Fearful and Scheming Republicans Are Playing into al-Qaida's Strategy

[Joanne98]

You might have missed an AP article on al-Qaeda that slipped nearly unnoticed through yesterday's news cycle. The piece reports that the terrorist operation is moving towards smaller-scale attacks like the Christmas Day attempted bombing of a flight to Detroit. Why? For a reason the Republicans will not like very much.

First, one thing that is important to consider, which is not addressed in the article, is that recent U.S. successes in counter-terrorism (under the administration of a president Republicans insist is endangering the country's security) have weakened al-Qaeda's financial and operational power. As we learned today from Nicholas Sabloff and Nico Pitney, al-Qaeda's declining strength, along with the Obama administration's effective anti-terrorism efforts, have led to the Taliban moving to distance itself from al-Qaeda.

The main argument of the AP article is that al-Qaeda has figured out that it can cause chaos even with a failed attack (like the Christmas Day attempted bombing), because, in essence, terrified Republicans lose their minds and try to score political points by criticizing the administration, resulting in the exact kind of panic and uncertainty al-Qaeda leaders are looking for. Put another way, the Republicans are, in their fear and cold political calculation, doing exactly what al-Qaeda leaders want them to do.

This shouldn't be shocking to read. After all, George W. Bush's ineffective, misguided, fear-infused, ideology-driven response to the 9/11 attacks -- invading Iraq, moving the focus away from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, curbing civil rights, generating ill feelings around the world, spreading and fraying American military capabilities, running up a massive debt through two unpaid-for wars, and running the U.S. economy into the ground -- played right into al-Qaeda's hands. In fact, it's likely that if Osama bin Laden could have written a script for Bush on Sept. 12, 2001, it wouldn't have looked much different from what Bush actually did in the next few years.

I am tired of Republicans weakening our country through their dual obsessions: fear and putting scoring political points against the president over the best interests of the American people. As Steve Benen perceptively observed after the Christmas Day attempted bombing, the Republican response was "a collective display of pants-wetting." What has happened to the party of Ronald Reagan and John Wayne? Of G. Gordon Liddy putting his hand in a flame? The narrative in the country was always that the Republicans were the tough guys and the Democrats were the wimps, and while I admit the GOP shows more balls in governing than the timid Democrats, when it comes to terrorism, it seems quite clear the parties' actions don't match the reputations anymore.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mitchell-bard/fearful-and-scheming-repu_b_496974.html

[Tippy]

1. I sent this statement today to my Republican Senators about regulating bankers

For once why don't you think about the people of TN. You to think more about yourselves then the people you represent.

A bill passed in our state legislature, and was signed into law. Yet Republicans chose to block this effort so we didn't get our new voting machines. One would have thought everyone, both Democrats and Republicans would want every vote to count. (yes I know this is a State Issue, it's also a moral issue)

Our country is in crisis, and no matter what you say. Our Economy crashed because no one was watching the bankers. Why did you want this to happen?

Any idiot with a 10th grade education knows there must be check and balances. Now here we are Republicans again fighting to keep regulation from happening. Why? You know it's needed to keep this from happening again. I know why, it's because you get your pockets lined with money from the people who brought America to her knees.

One day you too may be on your knees, I hope you get what you so richly deserve. You may never have to account to We The People, but I believe what comes, around goes around. I'll let God be the judge. And trying to make people believe you obstruct to save us. The only people who believe you are the ones you have brainwashed with your lies over the years. As I said in the end God will be the judge.