i knew a couple of yeasr ago that a prescient way for terrorists to attack planes in the US were mobile surface to air missiles. you could hit multiple targets at roughly the same time around the country and be able to move out without actually be detected--look how long the snipers in washington got away with it using only their trunk with a peep hole.

http://www.yahoo.com/_ylh=X3oDMTB2MXQ5MTU3BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEdGVzdAMwBHRtcGwDaW5kZXgtaWU-/s/135783/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041231/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/laser_beam_airplanes


I know a little bit about laser technology. I don't think that terrorists have the capabilities to actually use laser technology as a weapon, but rather by using precision-molded aspeheric optical lasers attached to a mobile missile unit, it would allow the terrorists the abilty to LOCK on with a heat seeking missile for accuracy that could be 100%.
these reports are worrisome, because the expense of the this type of apparatus is likely 75,000-100k per unit, not including the much heavier expense of the weapons.

this is a very scary revelation, but one that was easily anticipated. the problem is our focus and resources have been well overspent in iraq. this tremendous tactical error has left the US military reeling and the uS as a country, vulnerable in many aspects.

As large an error as Iraq may seem - when was the last time something happened on American soil? September 11, 2001.

It has been a long time without anything occuring here, and while I am sure they have prevented several attacks that we do not know about - look at the situation in Iraq. They are fighting on their soil - not in the US. Our actions may have galvanised the masses and created the insurgency that our media exploits on TV every night to make our country feel ashamed of the choices our government has made - and to make us feel like we are losing some great struggle - but I would rather see the fight occur in the middle east then at home.

Terrorism is a scary thing and there are a ton of opportunities for them to capitalize on when choosing a target here because we cannot possibly cover every single vulnerability. Just remember - even a thousand years from now if humans are still around - there will always be a vulnerability for an enemy to exploit.

IMHO yhis country needs to grow a set when learning how to deal with terrorism and get this thing over once and for all.

Posted by Marv:

Oasis, i don't see how we're fighting terrorism by being in Iraq. Yes, our presence there has drawn resources of terrorism to take advantage of our sitting-duck status to blast away at our troops - do you seriously think that is taking a dent out of terrorism's resouces or its appeal to the masses from whom they draw their volunteers? I don't.

Plus I hated the line you use when Bush used it during a debate - fighting them over there rather than over here. Great - serve up the "volunteers'" in our armed services - look at the social, economic and racial strata of our country they tend to emerge from - to absorb the deaths so "we" can be safe from terrorism. I would assume you didn't see Michael Moore's film but despite its theatrical bent it shines a pretty strong light on this issue.

Lastly, was Iraq a concern regarding worldwide terrorism? No. Was it involved in any way in terrorism in the US prior to 9/11 - no. Has it been shown to have been involved in any way with 9/11 - no. Does it make any sense to link our attacking Iraq with the absence of terroist attacks on US soil since 9/11 - no.

Excellent post Marv. I couldnt agree with you more. There is another dimension to the cons of staying in Iraq that you lightly touched on. I have a couple of friends in the military who have no reason to be in Iraq. I dont want anything to happen to them. I am just a friend. People have no idea what it is like to see a father and a mother hold their breath every time there is news of a suicide bomb in Iraq!

Its not fair that Bush doesnt have a daughter in the armed forces like my friends wife! It's not fair that they have to overpay for phone calls back home on Christmas and New Years Day. Its not fair that a parents Christmas gift to their son includes a phone card.

It is such terrible stuff. This war was supposed to be over a long time ago. I have been around enough people from the military. I understand what it means to be a soldier. It is the most noble path one can choose. Give without expecting anything in return.

If people are so eager to keep the war going, they should go to the desert themselves to sit in the open without body armor and a gun without enough ammunition. It is an honorable thing to fight for the country but here was no reason to go to war in Iraq. More importantly, there is no reason now to stay there. My friends werent here for New Years Eve, so can we bring them back soon?