Michael Scheuer, on Glen Beck, dreams of terrorist WMD attack on U.S.

[BrainGlutton]

From here:

Hard to categorize and hard to completely dismiss, (Michael] Scheuer [former head of the CIA’s bin Laden unit] is the thickly bearded guy who’s been all over the media the last few years calling his cable hosts “Sir,” speaking out against the Iraq war, and making the sensible case that one reason “they hate us” is because of our support of Israel–not unlike paleo Pat Buchanan. But Scheuer’s getting so wigged-out lately (writing in his most recent book, Marching Toward Hell, that Americans are now in “a place worse than hell”), that he’s been finding common ground with Fox News’ brightest conspiracy star, Glenn Beck. On Beck’s show the other night, the two got themselves into such a froth over lax security on the Mexican border that Scheuer let loose with this:

“The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States.”

Come again? “Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government will protect them effectively, consistently, and with as much violence as necessary.”

Beck bobblehead-nods his assent. This is the kind of doomsday scenario he’s been predicting on his laughable “War Room” segment, in which Scheuer has served as one of the hysterics, saying that if “bubbas” take up arms against the government, “I don’t think you want to defuse it.”

Okaaaaay . . .

[DanBlather]

What’s scary is that isn’t enough for Fox to pull Beck off the air. Not for being “politically incorrect”, but just for being a moron. Right/left, liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican aside, big media should not give irrational lunatics a nightly soapbox.

[Amber_in_Treasury]

Michael Bescheuert.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

Wikipedia says he’s currently teaching a graduate course on Al Quaeda at Georgetown.

God help us.

[BrainGlutton]

Well, it’s worth losing a major American city if that will put a stop to illegal immigration, isn’t it? :rolleyes:

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

Be honest: would you really mind if Cincinnati wasn’t there tomorrow?

[suranyi]

@Really_Not_All_That_Bright

Be honest: would you really mind if Cincinnati wasn’t there tomorrow?

I would. Both I and my wife have a lot of family there.

[3trew]

@suranyi

I would. Both I and my wife have a lot of family there.

Cleveland? C’mon, it’s for a good cause. How about Akron? It’s not like you’re using it. Fresno?

NB: It’s just barely possible I’m a touch bitter from watching all of those people explain why they supported the President’s decision to resume bombing Saskatchewan back when Rick Mercer asked them about it.

[MsWhatsit]

Hey, Cincinnati is a nice town. Don’t be hating on Cincy.

[Snarky_Kong]

@suranyi

I would. Both I and my wife have a lot of family there.

It’s a fucking joke. Nobody gives a shit if you have family there.

[MEBuckner]

Of course what would really bring this country together in a wave of righteous patriotic unity and determination would be if Glenn Beck and Michael Scheuer were kidnapped by jihadists and beheaded and the video posted on YouTube.

[elucidator]

Beck would convert.

[Mosier]

I really don’t understand what this guy wants. Does he want us to get blasted to bits or not? I’m not following the logic of “the only chance we have to protect ourselves from terrorism is to have a million people get killed by terrorists”.

[Captain_Amazing]

@Mosier

I really don’t understand what this guy wants. Does he want us to get blasted to bits or not? I’m not following the logic of “the only chance we have to protect ourselves from terrorism is to have a million people get killed by terrorists”.

He’s saying that the only way the leaders of the country will get serious about protecting the borders is if some massive terrorist attack in our country leads the American people to stop being complacent about national security and demand it.

[Robot_Arm]

Conversely, if we’re never attacked again, the carnage would be devastating.

Imaginary, but devastating.

[El_Kabong]

Bah. I’ve been hearing these mooks, and others like them, moan about the terrorist hordes walking into the States from the Sonoran Desert for close to a decade. Since not a single fucking one seems to have shown up by that route in all that time, I feel reasonably confident in my conclusion that apparently it’s not as easy as all that.

As for the bit about “using as much violence as necessary”, are we back to the “nuke Mecca” argument, or what?

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@Captain_Amazing

He’s saying that the only way the leaders of the country will get serious about protecting the borders is if some massive terrorist attack in our country leads the American people to stop being complacent about national security and demand it.

You mean like one where 3,000-odd people get killed? Maybe in a major population center? Possibly involving a major landmark?

Hmmm… I can’t help thinking there’s something familiar about this scenario.

[tagos]

I’m saying this as long-time Americophile. This is why half the world thinks the USA is batshit crazy. Lunatic paranoia going it seems, completely unchallenged.

I guarantee you if any public figure/former public servant popped up on UK TV talking this level of crazy the would be loudly and publicly mocked.

This sort of lunatic nonsense is confined to raving nutters on their soapbox at Hyde Park Corner not debated in apparent seriousness by a major news network.

And if it had both would be looking for new jobs.

Traitors. Both of them.

[Jack_Batty]

@tagos

This sort of lunatic nonsense is confined to raving nutters on their soapbox at Hyde Park Corner not debated in apparent seriousness by a major news network.

In our defense, the “major news network” in question is Fox ‘News’. So, you know, the word “nutter” fits right in.

[Death_of_Rats]

@Captain_Amazing

He’s saying that the only way the leaders of the country will get serious about protecting the borders is if some massive terrorist attack in our country leads the American people to stop being complacent about national security and demand it.

Uhhh…yeah 'cause that worked so well the last time we faced a catastrophic terrorist attack. That’s why we don’t need to have these kinds of conversations in a post-9/11 world…
wait…