As messages go in a post-Sept. 11 world, these are about as mixed as they can get:
That people suspected of terrorist ties have signed up as school bus drivers in the United States, according to a bulletin from counterterrorism officials to local law enforcement around the nation.
And that "parents and children have nothing to fear," according to FBI spokesman Rich Kolko.
Fortunately, the bulletin came just as Wichita schools went on spring break. But school bus drivers can expect to be eyed by some parents more closely at that first pickup next week.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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24 Comments
Why does the old “Dirty Harry” Clint Eastwood movie come to mind?
More than likely, the terrorists would use the big yellow school bus as a transport mechanism for a suicide bomber rather than hijacking a bus full of children.
That is, line the length of the bus with explosives and then crash into something.
That is pliable and could come close to the crashing of an airliner into a large building. But also the psychological impact of killing a bus load of Kids would also be effective. Given their favorite dramatic form of execution. It would effect us far worst then the destroying the Twin towers. But also it would seal their fate, no one and I mean no one in the United States would object to a nuclear strike on any country that would give a harbor to the terrorists. There was blood lust after 9-11, but nothing like what the vision of thirty children being behead would bring.
God have mercy on their souls, for we would not!
Nuclear strike is the wrong way to go. Invading and overthrowing the government is the wrong way to go too.
It might be better to influence particular groups to over throw their own government. That way it is all in the hands of the locals.
If we found out from which country the terrorists originated, we should ‘inform’ that government that their country is now our staging ground and they WILL support us and/or stay out of the way. Use the time to sweep and clear terrorist training camps, then pack up and leave. We would need to implement some sort of humint source there to keep an eye on things.
The ONLY way Bush could have screwed up Iraq any more than he did would have been to use nuclear force.
as they should.
No matter if terrorist are envolved or not..seems like sexual predators popping up everywhere.. I treat everyone involved with my kids like terrorist.. so really no change here..
Judging by how some of those Durham people drive …
Sol
That was essentilly the Afghan approach, though we did overthrow the gov’t, as the gov’t was essentially indistinguishable from the terrorists. And it did send the message that harboring and aiding would be treated the same as actually participating in terrorist attacks. A good message to send.
Iraq was a mistake for all kinds of reasons: going in the first place, lack of planning, etc., all well documented. The military accomplished it’s orders with astonishing efficiency, and has done, well, everything asked of it. The political leadership (and war is a political act) has been a disaster – incompetent is the best one can say about it.
Unfortunately, it’s done, and now we have to make it work.
“Insurgents in Iraq detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle with two children in the back seat after US soldiers let it through a Baghdad checkpoint over the weekend, a senior US military official said Tuesday.”
Should have gone in, shouldn’t have gone in. We are in and the above story should show what we are up against. This is no time to waver or pull out.
That story just proves why we had to go in..
Better there than here..
I hear you GMC, but Afghanistan is still an issue with the Taliban regaining strength. I don’t think it is possible for a western force to exert its influence effectively on a tribal nation/state. Big mistake screwing with governments over there.
I agreed with GW’s message. Support/harbor terrorists and lose power in your country. Only problem is we don’t have a successful model to make that actually happen.
Praise to the soldiers, they have done outstanding, but as you state, the political backing is nonexistent.
Heard on the news that the Taliban are terrorizing the poppy growers in Afghanistan. Perhaps they want to set up a “Chiquita” arrangement with Afghan government.
Rhonda really!
“Fortunately, the bulletin came just as Wichita schools went on spring break. But school bus drivers can expect to be eyed by some parents more closely at that first pickup next week.Posted by Rhonda Holman”
We are gonna have to find and roll out your fainting couch!
My kid rides a bus to school every day. This crap does not frighten me in the least. Your right wing “be afraid! be very afraid!” undergarments are showing AGAIN Rhonda.
I feel I need to speak up here. I have a friend who drives a school bus, and the terrorists are the kids! They are foul mouthed and act wildly, even fist fighting on the bus. I don’t approve of the fired bus driver’s tactics that were employed last week. But people have got to start disciplining their own kids! Driving a bus these days is an absolute nightmare.
Terrorists on school buses, children used in suicide attacks, increases in IED use, and integrating chemicals (chlorine) into bombs show that we are increasing terrorism, not decreasing it. Thus far, our post-Afghanistan strategy to combat terrorism has approached the problem in the wrong way.
The more force we use, the more terrorism will occur. Those that want to fight the US know they cannot fight a nuke, an airstrike, or the strength of our troops, so they use whatever means they can. They can, and always will be able to, sneak a small amount of explosives into a public place and detonate it or make small homemade bombs (IEDs). They can kidnap and kill individuals or small groups of people, both domestically and abroad.
No matter how hard we fight, things like this have always happened and they always will. Whether a society is Western, Christian, Islamic, European, African, or any other, there are always fringe groups that will use terrorist tactics to get their message or agenda across.
Think of ‘terrorists’ as water leaking from the faucet of a culture. If you force your hand against the mouth of the faucet, the flow will stop for a while. Eventually, however, the pressure will build up and the water will burst forth. Then the pressure of your hand will stop the flow again until the pressure again builds and the water comes out. Trying to use force to stop the problem will not permanently fix it. The cause of the problem must be identified and fixed before the problem will ever go away.
Yeah Brian..
Because that worked so well in the 90’s..
BG, can you explain further how it did not work? Examples will help.Thanks
So, brian, just are we supposed to say to the water?
Fleetwood, if I knew I would not be setting here typing this. However, my lack of an solution does not mean one cannot be found.
I bet several billion diverted from fighting to thinking could solve it. It would probably be quite a bit more cost effective too.
“I bet several billion diverted from fighting to thinking could solve it.”
Kumbaya, my brother!
fleetwood we can sing it while you rejoice in the smell of napalm in the morning
I love that smell. (You saw that coming, didn’t you?)
:)
They don’t pay school bus drivers crap. No self respecting terrorist would want the job. They can make alot more money blowing stuff up and whatever else they like to do.
Just to be clear, my earlier post was not a suggested reaction. BUT a predicted reaction.It would depend on the desire reaction, other then wanting to instill fear it could be argued that the terrorists would want to cause a reaction. A reaction, over reacting or not may play into their hands.
I guess they say they are using there minimum wage paying driving job as a way to recruit American kids into there terrorist efforts. Amazing stuff, but whoever said that bus drivers don’t get paid enough for the effort of a terrorist was correct.
Why not be a city bus driver? There pay is double.