# I don't understand why there is not MORE terrorism in America **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 11, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895 "2011-09-11T01:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/41 "2011-09-11T12:45:09Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > My take on this question, in my blog: [The Cult « Reason for a New Age](http://publius2point0.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/the-cult/) Interesting, but, in my opinion, it overreaches. You needn’t assert that cult leaders are insane, and it honestly hurts your case, as the most violent people in the world are usually also insane. You see, there’s no reason that the crazy cult leader has to come up with the actual plans. As you point out, often the followers are less crazy, and that would mean they are more capable of forming complex plans. All the crazy leader has to do is say that he wants something done, and save the particulars for the not-so-crazy people, of whom you say there are plenty. No, I believe **Argent Towers** hits upon the real reason. His only fault is in not realizing that even the Oklahoma City-style terrorism is effectively suicidal. Death, or at least life imprisonment, is quite likely to follow. Even threats are likely to get you into a lot of trouble, if they are even remotely credible. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/42 "2011-09-11T12:52:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Interesting, but, in my opinion, it overreaches. You needn’t assert that cult leaders are insane, and it honestly hurts your case, as the most violent people in the world are usually also insane. I didn’t say they were insane, I said they were mostly one (or more) of: Insane Attention Seeker Incompetent Osama Bin Laden was probably not insane in the least, but he was quite happy to sit about in a cave with his many wives and enjoy watching porn. He gains more by getting some minor fame among his followers than he ever would have by actively trying to accomplish anything. New Agers, like the people who started the Heaven’s Gate cult, are probably insane on the other hand. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/43 "2011-09-11T12:58:23Z")
Most terrorists are angry over economic, political & social circumstances in the Middle East. Take em of of those circumstances & POOF! Problem (mostly) all gone. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/44 "2011-09-11T14:25:21Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: You do realize anti-abortion terrorists have been tried and executed for their crimes? And what word if not terrorism was used for Timothy McVeigh? And don’t forget that everyone originally thought the Times Square bomber was a Tea Partier. Indeed right-wing terrorism is grossly exaggerated-the militas have been all words and no action, and Jared Lee Loughner was not an ideologue and plain old nuts (note how his shooting was more emphasized than that of say the Fort Hood shooter). [/QUOTE] I didn’t think the Times Square bomber was a tea bagger. All terrorism is overstated. That is why going to 2 wars was huge over play and an enormous misreading of the threat. Terrorism is not only a lot smaller and less likely than rightys think, but it is practically indefensible anyway. Spending a few trillion dollars and killing thousands of people far away from home, has not made us safer. Just poorer and less liked. We caused a lot of people to hate us, with good reason. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/45 "2011-09-11T14:32:50Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Even if this is true, though, it doesn’t explain the relative lack of Oklahoma City-type attacks where the perpetrators do not kill themselves. For all of the guns in America, the truth is, you really can’t beat bombs for effectiveness, and the means to make bombs are pretty widely available. And even if bomb making materials are not readily available, at the very least, you’d think there would be more _threats_. For all practical purposes, Timothy McVeigh did kill himself - it was an extreme case of “suicide by cop”. A rational person is going to realize that if he commits a major terrorist act, there’s very little chance he’s going to get away with it. It’s like shooting the President. You get overwhelming resources put in to finding the perpetrator. If you don’t have a safe haven in some foreign country, you’re going to get tracked down. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/46 "2011-09-11T14:38:21Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Most terrorists are angry over economic, political & social circumstances in the Middle East. > > Take em of of those circumstances & POOF! Problem (mostly) all gone. I think the other thing that needs to be done is establish a public education system. One of the big problems in the third world is governments that aren’t interested in performing basic functions like running schools. What happens is some group volunteers to step in and run the schools for them and the government is happy to hand its responsibilities off. But who are these groups? Mostly extremist religious organizations that want to set up indoctrination centers. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/47 "2011-09-11T14:46:10Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > I’m thinking you could shut down DC pretty well just by blowing up all the Potomac River bridges. Something similar must be true for most major US cities. It doesn’t have to be something that big. The Washington DC sniper back in 2002 showed one could terrorize people by driving around and shooting people. I’m honestly surprised more of this kind of thing hasn’t happened more often. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/48 "2011-09-11T14:59:38Z")
