Prophet of Doom

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 7/2/2002 | Peter Nicholas

[dirtboy]

More quotes from Stephen Gale from the article:

On Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge

"I don't think he's quick-studied himself into what this is about. He's accepted the party lines. Maybe he still has that streak in him. But you have to be the person in the administration who says, 'I don't care if I'm a sore thumb. This is what we are going to do. Let them fire me."

On hard choices in protecting against terrorism.

"The question is how would we change the rules of engagement. How do we convince the American public that racial and ethnic profiling isn't something that's trying to once again separate people into upper and lower classes - haves and have nots-but we're all in this together?"

On Israel's airline security:

"Nothing's happened to El Al since 1968. The biggest target in the world. Why? Because you can't get on if you're the least bit suspicious. And the way they handle screenings is if they want to give you an enema, they're going to do that, too."

[the crow]

As a UPenn alumni [`77] I wish I had run into this guy. Refreshing point of view and frankness. Wouldn't doubt that he is correct.

BTW I believe he is correct on the "personality conflicts". WAAAY too many lefties there. Would never consider donating or sending a kid to the school. I was lucky to find some fellow conservatives and keep [somewhat] sane.

[Abogado]

He is half right. Yes, a dedicated enemy could disrupt our vulnerable infrastructure. However, the erronous assumption is that a major disruption of the infrastructure would result in a total collapse of our society. The error here is the ommission of a variable termed "yankee ingenuity." We Americans have a historical tendency to invent creative solutions to any problem. The odds are, within 90 days after they try to do their worst, we will be back, stronger than before, and make a profit doing it.

[advocate10]

We need General H. Norman Schwarzkopf in there!

[Husker24]

Your exactly right, a 50/50 chance of bringing this country to its knees (gimme a break) Russia is the only power that could bring this country to its knees, and the only way it could do it is by launching all its nukes at us.

[dirtboy]

Your exactly right, a 50/50 chance of bringing this country to its knees (gimme a break) Russia is the only power that could bring this country to its knees, and the only way it could do it is by launching all its nukes at us.

That's not quite what he said, and the difference, although subtle, is very important:

He gives al-Qaeda a 50-50 chance of toppling the United States - reducing the nation to frightened, fragmented territories focused on their own survival.

This country is already very close to splitting apart - first we had the Clinton years, with two very different perceptions of reality (Dems versus ours), then Florida, and now we had those who would punish our enemies and those who would apologize for how horrible our country is. Al Queda doesn't have to destroy us - they just have to drive an occasional wedge into the fault lines that already exist.

[philman_36]

The Spanish version...advocate/lawyer

[TADSLOS]

Another lone voice in the wilderness of bureau-politica.

[Jeff Head]

In The Dragon's Fury Series a scenario with a fictional figure of the same is exactly what I posit.

Wish I could get one of the books to this Professor to review.

[okisok]

Our enemies walk freely among us. Imagine the inner city riots if we lost power in our major cities.

[Restorer]

This country is already very close to splitting apart - first we had the Clinton years, with two very different perceptions of reality (Dems versus ours), then Florida, and now we had those who would punish our enemies and those who would apologize for how horrible our country is. Al Queda doesn't have to destroy us - they just have to drive an occasional wedge into the fault lines that already exist.

Such a truly serious attack, vastly different from the mostly symbolic attacks of 9/11, would create a surge of unity far more powerful than what we saw last fall. IMHO.

I also think the chaos it would create would be quickly contained.

[Dialup Llama]

>He is half right. Yes, a dedicated enemy could disrupt our vulnerable infrastructure

A dedicated enemy himself needs an infrastructure and he needs us willing to remain vulnerable for fear of political correctness. The terrorist infrastructure: An anonymous arab street in the US, little Palentines where terrorists can travel and meet without scrutiny. A lax immigration and documents system. A system of 'mosques' providing a transmission belt from the middle east to the US, being protected from investigation because they are 'religious.'

[Dialup Llama]

>We need General H. Norman Schwarzkopf in there!

So he can cash out and go on Oprah again? We need someone beyond the Schwarzkopfs, and Powells and Ridges. An old school person the likes we have not seen in quite a while.

[dirtboy]

Such a truly serious attack, vastly different from the mostly symbolic attacks of 9/11, would create a surge of unity far more powerful than what we saw last fall. IMHO.

I guess we'll have to disagree on that point. When this country was attacked at Pearl Harbor, all but a tiny few of the lunatic fringe fell in behind the war effort. Now, we have a sizable minority who is doing their level best to blame this country for the 9/11 attacks. That is how much the American spirt has changed in sixty years. And that is the fault line, the weakness where this country can be attacked.

I also think the chaos it would create would be quickly contained.

Florida is still an open issue for many leftists. I agree the center is holding. But the edges are starting to fray...

[dirtboy]

An old school person the likes we have not seen in quite a while.

Another excellent point, demonstrating how far things have deteriorated between Pearl Harbor and 9/11...

[Pontiac]

On Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge "I don't think he's quick-studied himself into what this is about. He's accepted the party lines. Maybe he still has that streak in him. But you have to be the person in the administration who says, 'I don't care if I'm a sore thumb. This is what we are going to do. Let them fire me."

This I must agree with. Ridge is a career politician with ambitions to high office. And as such he is not the type to take career-ending risk.

Ridge will follow the common wisdom and won’t rock the boat unless he has GW and most of the Republican Caucus behind him.

He has shown this already in spades. One only has to look at the issue of arming pilots to understand the truth of what Gale is saying.

[dirtboy]

He has shown this already in spades. One only has to look at the issue of arming pilots to understand the truth of what Gale is saying.

Yeah, Gale wants commandos on planes. Something I thought should have been done right after 9/11 until we had a full compliment of air marshalls.

[FReepaholic]

I think Bin Laden and his gang shot their wad on September 11.

Otherwise, we'd have seen more attacks

[M. Thatcher]

This country is already very close to splitting apart

Oh, grow a pair, will you? I have no patience with Chicken Littles.