motive behind latest terror warning

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

today

AP: "The Education Department has advised school leaders nationwide to watch for people spying on their buildings or buses to help detect any possibility of terrorism like the deadly school siege in Russia. The warning follows an analysis by the FBI and the Homeland Security Department of the siege that killed nearly 340 people, many of them students, in the city of Beslan last month. 'The horror of this attack may have created significant anxiety in our own country among parents, students, faculty staff and other community members,'

Deputy Education Secretary Eugene Hickok said in a letter to schools and education groups ... The Education Department sent its letter by e-mail Wednesday to school police, state school officers, school boards, groups representing principals and many other organizations."

but this came first

A man arrested by U.S. authorities in Iraq had a computer disk in his possession containing a public report downloaded from a U.S. Department of Education Web site on crisis planning in school districts, including San Diego Unified.

San Diego law enforcement officials said there was no indication of any terrorist plot against schools in San Diego or elsewhere in the country. They did not publicly release the information because there appeared to be no threat. The information was relayed to the San Diego FBI office last week and then to the school district Friday.

"The children are absolutely safe," said San Diego Police Chief Bill Lansdowne. "If there was a threat, we, the San Diego Police Department, would be first to notify (parents). This is not a threat."

study

When the federal government issues a terrorist warning, presidential approval ratings jump, a Cornell University sociologist finds. Interestingly, terrorist warnings also boost support for the president on issues that are largely irrelevant to terrorism, such as his handling of the economy.

[AlphaSigOU]

Paraphrasing ol' Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) of The Honeymooners fame:

"One o' dese days... one o' dese days... POW! Right when we least expect it!"

These terror planners ain't dumb... you wanna spread FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) among the American people, see if you can bomb a school or two, hijack a couple of school buses, and while they're at it, cripple and confuse a few public safety (police and fire) departments. Nothing brings out the collective anger of the American psyche like involving children in a terror attack. And it ain't gonna be in New York, Washington, Miami or El Lay. Go to some small or medium-size American city that doesn't have easy access to a major interstate or two.

[DeltAlum]

Tom Ridge, the head of Homeland Security is a political appointee and a former Republican Governor.

At this point in time, pretty much anything he does is going to be called "political."

I think that if they issue an alert, it must be taken seriously and assumed that it is for the good of the country and that it is something that no party would do for its own benefit.

However, if it should ever be proved that it was done for political reasons or under pressure from the administration there should be severe consequences up to the top level of the admininstration.

[Rudey]

I like how Democrats put out lies and try and play dirty even at the expense of the safety of our country.

-Rudey

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by Rudey
I like how Democrats put out lies and try and play dirty even at the expense of the safety of our country.

Neither side has has a monopoly on playing dirty.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Neither side has has a monopoly on playing dirty.

It's funny. There is a thread by one side that is obviously playing dirty and I call it out. Instead of sticking to that one side playing dirty you have to talk about other sides as if they did something. Talk about those other sides when they do something Mr. ModerateLikeStalin.

-Rudey

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by Rudey
Talk about those other sides when they do something Mr. ModerateLikeStalin.

Sigh,

Go back and look more closely at my posts with an open mind and you will find out that I comment on either side when I feel an argument is wrong.

ModeratelikeStalin, huh? Give it a rest.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Sigh,

Go back and look more closely at my posts with an open mind and you will find out that I comment on either side when I feel an argument is wrong.

ModeratelikeStalin, huh? Give it a rest.

Sigh. Read my post.

-Rudey
--And you go get some sleep sonny.

[PhiPsiRuss]

"Sometimes a cigar is only a cigar" - Freud"