I will not judge England because I must judge the country I live in first. I am not critizing the Catholics, I'm just using them as an example. Well hell lets see...The Americans were shitty to the, well everybody. The Africans were notorious for taking slave from other African tribes, uh...The Palestinians and Jews are shitty to each other, The Japanese hate the Chinese, etc. So as you can see your comments have no merit, please put more research into what you are trying to say, and please reread my ramblings again so you can get the jist of it second time around.

Gideon MacLeish,

You ARE aware that not all Christians are Catholics, I hope?

Thank you, I am aware of that...and not all Christians are Christians...I hope you ARE aware of that.

Madine

We weren't spendng a great deal of money preventing airplane hijackings prior to 9/11. The government did not consider the hijacking of domestic flights or the use of commerical airliners as suicide weapons to be serious threats. One of the main reasons for the Dept of Homeland Security is to identify such threats and prevent them.Are you saying that we should not try to anticipate terrorist attacks?It's easy to be an armchair quarterback. What's your plan for preventing terror?

My plan Madine is to live MY life that I know I should live, my job is not to make laws...communicating with people like yourself and learning from your point of view, that is how I plan to prevent terror, by being educated. It's easy to tell someone to offer an opinion but unfortunately there are no easy answers, if there were 9/11 would have never happened.

What other terrorist attacks caused 3k+ deaths?

That's a good question: Let's see, the Palestininans have killed over 3k+ Jewish settlers in their suicide bombs and vice versa. Okay then there is IRA, with there terrorist attacks they've killed over 3k+. Umm, there are the Killing Fields where the K. Rouge killed over ONE MILLION cambodians. Hitler killed over ONE MILLION Jews. And don't say these weren't terrorist attacks because they were, any time you take a life because of idealogy, political motivation, or genocide- you are a terrorist.

Oh I could go on and on, but why? Do realize that by you saying saying such things you lose the will to think as an individual? You sound like a mindless robot writing down what you are programmed to say. No, it's not just one bad trait the United States has--it's only one of the many.

Really? It's robotic to compare one country to another country in their entireties, but not to compare the best traits of many countries to the worst traits of one?

My point was, there haven't been single attacks conducted by criminal organizations that killed 3k people on the same day.

The difference between the Nazis and Al Qaeda is that the Nazis could be held accountable for their actions and removed from power in ways Al Qaeda cannot.

In England the beat cops carry no guns, and so far this year none of them have been shot?In Singapore the streets are cleaner than the inside of some homes? In Canada every citizen gets FREE healthcare?

I'm sure if our cops didn't carry guns, they would get shot at. Canada's "free" healthcare also brings along higher taxes and longer waits for medical care. Singapore has some of the strictest laws in the world. Do you support the death penalty for drug trafficking?

Thank you, I am aware of that...and not all Christians are Christians...I hope you ARE aware of that.

Absolutely. My response was geared to the statements of atrocities by Christians referencing many Catholic atrocities.

I will not justify the unjustifiable actions taken in instances such as you cited; however, I do think that a fair analysis is in order. If you're going to present the proslavery opinions of certain churches in America, for instance, you should also realize that many Christians were actively involved in the Underground Railroad, an activism that risked their lives and property against a moral evil. There are many examples of these even in some of the "darkest" periods if Christian history.