I know...we here in the U.S. tend to focus narrowly on one problem or event, IMHO, ignoring seemingly "unrelated" events around the world. Many elites had the same problem during the Cold War. How, they wondered, could an insurgency in Africa be related to a bombing in Central America, or to IRA activity in England? That the answer was
the Soviet Union via the KGB was considered impossible, at least by those who should have known better.
We face just as determined an enemy now, and far more bloodthirsty. And as 9-11 showed, only a small number of individual terrorists can wreak severe havoc, given motivation and training.
The sniper situation, IMHO, is a perfect reason to activate a civilian militia, calling out all able-bodied men and arming those who have no arms, and forming patrols, escorts for women and children, etc. It makes me sick to see that so many so-called "men" are cowering right now in their homes, afraid. It is the ENEMY who should be afraid now, OF THEM!
I do note that the Sniper DID NOT choose to attack areas more Southern, and given to common ownership of arms. There ARE still areas of America where one's dignity still counts for something.
Unfortunately, the idea of "calling out the Militia!" probably never occurred to those in charge, either after 9-11 OR the Sniper attacks. It would certainly free up resources for the war, while maintaining an excellent "homeland defense" who REALLY WERE defending their homes.
Nobody knows a neighborhood like the folks who live in it, nobody wants to make that neighborhood more safe than the floks who live in it. No group or force is more capable of shutting down the sniper's ability to operate, then activated citizen patrols.
Knee jerk responses like last week's bojangles in baklavas with black machine guns, are ridiculous, stupid, wasting. And they can't be scaled up like citizen groups can ... that response was one of those 150% effort responses which are insustainable long term. And this is going to be long term, I am afraid. We'll be seeing a lot more ravens before the doves return.