The pseudonym "Philo Vaihinger" has been abandoned. All posts have been and are written by me, Joseph Auclair.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Overreaction?



Pat Buchanan didn't quite say the words "grotesque, fear-driven over-reactions are successes for terrorism and invite more of the same."

But that seems to have been his judgment.

The comments indicate his readers are divided, some calling for a ban on Muslim immigration, others dissenting from terrorist-hysteria, and others yet seizing this new opportunity to damn key targets of right wing hate in the administration.

Meanwhile, others lambaste the FBI for “dropping the ball, yet again.”

Judging by the general run of Muslim terrorist incidents, it seems fair to say our authorities over-estimate the danger and over-react, regularly.

But judging by their occasional, major deeds, it all seems rather less extravagant and out of place.

And judging by their declared aspirations and what they might actually someday be able to do, attack with real wmd and not pressure-cooker bombs, maybe not at all.

But how much of that "aspiration" has just been our enemies having fun yelling “Suitcase nukes! Radiological weapons! Sarin gas! Weaponized Anthrax! Boo!” and then watching us first go pale with fear and then squander a trillion dollars blowing up sand and making lots more enemies?

How far has our overreaction to 9/11, with two invasions and a decade of war, destabilized the whole Maghreb and the Middle East and Central Asia to the advantage of Islamism and its anti-Zionist, anti-American ambitions?

And how far have we continued to play with fire by surreptitiously and openly supporting Islamists in conflicts with Russia out of no more than a stupid cold war habit?

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