Winning the War on Terror -- by hiding the scoreboard (mild)

The BBQ Pit
1

I was going to post this in Great Debates, but on reflection, there’s nothing to debate (other than “How will the Bush Apologists spin this one?”):

That’s right, kids – not only did the number of terrorist attacks in 2004 tripled from 2003, but we’re not even counting terrorist attacks in the Big Hotbed o’ Terror itself. I can only imagine that if those number were included, the Bush Administration would have simply shut down the National Counterterrorism Center with a small explosive or two.

(And I really appreciate my mainstream news media for not interrupting their 24/7 coverage of the Michael Jackson trial with this insignificant little piddly detail. Priorities, people!)

2

Ummm…
Why’d you leave out the notes about the change in methodology?
You know it’s going to be brought up.
Just curious?

3

umm whatever nevermind

4

You mean besides that it read like a transparent attempt at CYA from the State Department?

5

Not just CYA Rjung. If the people in government who are supposed to know about the direction the war against terror is taking actually know what’s going on they won’t be able to credibly tell us peons that “I don’t think anybody could have predicted that these people…would try to use an airplane as a missile, a hijacked airplane as a missile,” Without such reassurances we’ll get nervous about TWAT, and a nervous populace is an unhappy populace. They’re trying to keep us happy, and that’s a good thing, right?

6

So, you’re saying the Bush Administration is trying to make “Ignorance Is Bliss” our new national motto? :wink:

7

Interesting. Anybody have an explanation for how the executive branch can simply refuse to comply with a congressional order? The MIPT.ORG site linked at the bottom of rjung’s article says this report is published by the State Dept. by way of Congressional mandate. Even the State Dept website says the report is Congresionally-mandated.
http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/

8

My question is exactly what could Congress do if the executive refused to comply? I mean besides witholding funds, Congress has prety limited power over the executive. They could pass all the laws, make speaches, scream, shout, stomp and yell, but the executive enforces the law. I doubt an executive decision not to enforce a law could be considered a “High Crime or Misdomeanor”.

9

No – “Ignorance is Strength”.

“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”

10

Where have these terrorist attacks occurred? Can you cite some that have happened in the United States?

Because for all we know, the increases in terrorism could be occurring in countries that didn’t follow the US example.

11

You can find the reports being discussed at the State Dept page I linked above, or the MIPT.ORG site liked at the bottom of rjung’s article in the OP. Go look at 'em and come back with an intelligent response.

12

Please explain the relevance.

13

Perhaps Congress wil continue to get them as per code, yet the reports will remain unpublished.

14

The whole thing cracks me up. When Bush thought the numbers were going his way, he didn’t hesitate to brag about it. Now when they’re going south, he wants to sweep it under the rug. :smack:

15

That’d surely open the way for an unscrupulous politician or special interest group to file a freedom of information lawsuit for the purpose of reaping political hay from the war against terror.
I’ll start saving up my outrage! :wink:

16

You should have seen the weaseling that went on last summer when the 2003 report was re-released after being found to contain significant errors. I started a thread about it back then.

17

New Office to Issue Terrorism Data
State Department says move is for technical reasons, but one observer sees attempt to ditch political problem as numbers rise.
By Sonni Efron and Paul Richter
Times Staff Writers

April 19, 2005
WASHINGTON — The State Department will stop releasing an annual report on terrorist incidents worldwide, saying Monday that a new federal office for counter-terrorism would take over the task of compiling the statistics.

18

This new office, it wouldn’t happen to be called the “Office of Statistical Preparation,” or something similar, would it?

19

Sigh. From PatriotX’s link:

(bolding mine)

20

I thought the gag was rather obvious, especially since I took the effort to bold the initials, but I guess some folks really do need big neon lights for everything… :slight_smile: