Beware of backpackers clutching a well thumbed copy of The Budget Terrorist Guide: How to Conquer Europe on Only Ten Dollars a Day.
From AP:
The al-Qaida terrorist network spent less than $50,000 on each of its major attacks except for the Sept. 11, 2001, suicide hijackings, and one of its hallmarks is using readily available items such as cell phones and knives as weapons, a U.N. report says.The report, released Thursday by a new team monitoring the implementation of U.N. sanctions against al-Qaida and the Taliban, detailed just how little it cost to mount terrorist operations.
For example, the report said the March attacks in the Spanish capital, Madrid, in which nearly 10 simultaneous bombs exploded on four commuter trains, used mining explosives and cell phones as detonators and cost about $10,000 to carry out. The blasts killed 191 people, Spain's worst terrorist attack.
A little more than $50 a head.
Only the sophisticated 9/11 attacks in the United States, using four hijacked aircraft, "required significant funding of over six figures," the report said. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, the vast majority in the collapse of the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center.
The 9/11 Commisssion Report estimates the cost at between $400,000 and $500,000.
The report said U.N. sanctions have had only "a limited impact," primarily because the U.N. Security Council has reacted to events "while al-Qaida has shown great flexibility and adaptability in staying ahead of them."
Note to the U.N., John Kerry, and especially France: Conflicts, whether they be wars, cold wars, a war on terror, or ideological struggles, are won by going on the offensive.
It would not cost very much, either, to:
1) simply keep all Muslims from immigating to the Bilad al-kufr
2) do nothing to make the position of Muslims already within Europe and North America any easier
3) translate the best websites, including www.secularislam.org, www.dhimmitude.org, www.faithfreedom.org, www.jihadwatch.org into French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, Chiinese, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, Turkish, Arabic, Farsi, not with machines but with the best translators, paid correctly for their services -- all of this would still cost less than a plane or two, and could help to transform the understanding, by many in Europe, and even some in the Muslim world, of what is going on, and what the tenets of Islam, and how they have worked out over 1350 years, are, and what that means for the world today.
Penny-wise and pound-foolish is the Pentagon. Where is the attempt to get the truth out? Where is the propaganda? Why is the government silent? And if it insists on being silent, why does not covertly fund those who need funding to do what the government may be too afraid to do, but that must be done? Where are the rich, who instead of funding some university or NPR or suchlike, out to realize it is they, it is their children and grandchildren, who will suffer if Europe becomes islamized, if America lives in a state of permanent internal siege. This is not a theoretical problem. It is completely realistic. Nothing matters as much.
Penny-wise and pound-foolish is the Pentagon. Where is the attempt to get the truth out? Where is the propaganda?
IMHO getting away from dependence on OIL is the key ,
That seems to be the powerbase, and the reason for Bush Admin's failure to call a spade a shovel,
Too much too loose if Saudi Arabia is completely alienated??
87 billion would've made what kind of a dent in the furthering of alternate power sources for USA'a road vehicles?,and thus ELIMINATE any oil dependence,Which once gone, means the so-called allies nolonger hold USA over the proverbial Barrel?
This is a broad-based, not completely informed presentation of the situation.
What are your thoughts along this line of reasoning Hugh?
http://www.eere.energy.gov/
BTW ,we have much respect, and appreciation of, your continued input, keep up the good work
Nice to know D.I.Y Terrorism is cheap to do.How silly to publish these reports and make your average Jihadist happy, bet Bin Laden is smirking in his cave.
As this war escalates and its true nature as a foreign guerilla military invasion begins to bubble up to the collective consciousness of the American median voter, we can be assured of the spontaneous appearance of a host of low budget DIY jihad extermination measures thanks to the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution for the United States of America. One aspect of the Spirit of '76 that has quietly laid dormant for more than two centuries is the human capital cache of fierce and brutal methods of dispatch used by the American Patriots to exterminate those foolish enough to bring war to the shores of America. As in the past, there will be no quarter. This is not an opinion, it is an account of history, a history that will surely repeat if the jihadis are so inclined to bring their war to the American continent.
None of the prescriptions that are available to fight the enemy can be implemented, until the US comes up with the courage to name the enemy.
Until we name the enemy, we will continue to fight shadows at great expense, while taking terrorist hits of increasing magnitude. That is, getting hit twice, once by the Jihadis and secondly, by our own self deception.
It is clear, that for a multitude of reasons, governments are unwilling to name the enemy. Thus the enemy cannot be effectively fought. It is for this reason that I have posted that we have to carry out this war on our own, and in the only way available to us.
HUGH FOR STATE!
SOMEone's subjective outrage is showing...
Note to the U.N., John Kerry, and especially France: Conflicts, whether they be wars, cold wars, a war on terror, or ideological struggles, are won by going on the offensive.
