General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums3 - count 'em - 3 different terrorist attacks today.
I don't have a link as yet, I heard it listening to NPR radio news on the way home today.
1 - The Government of Yemen claimed that they were able to foil an al Qaeda plot to launch missiles that were targeting foreign embassies. Of course, this was a news blurb from the Yemini government, so it is not clear if it's true or if Yemen "powers that be" were taking advantage of the US actions. I hope we will know more soon.
2 - a gas pipeline was targeted to be bombed. No details were given.
3 - in an attempt that NPR compared to the bombing of the USS Cole, several ships were targeted in the Red Sea.
Now, I don't have any confirmation that any of these are true as yet. But, since there were so many premature posts that the announcement was just a "wag the dog" attempt to take attention away from the NSA. I feel that I am justified in what may be premature attention to "no, these were real threats".
BTW, there was some question as to why the Iraq, Afghan, and Pakistan embassies were allowed to re-open. Well, considering their respective recent histories these are obviously the most well-fortified embassies and the most ready for any attack. If the other potential targets were closed, it's almost like the US was saying "go on, hit me here. I dare you!"
It's a trap!
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)And an India consulate in Afghanistan was attacked killing 10 civilians.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)According to analysts, yes on NPR, Yemeni threats are a weekly thing.
Please do chew on that one after looking at a map.
And yes, governments do manipulate populations...you can take that to the bank
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)zzzZzzz
randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]
cali
(114,904 posts)I don't doubt that there is a resurgent AQ in the Arabian Peninsula, concentrated particularly in Yemen. We've certainly helped recruitment hugely. Public sentiment in Yemen has become even more anti-American, anti-West since the U.S. increased drone killings dramatically starting in 2012. Estimates are that we've killed about 90 civilians including children with drone strikes in Yemen. Most of these drone strikes have been signature strikes and their are well documented cases of double tapping.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)The wag the dog commentary is pretty prevalent here--echoing 1997-1998 Republicans.
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)to be more REASONABLE.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)There is a big difference between Bush's barrage of terror alerts and this unusual action/response from Obama.
Those smart enough to realize that Obama is not anywhere near as bad as Bush manage to avoid acting like Gingrich Republicans.
It's typically the Ron Paul loving libertarian losers who are breaking out the wag the dog conspiracy theory.
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)calling BS on the neoCON's BS terror alerts, and calling BS on the neoLIBs terror alerts are APPLES to APPLES.
What the rethugs were doing in the 90's isn't even about the same thing.
Only the ignorant, partisan, totalitarian, scum sucking, a$$ kissing, lackeys would buy that nonsense.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)At least the Gingrich Republucans were upfront about their status as partisan hacks who wanted to bring Clinton down at all costs.
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)And all the dumbshit, partisan, bootlicking totalitarian lackeys who support all this TERROR FUCKING BULLSHIT to justify MASS MURDER, and MASS SPYING on EVERYONE!
They all are TRAITORS, the lowest form of scum on the planet, imho.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Your bolded part is laughable, too.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)What are you going to do with your percentage of the 3Trillion when you get it?
n2doc
(47,953 posts)Obama is smarter than Bush. His underlings are too. We already knew that.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)for evidence?
n2doc
(47,953 posts)than you have that they are real.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)a sudden intensification of drone strikes in Yemen serve as circumstancial evidence.
Also, the fact that the administration asked media outlets to avoid publishing certain details as they could have given away operational details about intelligence gathering.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)There were terrorist attacks, by us, on Yemenis. And of course an attack on the 1st amendment by our 'progressive' administration.
When W did these things, did you support him? When his department of homeland security raised the terror alert status periodically, did you support him? Did you support the 'surge' to attack terrorists in Iraq during our occupation there? Be honest.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)must have missed that one.
Bush lied us into a war, and routinely exploited terrorism as a political weapon. Routinely.
Did not support either the surge nor the 'terra alerts.'
SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid
n2doc
(47,953 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)but back to Yemen; I think what the U.S. is doing in Yemen is stupid and counterproductive. We're propping up a President and creating the conditions for him to be dragged from the Presidency. We're drone bombing the shit out of Yemen and it's naturally making people furious. It's not wag the dog but it sucks all the same. And why? We're increasing recruitment for AQ.
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)otherwise they wouldn't have blared it all over the M$M.
these kinds of alerts, and actual attacks are going on all the time over there.
This was purely wag-the-dog, imho.
cali
(114,904 posts)and about this latest expansion of the War on Terror. This escalation in Yemen has been going on- and planned- for quite some time. Starting in 2012 there was a dramatic escalation of drone killings: 54 in that year. In the days before the announcement of the Embassy closures and the removal of Embassy personnel, there were 3 drone attacks. And there's oil in Yemen. It's their chief export.
As some writer said, the U.S. is propping up Mansur Hadi's government with one hand and dragging it down with the other. The government of Yemen which controls only portions of the country is a thoroughly corrupt one. The Arab Spring there which occurred in 2011 hardly brought improvements to the country. Hadi, btw, was elected with over 99% of the vote.
this isn't about Greenwald or the NSA. I rather wish it were. It's far more serious than that and it has wide reaching implications in a way a momentary distraction does not.
jazzimov
(1,456 posts)Although it doesn't say anything about the missiles targeting foreign embassies. Although it does link to this BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23598516
99Forever
(14,524 posts)... you've "got the details" and some actual verifiable evidence, beyond what someone "says."
WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)Wow. Helluva thing to see Americans startled so easily.
No, wait. That's the new America.
Congratulations. You just reeled off three press releases.
About nothing.
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)Though i originally thought only a DERP was required... but on second thought I remembered that a lot of these folks need it spelled out to them like they are 2 year olds.
Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)Old MO:
Send cruise missiles/drones. Deny. Beat the shit out of and jail journalists who report the lie.
New MO:
Detect chatter. Close embassies, declare travel alert. Send cruise missiles/drones. Declare victory.
treestar
(82,383 posts)if they can't all be prevented and AQ is not totally dead, it's a failure anyway. No point in doing anything at all if it can't all be done at once. No progress is allowed to take more than a couple of days. If it can't be done immediately, it's a failure. No single payer, don't bother with anything that moves towards it.