dear American ILXER's: y'all OK?

Code Red is only permissible if we have actual notice that an attack is going to happen and we have specific intelligence detailing the target. So yeah, if you are in the wrong street on the wrong day bcz you don't pay attention to anything, you might very well be shot.

We're also going to DEFCON 4 I think, or delta or whatever they call it now.

Er, should they have done this awhile ago and not a couple of hours before the shooting starts?

Those border guards sure must take their searching duties seriously.

it's nice to be living across the river from, and working in the heart of, Ground Zero at this time, i tell ya ...

I plan on throwing a party when we get to Code Red. Lots of friends, some drinks, and CNN showing us what city might get decimated.

In all seriousness, I don't understand the purpose of such a system. If it suddenly did go to "Code Red", wouldn't that just make whoever the terrorists are go forward with their plans immediately? Its a sure fire way to create panic in a lot of stupid people, that's for certain. I'd just hope Mountain Dew might be able to advertise during the "impending terrorist attack", as it would be great placement.

-
Alan

Tracer Hand made this. My favourite ILX art evah.

which reminds me of my best answer to the question, "why do you still live in New Jersey?" my answer -- because the people who would blow up anything in Manhattan, more likely than not live in New Jersey and not in Manhattan!

I'm much more worried about panic-stricken neighbors, co-workers, friends and family than I am worried about terrorists.

People don't have to _be_ stupid to act stupidly --
especially in an emergency.

Thanks for asking.
(Hope you're doing ok too).

Please, like j fail said -- please spare a thought for those who are about to be bombed. Their lives are no less dear to them and to their loved ones than ours are to ourselves and to our loved ones.

But this morning when I woke up I had one of those kind of snaps of awareness that drain the color from the room: good christ, this is actually happening. I felt like the gears of history had kind of ground to a halt, and we were all now forced to watch them wind up again in a new direction. It's close to how I felt two Septembers ago, only then I knew, I just fucking knew that another morning like it, like today, would come. Now I just feel like the bottom has dropped out. At this point it's all I can do to hope that Bush's violent evangelism will work, and that he hasn't just yanked the rug out from under every living thing.

On the walk to the bus stop there were sirens on the freeway next to my building, and I thought about what those might have meant if the tomohawks or scuds were coming in. Should I run for a basement? Should I break into that unopened grocers? It was a dark daydream, but a daydream nonetheless, and passed quickly.

(I suggest listening to Technotronic as I am doing. It's making me feel pretty good.)

(okay more technotronic okay okay)

Yeah, here's hoping. I don't know what to think. There's no way the USmil will lose, but their degree of success is uncertain; sandstorms, urban environments, no turkey, no saudi arabia. The whole thing has to run up basically one freeway out of kuwait.

But yeah as far as terrorism goes I'm strangely unflapped.

i am fine. but totally exhausted. koritfw!!!!

My list of contempt and hatred for all the fear and death and more caused over the moons in this whole charade doesn't start and end with him. Not at all.

That said, the traffic disruption this guy caused is pretty frightening if you think of DC in terms of evacuating the city. But then I may be the only ILXor who actually lives in the District.
:^p

If there is indeed a God he might very well resent all of you being so judgemental eh? Time to start working for Dean 2004 and quit whining about people you don't even know and can't even begin to understand and the possibility that they might die suddenly in an expenditure of your children's tax dollars. With the possible exception of me, I don't think anybody here is under suspicion of not hating GWB.

Back in 1991, I collected the first section of the LA Times for every day of the Gulf War as such, for some reason. I don't know why, some sense of 'history,' I guess. Years later I looked at that and realized how pointless and horrible that was and got rid of them all.

I'll trade your excitement and amazement for a world of boredom any goddamn day.

That's the end of my rant. I'm tired of hearing the whining, and I'm tired of hearing the "Yeah let's bomb those fuckwads" morons.

I feel bad for the people in Baghdad but I do not know them. I do know some people in the military, and I do know some 9/11 folx, and I do know some firefighters and cops. I'm pissed off, they're just doing their job, you know? Most people I know in the military aren't there to go warmonger, they're there to earn a living and get through school. Now they might have to die? Yeah, let's have confused god-luvvin' monkey boy president go on the front lines with them and see how fast the war gets called off.

I am refusing to entertain any thoughts of nuclear activity. I spent years doing that in the 80s after seeing "Threads" and Im not wasting my precious life energy freaking out again, dammit! *rasises fist at sky*

I am not going to work tomorrow, both as a protest against war, and a protest against working conditions which endanger my life. I did not ask for this war, I did not vote for this president (yes I did vote), and I didn't ask to be placed in a work environment where not a single person shows a bit of common sense or leadership.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134656779_webprotester19.html

(on the other hand, that link really is hilarious)

ACK!

A) Is this true?
B) Isn't this called "Marshall Law"?

I'm going to DC this weekend as mentioned on the DC FAP thread to visit bf's famille. Just being there Monday night and seeing the Washington monument from the car made me get all tense and out of sorts. I love DC though and I have been looking forward to this visit.

no, THIS is Martial Law!

http://www.guiatv.com/img/martial3.gif

Mainly I am just mad and upset. Don't feel any control over what's going on. Want to disassociate myself from the government. Want to move to Canada (but won't). Worried for Iraqi citizens. Worried for the future of the US. Ready for November 2004.