Note to Robert Spencer, Dub, and Dick:
Bin Laden is in Afghanistan, not Iraq.
North Korea has nukes that can hit us (thanks to Pakistan.)
Bin Laden and 75% of the 9-11 hijackers came from Saudi.
Hussien couldn't even threaten Israel, much less America.
Iran is building nukes (thanks to Pakistan.)
Special note to Dub:
Next time you get a briefing that says a terrorist attack in America is likely, please pay attention.
Ayatollah (snicker), where did you get this data?
The USA only gets 12% of their oil imports from the mid-east. It's not as vital as you think it is for the American economy.
It seems hard to believe, but I would LIKE to believe it. Please tell me.
Yet, the USA does the thankless job of protecting the shipping lanes and maintaining order in these wacky countries.
WTF? Where? Are you talking about Gulf War One?
I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.
KJ
Sorry, in FURTHER elaborations,By taking away the one thing (oil) ,that gives the PEOPLE in POWER their Wealth COMPLETELY off the world market .
Let the mideast sell oil to EACH OTHER..
(attempt at humor , we aplogize)
THEN it, (IMHO) is proposed that the ones who PERPETRATE this madness will(eventually) loose their POWER AND the civilized world will nolonger have to "deal" because of "ECONOMIC" considerations.this is a supposition a ,......guess
we await Hugh's imput,thankyou
DP111:
Daniel Pipes (in his piece, “Naming the Enemy”, August 17) rolled the handful of separate, direct, representations of our mortal Enemy in the misnamed “War on Terror”, ventured by President Bush over the past 2-1/2 years, into one:
“A false doctrine of Islamic purity inspires a totalitarian ideology of power and domination. In its ruthlessness, murderousness and global ambition, it resembles the Nazi and communist ideologies. The extremists who advocate this doctrine see America as the chief obstacle to achieving their goals. To defeat America, they initially seek Washington’s retreat from the outside world. Ultimately, they hope to bring about a collapse of America as it now exists. Towards this end, they are prepared to murder any number of Americans.”
He adds: “This is a fine description of Islamism, its mentality, methods and means… drawing the subtle distinction between the personal faith of Islam and the political ideology of Islamism (or militant Islam). … Mr Bush has alluded to America having to confront its third totalitarian ideology. Now he should name that ideology. … Only with such specficity can the civilized world start on the path of victory over this latest manifestation of barbarism.”
What Dr Pipes calls “Islamism (or miltant Islam)” is more commonly dubbed “Islamofascism” on this site and elsewhere, but it’s the same thing - his version possibly sounding less polemic. (In a similar vein - but for a completely different motive - the media flogs the terms, Islamic “radicals”, “extremists”, “militants”, etc, when it means TERRORISTS, an expression against which it holds an almost-absolute taboo - if they’re Arabs or Moslems, specially “Palestinians”).
The official Name for the ideology of our arch-totalitarian, 21st Century Enemy could be either “Islamism”, “Militant Islamism”, “Islamofascism” or (another popular usage here) “Jihadism”; they’re all adequate. - What’s in a name? Does the word “Nazism”, standing alone, communicate its utter brutality, does “Communism”, likewise, convey its cruel oppressions? (Significantly for our civilization and circumstances nowadays, did they do so in the 1920s and ‘30s or in 1917?)
As definitely POSITIVELY-REINFORCING as it would indeed be to have a single, formal, “in a nut-shell” Name for the Enemy, not too much should be sought from it, of itself and on its own. It’d be at least as equally important as selecting the apt (perfect) Name to ALWAYS articulate it in tight association with its psychotic subscribers’ catalogue of relentless Evils across the face of the planet for millennia, in order that a strong and early link be made with the TRUE NATURE of the phenomenon: “Jihadi Killers”; “Bloodthirsty Islamists”; “Megacidal Islamofascist Butchers” and so forth!
KeithJoy~ Here's some oil info for you. Note Canada is at the top of the list:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/facts/favorites/fcvt_fotw246.shtml
BTW, you still have not admitted that ANWAR oil supplies, Even if we managed to pump enough to supply ALL US needs for each day, would last 9 months, not 3. And at the production level they say they can manage, it will produce 7% of our needs for 10.7 years. That's a pretty good slice off of ME oil usage, wouldn't you say?
And Yes, I know, Keith, that link is stats for 2002. Here is 2004:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html
Stopping ALL oil export ,or using it all up...Will NOT stop the current trends of terrorism BUT EVENTUALLY the Ones in power WILL be overthrown due to lack of funds????
Whimsical and non-practical mention about horses,& people bicycling aside ,the PLANET needs an across the board switchover to HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS or an equal tech that isn't individually driven but WORLD WIDE.
Some guy cooking up fuels in his cellar isnt needed or effective.
It must be a NEW power INDUSTRY!
