Photograph at scene of bombing in Isreali Shoppoing District: Reuters Article 2004
On May 2, 2010Reuters ran an article noting that the Pakistani Taliban had claimed responsibility for the failed Bomb attempt in Times Square, NY. A radical Islamic website, www.muslm.net was linked in the story, due to the video that was posted on YouTube titled: “Qari Hussain Mehsud from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan accepts the responsibility of recent Attack on USA with Great Pride and Utmost Bravery” – the video, according to Reuters, was complete with English subtitles, it had been removed by You Tube “due to terms of use violations”, almost immediately following the Reuters release.
The group claiming responsibility, is based in Pakistan (Fox NY) and noted the bomb was in retaliation for the death of an Al Queda leader in Iraq. In addition, the group claims that America is responsible for interference and terrorism in Muslim countries, specifically Pakistan. Pakistan with its neighbor Afghanistan are central to Taliban-Al Queda operations and training, specifically the mountainous border region that separate the two nations.
Yesterday, in Pittsburgh a “suspicious” device (microwave) was found at a bus station near the finish line of the Pittsburgh Marathon. This device was later detonated by the Pittsburgh Police bomb squad. No one has taken responsibility for this attempt, which took place on the same day as the Car Bomb attempt in New York City.
Both are similar in respect to the fact that they were placed in areas to maximize damage and gain publicity (media coverage) and, as usual, target innocent civilians. The Heritage Foundation has a report here outlining 30 terrorists plots which have been thwarted since September 11, 2001. In 2009, Tarek Mehanna was arrested in Boston on terrorism charges. The pharmacy student apparently conspired with other terrorist to blow up shopping malls.
The later was dubbed as a “Homegrown Terrorist”in an NPR story. The “fear of homegrown” terrorist cited in the article from NRP, is somewhat of an oxymoron, as each of the so-called “home grown” terrorists, are nationals or related to nationals from countries that support and/or harbor terrorist. The fact that “jihad” is a prominent adjective attached to the majority of these plots (Pittsburgh is, as of now, just a routine pipe bomb in a microwave planted at a bus station at the finish line of a marathon.) is indicative of the mentality of those that would harm innocents in the name of religion.
Regardless of the fact that the “terrorist” is homegrown, or that the plot has failed, the fact that there has been an increase in these types of plots in the recently, speaks to the lack of fear of the United States as well as a lack of expertise on the part of the terrorists – in other words, those pulling the strings in Al Queda are not sending in their A team, but they are continuing to instigate and inspire those less than savvy “jihadist” who would undertake the task of blowing up your local mall, restaurant, amusement park, etc. There are no statistics on those that have failed completely by blowing themselves to smithereens while trying to build the bomb (See former domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, who’s stint with the Weather Underground, included a failed attempt which resulted in a loss of one member of this domestic terrorist group - NYTimes Article here).
Welcome to Israel – with each and every attempt, one is reminded of our ally, Israel, who has been subjected to ongoing bombings from a variety of terrorists. Although much maligned by the “world community” for shutting down the border with Palestine, the fact remains that border control reduces these incidences.
Of course, securing the borders of the United States, or “profiling” or even checking the background of those here on visas or caught sprinting across any one of our borders, is “verbotim”. The failure to secure all of our borders is one of the problems that have gone unaddressed by every administration since it became glaringly apparent that individuals from certain religious backgrounds and certain countries and groups, wanted to blow up as many American’s as possible. One can start with the bombing at the World Trade Center in 1993, and go forward to September 11, 2001 throw today, where one can expect a great deal of deliberation by the administration and a continued open-border policy.
One has to wonder, what it will take for the powers that be to decide to actually enforce current immigration laws and secure our borders. The State of Arizona is taking the lead in this, by toughing its stance on illegal immigration, but, to date, none of the other Border States feel the need to face the wrath of both the administrations scathing remarks or the subsequent boycotts and marches by thousands who support open border policy. It is those that scream the loudest who get the attention of the powers that be – that said, even those who’s losses on September 11th, demanded a tightening of the border, it may end up as something less spectacular that finally pushes some administration in the future (and possibly not too distant) to actually close the borders and check visas, and return the nation to a pattern of legal immigration and sanity. Something similar to a bomb blowing up in the middle of a crowed mall in any small city or suburb may finally energize the silent majority who feel insulated from the “alleged and failed attacks” in these larger urban areas.
Further, closing and monitoring our borders is not racist, it is sensible. There are mechanism in place where individuals from nations north and south of our borders, as well as from any country can obtain visas appropriate to work in the United States, or conditions where amnesty can be sought for those who live in nations where political conditions make life unbearable, as well as visa’s that allow one to enter the United States with an eye toward citizenship. It is high time that those in power, regardless of party affiliation, begin to look towards the protection of its citizens, and not pander to who they may offend; be it the “world community” or those huge voting blocs. One would hazard to guess that anyone of Hispanic origin, who is a citizen of this great nation, would prefer to go safely to the mall, and consider a sane border policy a priority.
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