Please. I really don't think the terrorists give a fuck about Hollywood or the Oscars. But if they're going to get protection then we should too.

Even though people in my office feel the need to remind everyone of the bullseyes on our backs every single day ('cause we're in Times Square; 'cause everyone knows that to seriously hurt the U.S. the first thing you have to do is take out CC's news division hahahaha), I'm not at all worried about a terrorist attack. There was not a proven link between Saddam and Al Qaeda, no. It certainly seems that there have been some communications between them, but nothing that has been solidly pinned down. Also: Do we really think that AQ has been lying low for the past 18 months on purpose? If they were to attack I'm sure they would at the first opportunity, and once you get into a war situation (which they are now embroiled in with the U.S. and other allies), I would think that the anniversary-type attacks would be pushed aside in favor of doing whatever the fuck they could to hurt us. So no, I don't think we are in any more danger than we usually are. The heightened fear comes from Homeland Defense, of course, who stated the other day that multiple terrorist attacks were "a certainty," which is just beyond irresponsible to say. How the fuck do they know it's a certainty? And if they do know, why aren't they stopping it instead of telling us about it?

As far as the war goes, I am hopeful that "collateral damage" (i.e. us bombing Iraqi babies to bits) will be minimal. I really believe that this long build up to war has forced the administration to be 100 times more cautious than they would have been otherwise. The big concern, of course, is the next decade of occupation in Iraq. That's where the trouble will be. So look for celebrations and moving montages in the next few weeks, but I'm fearful that once the All Knowing Cable News Eye starts looking elsewhere, the real trouble and work will start in Iraq. That's the problem.

If I lived anywhere else in the world, esp. the "developing world," I'd be worried about aQ. Any aQ action post-9/11 has been in places like Bali, Pakistan, Yemen, Kuwait, Algeria, Morrocco, etc. (with the exception of "shoe bomber" Richard Reid). Bin Laden's pals haven't been laying low, they've just been hitting the places that are more penetrable/accessible. To say otherwise is typical American myopia.

All of a sudden, I have "In Da Club" by 50 Cent in my head.

I walk by the Plaza Hotel twice a day on my commute from work. Besides being a landmark, they fly the flags of whatever country's dignitaries are visiting that week. Currently it's this:

altho I've seen these two as well (and they make me nervous as hell too):

The alert system is supposed to only have relevance for law enforcement.

And Nicole, sure that's possible. Maybe even likely. But why consider it or worry about it, other than to be aware of your surroundings?

And the reasons millions of people have it worse now is not because of us. It's a sequence of events that has led to this, not one man's thirst for blood. I'm just as suspicious of our motives and actions as you are, but to lay this solely in the U.S.'s lap is silly and, to switch your word around, myopic.

If aQ hits American-related targets in other countries (something they've done before - African embassy bombings anyone?) you can be damn sure other people will suffer because of us.

If Al Qaeda hits American-related targets in other countries we can be damn sure that other people are suffering because of Al Qaeda, not the U.S.! We are not responsible for their actions!

Based on Iraq's actions during Gulf War I, I'd say they put the people of S.A., Kuwait, Jordan and Israel in danger too.

Are we supposed to decide our foreign policy based on whether or not it's a provocation to Al Qaeda? Of course not.

That is not what I'm saying, again. We are supposed to decide our foreign policy on something OTHER than saying one thing (i.e. ideals of "keeping the world safe for freedom and democracy") and doing another.

for example: Bush was going to advocate a free state for Palestine just before 9/11, but since part of the goal of the WTC attacks was to change our policy on Israel (supposedly), there was no way we were going to break with our tradition of strong support for the Israelis, because to do that would show weakness

Wrong. Read this week's New Yorker profile of Prince Bandar on how the Bush AND Clinton administrations botched a Palestinian state.

That does not mean, however, that the blood of every person that Al Qaeda has killed is on our hands.

Again, that's not what I'm saying. BUT attacking Iraq on the same day that we offer $10 BN in aid to Israel is NOT THE WISEST P.R. MOVE.

Right. Iraq's scud missiles could possibly do some damage (tho I'm doubtful that they have much capability right now), and the first order of business for U.S. Tomahawk missiles will be to disable those sites and prevent that from happening.

That is not what I'm saying, again. We are supposed to decide our foreign policy on something OTHER than saying one thing (i.e. ideals of "keeping the world safe for freedom and democracy") and doing another.

What is the message that we are betraying? Can you be specific?

Wrong. Read this week's New Yorker profile of Prince Bandar on how the Bush AND Clinton administrations botched a Palestinian state.

I did read that piece, and the main culprit for the failure of talks was clearly Arafat, not Bush or Clinton (tho Clinton certainly fucked some things up). What I am referring to was mentioned in passing in the piece (basically that on Sept. 10 (or thereabouts) Bush and Bandar had a conversation about the Israeli situation and it became clear the Bush and Powell were going to advocate a free Palestine. Of course that got pushed to the side (and maybe even off a cliff) after 9/11.