[ppaul]

This theory was best said and first put forward by Freeper Travis McGee when he said it like this: "Somebody had better be planning contingencies for a mass terrorist arson attack. Think of 20 arsonists setting ten fires each on a line 1000 miles long in one day. Or think of 20 Denver fires set upwind of cities on one day. Box cutter >>> 9-11 Butane lighter >>> ??????"

This goes hand in hand with those al-Qaeda clanmembers they caught in North Carolina smuggling cigarettes to avoid taxes, re-selling them up north and pocketing $millions in profits, then sending the loot overseas to Islamic terrorist groups.

[TADSLOS]

I considered this scenario also this morning watching the Colorado fires on Fox News. It wouldn't take much in the way of effort or resources to create a major disastor like this across the country.

[stuartcr]

I believe they were involved with Mt. St. Helens also.

[AzJP]

What about non Islamic terrorists?

What about non terrorist Islams?

What about fires started by neither?

What about welders? One fire recently was started by a spark from a welders grinder.

What about non Islamic non terrorist non welders? A fire in Arizona was started by a overheated pick-up truck. Neither a Muslim, nor a terrorist, nor a welder.

You get the drift.

Now, how about lightning?

[Eska]

Seasonal burns are a natural occurance in my country. If the arabs don't do it some city camper, fire nut, or lightning will. Besides not owning some postage size acre lot in the trees; nothing your going to do to stop it affecting your house; been this way since time began.

The only problem with burns is that in many areas there are too many people compartmentised like sardines and they can't let them just burn themselves out as usually is the case.

We have burns 50 miles across; and actually they regenerate the ecosystem. Make the moose numbers go right off the charts.

I'd prefer we vaporize Mecca, rather than worry about burns.

[DoctorMichael]

From a former USFS Helitac crewmember based in St. Regis, MT.: This is an awful thought!

This is "environmental" terrorism of the highest magnitude; on a par with Saadam lighting up the Kuwati oilfields when his troops retreated.

The only good thing about this scenario is that once they are burnt...........you can't burn them again for another 20 years.

[Dead Dog]

The Japanese were succesful at blowing up a woman and several children on a Church outing in Oregon. circa 1947. The boys found the wreckage of a balloon with several bombs onboard. The kids accidently set it off messing with it.

[TomGuy]

There are many potential target of various types throughout the country. Let's hope that officials are "thinking outside the box" regarding these. Boxcutters on aircraft was almost unthinkable a year ago.

Just considering my locale, I know of at least one "location" [am not going much detail] that used to be very accessible. I'm not sure how secure it is now, as I haven't been there in a long while. A couple of missles or significant bombs could cause extensive physical and economic devastation. I'm sure most locales have similar vunerabilities. Vigilance is paramount.

[Kermit]

This is one reason why the Bushies have to get the public involved in this war. We need every trucker out there to be armed, informed and connected. We need every citizen to be on the look out and preferably armed to take out terror arsonists or whatever. Bush want the government to do everything. I'm sorry, that's impossible. Bring the people up to speed and let's roll.

Oh, btw, let's start attacking some terrorist harboring countries. We could've bombed a terrorist convention in Teheran on June 3rd and caught a bunch of the leaders at one place.

[Teacher317]

Why give them ideas?

[Don Myers]

"Will Muslim Terrorists Burn the Western States?"

Only if they want to find out the meaning of "free fire zone." There are a lot of Vietnam Vets out here in flyover country.

[T. Jefferson]

Let's not forget by ignoring firefighter warnings on burn techniques, Clinton burned MILLIONS of Yellowstone park acres, as well as half the state of New Mexico.

[white trash redneck]

The Denver Post reported this morning that there was a "copycat" firebug starting fires along US 285 in the foothills between the Hayman fire and Denver.

[ctdonath2]

Recently saw a documentary on arson investigators' attempts to catch one serial arsonist - took them YEARS to find the guy and nail him, and link him to a few fires. When finally behind bars, deliberate & questionable fires in CA dropped by 75%. (Turned out he was a chief arson investigator - go figure.)

Your point is well taken.

[RightWhale]

the Japanese believed that their plan failed

I personally know one of the Japanese meteorologists who launched the incendiary weather balloons. They knew the success rate very well. Seki knew of at least one fire in Oregon that one of his balloons caused.

[Destructor]

Your theory seems sound. I believe the terrorists would do anything that they thought would hurt the United States. This particular type of attack would do a lot of damage with a minimal investment of money. All you would have to pay for would be a tank of gas, a pack of cigarettes, and a butane lighter. Pretty scary stuff!

[Psalm 73]

Hey, I'm with Ann Coulter (I mean, not physically - just in a matter of speech, although...),
anyway - RACIAL PROFILING NOW - deport non-citizen arab/muslims unless they're (individualy) signed off by a US Senators office.
They can come back when (and if) we strighten out the INS.

[Travis McGee]

The cat's out of the bag, anyone watching the fire approaching Denver is going to get this idea, so I think that there is now greater benefit in discussing how to deal with it than keeping quiet and hoping the bad guys don't get the idea.

[Travis McGee]

Ping.

[VOA]

For a bit of info. on The Big Fire of 1910 (three million acres burned), check URL below.

http://www.idahoforests.org/fires.htm

Reading this story of what Nature Hath Wrought, might be instructive about
what a group of terrorist would have to do to make a worse disaster.
(And I hope our guvmint is thinking about how to make sure they can't.)