Peggy Noonan: Profiles Encouraged

Opinion Journal ^ | 10/19/2001 | Peggy Noonan

[Pokey78]

Under the cirumstances, we must be wary of young Arab men.

It was Sept. 14 at 9 p.m., and I was on Fifth Avenue, directly across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral. I was standing, that is, directly in front of the statue of Atlas holding up the world, at the entrance of Rockefeller Center. I was with my 14-year-old son. We were waiting for friends who were going to accompany us downtown to see the memorials that had sprung up in Washington Square and other places.

[TLBSHOW]

Of course, Ann Coulter said all this a month ago, but then she does have a rare facility with logic.

ANN WILL BE PROVEN RIGHT AS I SAID ALL ALONG

[Political Junkie Too]

They are also, obviously, emotionally and intellectually primitive. Their minds, if quick and highly focused, are also limited, stunted. And their young-man's arrogance is both a strength and their potential undoing.

This sounds like intruders from the Star Trek Mirror Universe! The clue is that they all have beards!

-PJ

[pjb819]

Similar incident in Atlanta today. Five men were detained after trying to retrieve videocameras they "allegedly" installed upon light poles in the downtown area. Alert citizens in the area called the police who were then able to catch them. Very few details available. Hope everyone is on the lookout. We are at WAR. As Peggy says, patience required on their part. If you aren't a bad guy, you will understand. I definitely understand the fear which caused internment during WWII (don't condone, but understand fear). But I don't understand why we are letting potential terrorists continue to come here and why some Syrian residents are allowed on a visa here to go to flight school. They must think we are just nuts, or arrogant, for our "open arms" policy.

[Robert Lomax]

BUMP

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good post!

Saw her on H&C the other night, certainly a very sharp and classy lady!

[Argh]

Very interesting. The image of Peggy tackling a couple of guys, though...OUCH!

[JCG]

I think there are a lot of "sleeper cells"--not a few, as we all hope, but a lot. I think some them are in Queens and Brooklyn and Manhattan, and in Jersey City and elsewhere in New Jersey . Boston, too. Maybe some are in the capital or Virginia or Maryland. Maybe some of those who delivered anthrax to the U.S. Capitol took a taxi.Maybe on the other hand they took the shuttle from LaGuardia. Certainly we know some cell or cells are in Florida.

Or as Jihad! In America discloses (see link) in such diverse places as Lawrence, Kansas and Columbia, Missouri.

 America's Fifth Column ... watch JIHAD! In America -- here

[RobFromGa]

Looks like Peggy's son is at least a visitor to FR.

Was the Conservative chat room quote from FR? Do you have a link?

Great essay by Peggy, 'profiles encouraged' indeed. Deport all non-citizen Middle-Easterners with any possible connection (like country of origin) NOW.

[vrwc54]

BTTT!!!

[Pietro]

Thanks for posting this article. I saw what was a middle eastern man video taping the Pitts. Airport w/i a week of 9/11. I too was initially suspicious, but then I saw he was w/ a family (woman and children) and thought well he's w/ his family, and that's non-typical.

After reading this though, I'm reconsidering. This may be important information gathering and as the writer says the terror network maybe larger than we think.

I'll certainly be more on guard in the future.

[Nogbad]

and suddenly we see these two guys, Mideastern guys, in turbans.

Funny. I've been in various countries in the Mid-East about 30 times and I've never seen anyone wearing a turban.

Sikhs wear turbans, however. Sikhs are from India. India is not in the Mid-East. (Take a look at a map). Sikhs are not Moslems.

[father_elijah]

First Peggy is right as usual.

[RWG]

Racial profiling, the first step in a good defense. It is also the reason the pc crowd is so against it, it is efficeint and right more often than wrong which is why law enforcement uses it.

[father_elijah]

Many North Africans wear turbans, especially the Tuareg. Under Gaddafi turbans have become much more common in Libya as they are a favorite part of Gaddafi's dress.

Nonetheless, if I were an Arab Muslim terrorist, I might dress as a Sikh to implicate them.

[veronica]

A Peggy Noonan Conservative truth bump.

[Nogbad]

Under Gaddafi turbans have become much more common in Libya as they are a favorite part of Gaddafi's dress.

Gaddafi is a drag queen. (Now THAT might be a good disguise for a terrorist. I'd recommend a nose-ring as well.)

[father_elijah]

Nogbad, you really made me laugh! Thanks.

[Cachelot]

Carry a small camera at all times. Use it.

Yep. Even one of the small disposable ones is better than nothing.

[Mamzelle]

I really, really love Peggy. Even Allen Colmes loves Peggy.

You know, when driving on the freeway, I find myself checking out the faces of the drivers of eighteen-wheelers. I think the next attack may come from a truck.

[IGOTMINE]

The camera is a good idea, though I've taken to carrying my AR-15 and 300 rounds in my truck. (This, in addition the .45 I have riding on my hip.)