Is there a bigger picture?

[sleeper-has-awakened]

I have a question for those with deeper knowledge of terrorists/terrorist activity, and specifically, knowledge of the Bin Laden supporters.

Despite the fact that horrendous damage was done yesterday, the capacity for something much worse to have happened is quite real. Whoever perpetrated the attacks yesterday had to know that the United States would not allow this attack to go completely unpunished, with no retribution at all. That being said, as we, the US are capable of pretty much annihalating their whole country in very short manner, and these attackers know this, it would seem to me that they would see their window of opportunity for doing the REALLY horrific damage they would like to do as limited to possibly one chance. Why then, would they NOT have done something much, much worse (i.e., nuclear, chemical, etc.)? The attacks yesterday, while again, horrific, seem to me as meant to be "warnings" of what may be to come. Why bother with warnings? Why not do what you really want to do the first time? They could have loaded their bags with nuclear or chemical bombs that would have exploded on impact, etc. When there is a real possibility of us wiping them out now, thus thwarting their ability to strike again, it isn't logical to me that they would waste time with warnings. Why would they bait us into a major attack on their own countries, when we are clearly stronger? This tells me there is a game being played here that is much bigger than this one incident. It is a game I definitely do not understand.

[sleeper-has-awakened]

Can anyone enlighten me?

[DouglasKC]

I honestly don't think they were going to be so successful. I think they thought they would be lucky if they could just successfully hijack one plane out of the four. They did multiples to increase their odds of getting one. I think they're just as shocked as we are at how much destruction was caused.

They're dicked.

[vbmoneyspender]

Michael Medved was talking today about why Bin Laden did this. His argument was that Bin Laden did this not because he seriously thought he could bring America to its knees, but because there is currently a race on to see who is going to become the de facto head of the terrorist faction of the Arab World. Bin Laden is vying with Hussein and others for this 'position' and his bet was that this action would bring him great prestige and additional followers but not any serious U.S. retaliatory actions. In this regard, I think the Arabs are beginning to realize that Bin Laden has committed a serious miscalculation of American resolve.

[Bush2000]

In this regard, I think the Arabs are beginning to realize that Bin Laden has committed a serious miscalculation of American resolve.

I agree with your sentiment; however, it remains to be seen where Bush will strike. bin Laden is known for being a cunning adversary. It wouldn't surprise me if he were moving out of Afghanistan to avoid the inevitable retribution.

[Poor Richard]

Your's is probably the most intelligent post I've read (intelligent posts are few and far between right now). I rarely post. I lurk.

I will tell you, that as co-ordinated and as well thought out as this attack appears to be,.. I don't believe that this is the end. If you launch an attack like this you always have a back-up. Common sense should tell you that.

It would explain alot of the reaction from our government. There is the problem with the economy and our dependence on middle eastern oil too. The economy has been tanking,.. and GWB/DC of all people would be loath to take any action that might affect it.

This was probably strike #1 of the 1-2 punch.

Wait for the other shoe to drop.

Ever wonder who's accounting for all those missing USSR warheads ? ? ?

I have an even better question,... Why aren't the terrorists afraid of GWB? What weakness do they percieve that they didn't percieve during the 8 years of the Clinton debacle? Asking the tough questions won't always get the "ideologically pure" answers that we may want. If we fail to ask them, we may miss the truth.

Maybe if John McCain was our CIC things might be different? Just speculation.......

[sleeper-has-awakened]

BUMP..

[sleeper-has-awakened]

bump?

[backhoe]

Mike Medved has a good point.

Re: nukes? Has everyone forgotten about those hundred or so missing Russian backpack nukes?Another lurking horror:

The Poor-Boy Nuke-- Bioterrorism***