It is said that doing this is problematic due to the STILL prohibitive cost,If we could make the oil companies themselves thru grants?control this new hydrogen fuel cell R&D then in 10 or 20 years the ECONOMIC power of the ME will be destroyed .
As it is the OIL people keep us locked into a symbyotic relationship with an evil barbaric Ideoligy because its not in thier intrest to stop making money on oil and spend it on the alternative RESEARCH & DEVELOPEMENT.
The SWITCHOVER needs to be undertaken by the US OIL COMPANIES the ones who MAKE the GASOLINE (broad generalization) are truly at fault.
the rulers in the MIDEVILEAST who get thier WEALTH (power) from oil need to be SHUT DOIWN, completely.
Then the PEOPLE of the ME riseup and go secular to join the world economy thru services , art , tech &other fruit which currently is wasted under Shaira law
The one question that Hugh was seen to voice that started me on the (deny their oil exports) path was
Where is the attempt to get the truth out? Where is the propaganda?
Posted by: Hugh at August 28, 2004 12:54 PM
in my first post I attempt to surmise that OIL and its current dynamic in the world economy is WHY THE US WONT IDENTIFY!
Alienating ALL M.E. oil producing countries by calling them to task might be seen to have a very bad result !
Cant allow them to dictate when they will hike prices, or SHUT off the oil exports ,The world must REFUSE the OIL they export,
Only then can the truth be boldly told with no fear of ruining the world economy as it stands ,and allow the rich mad mullahs to be truly taken out at the root,mosques across the globe will LOOSE funding,
Fighting terror is like cutting off individual THORNS to KILL a rose bush!!! it takes forever and mostlikely wont work the bush grows new thorns if you have access only once a week then it is IMPOSSIBLE to kill a rose bush by cutting off its thorns , it must be denied water and PULLED from the EARTH
http://us.rediff.com/news/2004/aug/29ap.htm
More Lashkar e Tayaba terrorists
arrested with links to Abu Hamza.
And we must remember, I think, that this war, like any war, involves money, the stuff that makes power.
Without the trillions in petro-dollars, the hundreds of millions in weapons transfers from the US to Jihadists during the cold war, there may be Jihad, but would there be Jihad that threatens us?
If we identify the enemy correctly in this struggle, attacking and seizing economic assets that fund Jihad anywhere should be considered entirely justified.
And we should evaluate carefully where the Jihadists are vulnerable. Iraq? I do not think so. Sudan? Yes. Should we allow the Jihadists not only to commit genocide but seize the considerable oil reserves of the Sudan? Iran? Perhaps. Our attacks should tactically strike the Jihadists where we can deprive them of economic resources at the least expense to us, in terms of money, in terms of the lives of our service men and women, who everyday, risk everything that we might sustain our way of life.
The Pentagon should entirely rearrange its thinking for our sakes, and the sake of those who have committed their lives to defend this country.
But as yet, the Pentagon does not understand...folks like Schwartzkopf are 'surprised' that the Iraqi Shia hate us so and fight...'those folks that suffered so under Saddam.'
Wake up and smell the Jihad general.
And the President and Congress should begin to apply appropriate political and military pressure on our two greatest enemies, Saudi Arabia, the financial backbone of Jihad, and Pakistan, the potential nuclear threat.
Saudi Arabia, if they are our allies, should immediately begin direct payments to the United States and other countries, to help pay for the billions in security measures necessary because of the Jihad they have funded and encouraged.
And if they do not pay, we should be ready to seize assets, and to show the full extent of our considerable military resources.
Special note to Dub:
Next time you get a briefing that says a terrorist attack in America is likely, please pay attention.
Posted by: kj at August 28, 2004 09:32 PM
You forget the bombing of the WTC in 1993 yes yor buddy Clinton covered it up but now the facts are on the table and Saddam was a part of that and we don't need moore after 9/11/2001 and the fact you will vote for a terrorist supporter like Kerry shows how stupid that you are!!!
Don't care what you thin we are squirrel hunting now but soon it will be big Game season!!
Have you seen UBL since Tora-Bora nobody has so you are wrong there too!!
If he is alive he is YELLOW and this curese all his FOLLOWERS WHO FOLLOW A YELLOW MAN!!
Part of the American Tribe
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and All who Fight with her give them Strength,Wisdom and Courage to stay the course to Victory Amen
Gee, if I remember correctly, yep, the last time we were dealing with foreign fighters who didn’t mind killing themselves in large numbers as long as they killed us, oh yes, it was Japan. White House documents show we did not wish to take any further chances fighting these kamikazes, ok, so we needed to drop two atomic bombs in their cities to stop this adversary. Well, this worked then, guess it will work next time. Ok, this is how we will deal with the current problem, if our new adversary (jihad) wishes to continue this game…