Here’s an article about why there are so few terrorism incidents: [http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/08/15/why\_is\_it\_so\_hard\_to\_find\_a\_suicide\_bomber\_these\_days?page=full](http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/08/15/why_is_it_so_hard_to_find_a_suicide_bomber_these_days?page=full) ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/49 "2011-09-11T15:00:47Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Obviously there are such terrorists-what I’m saying is that their danger has been exaggerated by those on the left. Really? “Yes, they’re terrorists but it’s not like it’s a big deal or anything” is your final answer? ---
**Author:** ![moldmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@moldmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moldmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/50 "2011-09-11T15:05:50Z")
I think another factor is that if a Muslim extremist wants to kill Americans, it’s far easier to carry it out in Iraq or Afganistan. Easier to sneak into those countries, easier to move about, easier to get bomb making materials locally, lots of targets,etc. IIRC, the al-Qaeda branch in Iraq that carried out lots of bombings was made up of mainly non-Iraqis. As far as domestic terrorists/militia types, most are of the mall ninja variety. They like to dress up and talk the talk but they aren’t going to actually do anything. If they were to try something, they are likely to be inept and talk too much and be easily caught. It is scary to think about what someone with some thinking could carry out. The DC sniper mentioned above is a good example. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/51 "2011-09-11T15:07:39Z")
Being a suicide (suicide? homicide!) bomber takes a certain kind of ego. And the catch with killing yourself? You don’t get to see who shows up at your funeral. So I think that those kinds of attacks are left to those who already want to die or can be easily convinced it is their purpose in life. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/52 "2011-09-11T15:40:22Z")
Distance. There are plenty of Iraqi and Afghanistani people who have had family killed by American soldiers or had their cities destroyed. Lots of them hate us, but they can not get here. They are bombing the shit out of the middle east though. If we were next door to Iraq and Afghanistan, we would have lots of terrorist acts happening. Muslims are people like us who want to live their lives in peace and enjoy life. The person who can be induced to commit a terrorist act is pretty rare. One who will kill himself in the act, is rarer. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/53 "2011-09-11T18:40:36Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Being a suicide (suicide? homicide!) bomber takes a certain kind of ego. And the catch with killing yourself? You don’t get to see who shows up at your funeral. So I think that those kinds of attacks are left to those who already want to die or can be easily convinced it is their purpose in life. I have a theory that suicide bombers are to terrorist organizations what Stalin (who was a magnanimous man) called useful idiots, and what we more boorish & down to Earth people call annoying douches. You know the type. The guy who is so very eager to help, but is such a colossal fuck up you just want to shake him until he stops. helping. The guy who’s always spouting company motto bullshit to “help team spirit”, or who’s such a disgusting sycophant even the vainest manager is filled with contempt for the guy. There’s one in every organization and company in the world. If you don’t know who it is at your job, it’s _you_. In regular enterprises, the usual solution is to move away from the water cooler when he’s incoming & not tell him about the company kegger in Aspen. My theory is, they take a more hands on approach in the terror biz. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/54 "2011-09-11T21:09:21Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Al Queda caused mortgage lenders/investors to behave like greedy idiots and the housing market bubble to collapse? I never knew. Bastards! \ :rolleyes: Let’s talk about the endless “war” on terror (in particular in Iraq and Afghanistan) costing over a trillion and still counting. That’s the big picture. The little picture is how every time someone forgets a package on the subway the whole neighborhood shuts down. Or all of the TSA nonsense. The little things add up. Not to mention, all they have to do is launch a rumor somewhere in Pakistan and suddenly a huge amount of law enforcement resources in the U.S. get spent in order to protect against the slightest possibility of it even being remotely true. That’s a pretty good return on your terrorist investment. For Al Queda the real target on 9-11 wasn’t the people who died or the buildings: it was our vanity. And we’ve spared no expense (human or monetary) in every attempt to restore that vanity. