Homeland security

That doesn't work either, though, Brandon, because it's not like we can find some country full of people and attack it.

Obviously, suspected terrorists can apply for asylum in the USA, like Posada did these days.

Despite the fact that Cuba is a fascist dictatorship, common criminals like Posada should be turned over to the Cuban authorities. If he had merely tried to assasinate Castro, that would be something different.

Brandon9000 wrote:

Despite the fact that Cuba is a fascist dictatorship, common criminals like Posada should be turned over to the Cuban authorities. If he had merely tried to assasinate Castro, that would be something different.

I know: there are good terrorists, medium sized and bad terroists (all Muslims belonging to the latter).

Perhaps the ones we paid and supported were good terrorists?

Wait, they turned out bad as well...

Cycloptichorn

Ridge reveals clashes on alertsThe Bush administration periodically put the USA on high alert for terrorist attacks even though then-Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge argued there was only flimsy evidence to justify raising the threat level, Ridge now says.
Ridge, who resigned Feb. 1, said Tuesday that he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to elevate the threat level to orange, or "high" risk of terrorist attack, but was overruled.

His comments at a Washington forum describe spirited debates over terrorist intelligence and provide rare insight into the inner workings of the nation's homeland security apparatus.

Ridge said he wanted to "debunk the myth" that his agency was responsible for repeatedly raising the alert under a color-coded system he unveiled in 2002.

"More often than not we were the least inclined to raise it," Ridge told reporters. "Sometimes we disagreed with the intelligence assessment. Sometimes we thought even if the intelligence was good, you don't necessarily put the country on (alert). ... There were times when some people were really aggressive about raising it, and we said, 'For that?' "

If you are asserting that attempting to assasinate your national ruler makes you a terrorist, I would certainly disagree. Your national ruler is not a non-combatant.

Brandon9000 wrote:

If you are asserting that attempting to assasinate your national ruler makes you a terrorist, I would certainly disagree. Your national ruler is not a non-combatant.

Luis Posada Carriles is a Venezuelan citizen, born in Cuba and was paid by an US agency - how does this fit to your above?

I regard terrorists as being people who deliberately target non-combatants. Had he merely tried to assasinate Castro, and confined himself to this activity, I would not consider him to be a terrorist.

Brandon9000 wrote:

I regard terrorists as being people who deliberately target non-combatants. Had he merely tried to assasinate Castro, and confined himself to this activity, I would not consider him to be a terrorist.

So those attacking e.g. US troops are no terrorists anymore?

Does bombing civilians from planes remove one from responsibility for their deaths?

The insurgents could say 'we are always trying to kill US troops and Iraqi troops and Policemen; sometimes we miss, though, sorry, casualties of war and all.'

Cycloptichorn

I agree that hostages and such are the marks of terrorists.

...It isn't false, however, to say that orders to drop bombs on civilian areas come right from the top here in the US. I'm not trying to villify us with this statement; just to uphold my original one, saying that there is so much of this that is a matter of perspective that it becomes really difficult to villify the insurgents for their behaviour and hold ours up as a paragon of virtue...

Cycloptichorn

There is evidence that the hostage taking comes from leaders like al Zarqawi.

It sure looks to me like the good guys are fighting a band of subhuman scum.

Conversely, how about the Israeli soldiers who shoot Palestinian children?

Like I said, there are two sides to every issue and it isn't always clean-cut.

Quote:

There is evidence that the hostage taking comes from leaders like al Zarqawi.

Can you link to this?

Quote:

It sure looks to me like the good guys are fighting a band of subhuman scum.

I'm sure it does, becuase to the Fighting 101st Keyboardists such as yourself, labelling us as the good guys makes everything we do pretty much okay, doesnt' it?

Cycloptichorn

I regard terrorists as being people who deliberately target noncombatants. Had he merely tried to assassinate Castro, and confined himself to this activity, I would not consider him to be a terrorist?