March 17th, 2004

THANKS TO SPAIN, TERRORISM WORKS!

by Eric 'Renderking' Fisk

Spain Says Suspect Van Had Arabic Tapes

Genuine Anger

Monday, May 19th, 2003 - Five explosions in Casablanca, Morocco kills several people.

Tuesday, August 5th, 2003- At least 14 killed in hotel blast in Indonesian capital in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Sunday, October 13th, 2002 - At least 183 dead in Bali bombings

Sunday, November 9th, 2003 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) -- A large explosion rocked a Riyadh residential compound housing foreigners and Saudis a day after the United States warned of terrorist attacks in the kingdom which is battling a surge in Islamic violence.

Thursday March 12th, 2004; Spain was struck many times simultaneously by terrorists. Many of the evidence found shortly after these attacks is pointed towards Al-Qaeda and as time progresses more evidence is being released that those who were involved in these attacks had links to those involved with the bombings in Casablanca less then a year ago.

On March 15th, 2004, I was alerted by one of our readers that Portugal that there have been threats against her city, Lisbon… an event that went unreported on any of the news websites.

What all these events have in common is our shame and our lack of grief. When we were attacked on September 11th 2001, the world put their differences with us aside and grieved with us. Although there were few exceptions in a few rare Muslim communities such as the Palestinians, the vast major of the world including much of the Muslim countries mourned with us. It was as if those towers came down in THEIR countries, it was as if those people jumping out of those buildings were THEIR people, those planes were THEIR planes.

With the exception of some small pockets, the world mourned with us. But when it happens to them, where is our outrage? When Al-Qaeda strikes our allies, where are our Candlelight vigils? Where are our flags at half-mast? When did we have our minutes of silence? Our problem here in the United States has a huge problem, as does the rest of the world. But there are two different problems.

For us... terrorism is just a breaking-news headline when it happens as it happens... then it’s covered with a few stories about Al-Qaeda’s involvement. It’s not as earth shattering when it happens to us. We play the game of being outraged and indigent and we vow that we will do what ever we can to keep this from happening again. We might even send some aid and people to help in the recovery, investigation and rebuilding. But we never get the attention it deserves, as if it happened here with in the United States.

For the rest of the world, they play the deadly game of denial. We’re safe here in Morocco, Spain, and Indonesia... and France. Terrorism is something that happens in Jerusalem and now the New York, it won’t happen “here” in London, Paris... or Madrid.

We so easily forget that this is a war between “Us” and “Them”... Them being Al-Qaeda... and as I said in my earlier rant about the War on Terror, the simple fact of the matter is that they hate us for vastly irrational reasons. Those who commit acts of terror hate us because we’re free and they despise us for what we have and the way we live.

We tend to forget too often that every free nation is in this fight together.  America needs to focus on relationships with our allies as whole countries and not just as a few individual leaders who support us. We need to get all countries involved to feel like they are important.

The Difference between being a victim of Terrorism and being a victim of a Terrorist Attack.

One of the lessons that went unlearned during the past Christmas – New Years Holiday season is that there’s a difference between being a victim of terrorism, and a victim of a terrorist attack. Perfect example: If you choose not to do something because of a threat of a terrorist attack or you’re emotionally disturbed because of such a threat, you’re a victim of terrorism. If you or someone you love is hurt in an explosion or a hijacking, you’re a victim of a Terrorist Attack.

his isn’t to make light of what happened over the past few years or the attacks in Spain last week, but to put it in a different perspective. When people change their plans or how they vote because of terrorism or terror threats… the terrorists win and they are emboldened. In the news and in Spanish exit polls there is evidence that this past election in Spain was turned because of the terror attack. There’s also other news stories saying that Al-Qaeda and its fringe groups are planning other attacks in England, France and Germany as their elections are scheduled in the near future.

What does “Three-Eleven-Oh-Four” mean for the future?

It’s hard to believe that after our own day of Infamy, I could have a pet peeve when people talk about September 11th, 2001. It’s been minimized. The date “9-11” or “Nine-One-One” has become a catch phrase. Some of the sting might have been taken out of it or it can be just used as a blanket abbreviation for terror. Sorry, but “Nine-One-One” is what you dial when you need the police or the fire department when you have an Emergency, “September 11th 2001” is the actual date of the attack.

“Nine-Eleven” has become part of the vernacular of a single horrific event that we all experienced to some extent or another… and it’s an abbreviation for any terror attack that’s pending for the United States: we’re all anticipating with dread the “Next Nine-Eleven.”

Sadly... “Three-Eleven-Oh-Four” is also going to become part of the lexicon (if only in Europe) as a terror attack or event that will cause the desired results in an election in the terrorists favor.

What “Three-Eleven-Oh-Four” proved is that Terrorism WORKS! The Terrorists have been proven that there way is the right way if done correctly and timed right, and if the government doesn’t react the way they should. All the Terrorists have to do is just time their bombings or unleash whatever biological, chemical or nuclear weapons on the right date and they’ll have their way. I’m disgusted that this might actually occur in the states, and that the Spanish people actually caved in to terror… but I’m not nearly as disgusted in those things as I am with the Spanish Conservative party that might have withheld information on the attacks for political gain.

In this upcoming election, we could almost guarantee that there would be another attack to the extent of “Three-Eleven” or “Nine-Eleven”. On March 16th, 2004 on nationally syndicated Radio Show “Imus In The Morning”, Senator Joseph Bidon from Delaware sited a post September 11th, 2004 report from the CIA that hypothesizes that our rail-way system is a very likely to be attacked, just like in Spain on March 11th, 2004. Since that report from the CIA, there have been similar reports sighting that there are many other “juicy” targets for Al-Qaeda here and abroad… and yet we’ve done only the very least to insure their protection. There is no doubt that as of this writing, we are most susceptible to another attack and with the “Success” of the bombings in Spain that swayed the election in that country, it’s only a matter of time before it happens again here. This is further illustrated in this column: Purported Al-Qaeda Letter Says U.S. Strike Near Ready.

The Raiders Connection

I don’t like writing rants without a solution to the problem that I’ve presented, or an observation that will bring new light the issue. To be perfectly honest with you, this issue has me about as angry as I’ve been in a long time because of the helplessness I feel and I can only assume many of you who are reading this are, too.

As you may have read in my previous rants, I’ve become frustrated and disgusted with the political parties and the separate parties. The bipartisanship and the congressional gridlock is doing little more then playing into the hands of the “Evil Doers” by being indecisive.

I Am not alone here, because other commentators and editorial writers who also see this “Ultimate War between Good and Evil”, as demonstrated by Mansoor Ijaz in his editorial “The Rise of Political Terrorism, Al Qaeda Style" and that we cannot allow ourselves to be motivated in a direction the terrorists demand.

Again, from an earlier Rant I wrote, Al-Qaeda is the absolute worst combination of The Nazi’s who ruled by terror and violence and Organized Crime – an association who hid themselves from society and operated with in secrecy for their own corrupt desires.

The only solutions I can offer are simple ones. Again, be prepared for the event of the next act of terrorism. Make plans for ways to get in contact with your family if your area has been struck. Also, follow the guidelines on the Government website READY.ORG for preparedness.

Most of all, refuse to be terrified… or “Victims of Terrorism”. Everyone reading this rant needs to take an active roll in fighting terrorism by being informed and vote for politicians who have been strong against terror. We can also take an active part in our communities by just getting involved in other areas besides the fight against terrorism.

Have an opinion?  Want to ask questions, or comment on this week's rant?  Email Mr. Fisk him self: renderking@theindyexperience.com.