Osama bin Laden as America's savior

The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States.

Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government protect them effectively, consistently, and with as much violence as necessary.

We hardly need to put words in his mouth. Read what he said:

Quote:

The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States.

and

Quote:

Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government protect them effectively, consistently, and with as much violence as necessary.

The first clearly reads that he would consider it a good thing if there were a successful terrorist attack in the US.

The second is a completely circular argument: we will know that we aren't protected when the government fails to protect us.

We hardly need to put words in his mouth. Read what he said:

Quote:

The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States.

and

Quote:

Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government protect them effectively, consistently, and with as much violence as necessary.

The first clearly reads that he would consider it a good thing if there were a successful terrorist attack in the US.

The second is a completely circular argument: we will know that we aren't protected when the government fails to protect us.

". . . The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin
Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States.
Because it's going to take a grass-roots, bottom-up pressure. Because
these politicians prize their office, prize the praise of the media
and the Europeans. It's an absurd situation again. Only Osama can
execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their
government protect them effectively, consistently, and with as much
violence as necessary."

Michael F. Scheuer is a former CIA employee. In his 22-year career, he served as the Chief of the Bin Laden Issue Station (aka "Alec Station"), from 1996 to 1999, the Osama bin Laden tracking unit at the Counterterrorist Center. He then worked again as Special Advisor to the Chief of the bin Laden unit from September 2001 to November 2004. Scheuer became a public figure after being outed as the anonymous author of the 2004 book Imperial Hubris, in which he criticised many of the common United States and Western world assumptions about the motives for Islamic terrorism, and put these into the context of greater Western-Islamic relations.

Scheuer left The Jamestown Foundation in February 2009 from a position as Senior Fellow. He claimed in an anti-war.com article that he was fired by the organization for his outspoken views on US-Israel relations.[1] Jamestown's current president, Glen Howard, has pejoratively likened his views to those of two-time presidential candidate and congressman Ron Paul.

The statement was prefaced by a discussion of how Congress and Administration has become complacent, European lapdogs, and unwilling to confront those who intend us economic, structural, or bodily harm.

So in response to Beck's question which was something to the effect: "Are you honstly saying that our Congress and President will not act to defend us unless. . . . "

GLENN BECK: You've been in the White House with the President, you've been in the room with the President and you've been making, you know, suggestions. Do I have that right?

MICHAEL SCHEUER: I have been with very senior people. Yes, Sir.

GLENN BECK: Okay. So you have seen this. Do you really, honestly believe that we have come to a place to where those very senior people in the highest offices of the land, Congress and the White House, really will not do the right thing in the end, that they won't see the error of their ways?

MICHAEL SCHEUER: No, Sir, they will not. The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States, because it's gonna take a grass-roots, bottom-up pressure. Because these politicians prize their office, prize the praise of the media and the Europeans. It's an observed situation again. Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government protect them effectively, consistently and with as much violence as necessary.

GLENN BECK: Which is why I was thinking this week and if I were him that would be the last thing I would do right now.

GLENN BECK: You've been in the White House with the President, you've been in the room with the President and you've been making, you know, suggestions. Do I have that right?

MICHAEL SCHEUER: I have been with very senior people. Yes, Sir.

GLENN BECK: Okay. So you have seen this. Do you really, honestly believe that we have come to a place to where those very senior people in the highest offices of the land, Congress and the White House, really will not do the right thing in the end, that they won't see the error of their ways?

MICHAEL SCHEUER: No, Sir, they will not. The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States, because it's gonna take a grass-roots, bottom-up pressure. Because these politicians prize their office, prize the praise of the media and the Europeans. It's an observed situation again. Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government protect them effectively, consistently and with as much violence as necessary.

GLENN BECK: Which is why I was thinking this week and if I were him that would be the last thing I would do right now.

MICHAEL SCHEUER: No, Sir, they will not. The only chance we have as a country right now to find out, is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States, because it's gonna take a grass-roots, bottom-up pressure. Because these politicians prize their office, prize the praise of the media and the Europeans. It's an observed situation again. Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government protect them effectively, consistently and with as much violence as necessary.

What clarity do they speak of?

The point is it's logically false.

Under this reasoning, Obama's plan would still be wrong even if we are never attacked. Even if we are never attacked, we will remain in a state of not "seeing the light." What clarity do they speak of?

It's raining until it stops raining. And when it finally stops raining, you'll see that it's not raining. Only rain can be rain. And we can only see rain when it's raining. When it's not raining, we can't see rain. If we were in charge, and it was not raining, you'd know it's not raining when it's not raining.

T
K
O

It makes far more sense, as an answer to the question posed, to add that little bit.

Hate is more lasting than dislike.

Love is more lasting than dislike.

Where did I complain that anybody was putting words in his mouth?

FreeDuck wrote:

He's essentially saying that we need war in order for the public to recognize our need for war. It's absurd.

I don't think that's what he said.