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/55 "2011-09-12T00:11:41Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > All terrorism is overstated. That is why going to 2 wars was huge over play and an enormous misreading of the threat. Terrorism is not only a lot smaller and less likely than rightys think, but it is practically indefensible anyway. Spending a few trillion dollars and killing thousands of people far away from home, has not made us safer. Just poorer and less liked. We caused a lot of people to hate us, with good reason. On the contrary, the US has pratically destroyed Al-Qaeda and has wiped out a terrorist haven. > [@Merneith](#): > > Really? “Yes, they’re terrorists but it’s not like it’s a big deal or anything” is your final answer? No, I’m just saying is it is less of a threat than Islamist terrorism. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/56 "2011-09-12T00:45:14Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Every now and then there’s a shooting spree, but you hardly ever hear about bombing murders. Even though it’s so easy to kill massive numbers of people with bombs. Well even simple explosive devices require some technical know-how. In the US at least, it’s presumably easier to purchase a gun and ammunition than it is to construct a bomb. So your lone, deranged nut types are probably gonna go for the easier option. Despite all the hubbub in the media about sleeper cells etc. it just doesn’t appear that Al Qaeda has any competent operatives in the US, or at least none willing to risk their lives to further their “cause”. Al Qaeda doesn’t stand for anything too coherent either, no national cause, or fighting against oppression, or what have you, so enjoys no support from elements of western society that often would support terror groups, at least with words if not actions/resources. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/57 "2011-09-12T02:02:22Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > On the contrary, the US has pratically destroyed Al-Qaeda and has wiped out a terrorist haven. In its dreams, maybe. What it has done is \*displaced \*a terrorist haven. Then opted to stay in the country for 10 years after that, because what the hell. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/58 "2011-09-12T14:41:08Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > When 9/11 happened, one of my big fears is that Bin Laden would follow up with isolated but horrific car bombings in both Europe and the US every month/few months to keep the financial markets rattled, and to induce Western countries to really go over the top for domestic safety. …Bin Laden simply didn’t have a network set up to continue on after 9/11 in the West. He doesn’t need it: [QUOTE=Associated Press] Fighter jets were scrambled to escort two commercial flights into New York City and Detroit “out of an abundance of caution” after crews reported suspicious activity on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, officials said. The bathroom use by some passengers aroused the suspicion Sunday, but all were released after being questioned by authorities on the ground. [/quote] Some guy has diarrhea and fighter jets get scrambled. _Fait accompli_. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/59 "2011-09-12T17:29:57Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > So far all they’ve done is strike at air travel. Train travel has been unaffected. Only if you limit “affected” to (1) plans carried to their deadly fruition (2) in the U.S.. As to the former, the British, Spanish, and Indians would vehemently disagree that rail travel has been “unaffected” by terrorism. :dubious: :smack: As to the latter, haven’t there been police-foiled plots against the New York City subway? > [@](#): > > There is zero security at Amtrak stations. Definitely at podunk platform-and-shelter stations outside the Northeast, although even in the sticks the local and railroad police check on things periodically. But Amtrak has its own police force that patrols the key stations (New York, Chicago, Washington DC, etc.), with frequent use of sniffer dogs and even random bag checks. I go through Chicago Union Station often and I would hardly say that there’s “zero security”. Just because every passenger doesn’t pass through a checkpoint with metal detectors and the “take off your shoes/no full-sized tube of toothpaste” nonsense doesn’t mean there’s no security on Amtrak. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895/60 "2011-09-12T18:23:20Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > Definitely at podunk platform-and-shelter stations outside the Northeast, although even in the sticks the local and railroad police check on things periodically. But Amtrak has its own police force that patrols the key stations (New York, Chicago, Washington DC, etc.), with frequent use of sniffer dogs and even random bag checks. I go through Chicago Union Station often and I would hardly say that there’s “zero security”. > > Just because every passenger doesn’t pass through a checkpoint with metal detectors and the “take off your shoes/no full-sized tube of toothpaste” nonsense doesn’t mean there’s no security on Amtrak. :rolleyes: Yup. But nobody patrols (or \*can \*patrol, really) the extensive network of the rails themselves. As the Germans learned during WW2, and as we French learned again somewhat more recently (in the whole AZF fiasco, which may or may not have been electoral fuckery), any bozo can just lay a bomb somewhere along the miles and miles of tracks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-why-there-is-not-more-terrorism-in-america/595895.md?page=4)