h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"so you think terrorism is just a hobby?"

For some, it is.

A long while back a Vietnam vet called Joe Haldeman predicted the rise of something he called the "hobby saboteur" in the wake of Vietnam. He could see a generation of young men, trained in the use of firearms and demolition charges, returning to 'normal' society without jobs and wanting to carry on blowing s**t up because they enjoy it and nobody has instilled enough discipline in them not to.

It didn't happen exactly as he predicted - but there are isolated examples which do conform to this prediction.

The Freedom fighter/ Terroist divide in not whether or not they target military target, rather how the "Justness" of their struggle is percieved.

To many for example Nelson Mandela was a terrorist.. to others (my self included) a gallant freedom fighter. A lot also has to do with sucess no doubt... Terrorists who win their struggle will invariably come to be seen as freedom fighters especially if the cause they are fighting for is deemed to be morraly acceptable in the light of history (Boere's, Isreal ect).

The history books, of course, being written by the victors.

F

Well, I suppose any vandal could be considered a hobby terrorist.

RE Member, regarding post 21;

Have you ever studied the American "Wild West" period, that is exactly what happened. The James-Younger gang is a prime example of your point.

Wish I had an answer, but that has been the best point made in this thread so far.

F S

Hmm, this question is slightly back-to-front, and is reminiscent of the situation in Northern Ireland...not so much "hobby" terrorists, as "professional" ones.

When the Good Friday agreement was brought in most of the former NI terrorists accepted it, and started making moves towards a peaceful settlement. Slowly, both sides being distrustful of the other side, and in fits and starts, but it seems to still be going.

There is, however, a so-called "hardcore" group (currently calling themselves "The real IRA", if I'm not mistaken). These are the people responsible for things like the Armagh and Docklands bombings. These people are "professional" terrorists. They do not know any other job. The fact that they've largely won what they were fighting for is irrelevant. All they know is how to kill people and blow things up, and they are *addicted* to it. There also seem to be a high proportion of these types of people in the various Palestinian groups "fighting" for "freedom" in the Middle East - when peace and land was offered to them, they rejected it.

True, it will be hard to stop a culture started for whatever reasons. Like people in western societies who think video games are a part of natural living simply because they were brought up on them, people amongst those who fight and die for a cause will find it hard to know anything else.

At the end of the day, the effect of OBL 9/11, SH Iraq and the whole dammed terrorist thing has brought it to the attention of people world wide about governments and the use and abuse of power, where as before, hardly anybody knew what the hell was going on in places like Israel and Palestine.

Even now, most people are still more concerned with paying the rent. It will take some time however but there will be less justification for the unjust actions of powerful authorities attempting to stay in power as the momentum of attention draws closer to these issues.

I can’t believe that some people still feel that certain other peoples should ‘bend over’ for a so called media labelled ‘right’ side in a conflict…how naïve (or perhaps a better word, biased). Have they ever asked the question why the hell they brought about the hatred toward themselves in the first place? That’s the reason.

The people in power KNOW why…don’t worry about it…they are clever. They just can’t tell the masses in open media because it runs contrary to their interests. You don’t spend all that time getting into power to shoot yourself in the foot. You can’t upset powerful wealthy people if you want to stay in government - its all about keeping power ‘where it belongs’.

Even if we assume that terrorism could occur, as it could in any country, the USA is displaying somewhat hit and miss tactics in their approach to fighting it. They are systematically (whether they can see it or not is a different matter) lighting wild fire then attempting to put out camp fires. I mean how can you possibly expect to stop terrorism occurring in a country the size of the USA without making it a complete police state? It’s insane.

Like pre war Germany and the Jewish identification process (‘papers please!’), people running the government (apparently qualified reasonable administrators!?) are stuffing bubblegum in every hole to prevent people entering their space?
Have you actually seen the enormous amounts of people at Mexican border control! or what about that piece of coast line not patrolled?
You mean to seriously tell me that a finger printing machine is going to do anything other than give the US government my finger prints if I inadvertently stay in their country longer than 90 Days? What a frigging joke. A person with a van full of diesel and fertiliser can do an Oklahoma bombing. How do you stop that?

Heres a solution:

Tear up your USA road map and leave it in the toilet, ready for use.

Destroy the current wall in Israel and Palestine and relocate it to the boundaries set aside after WWII for them to live in. Halve the aid given to Israel and give the other half to Palestine in the form of building and reconstruction only, not money. Enforce identical penalties for both sides in the advent of militant action and disallow the occupation of either side by the other. Admit to the American people that the terrorist situation in their country has been inflamed and brought about by the militant assistance given to Israel by the US. Condemn terrorist action but do not sanction military retaliation ad hoc.
Take it from there.

And pigs will fly…

Really... damn it al the bacon will escape!

"beware of pussy cats for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup" Who is matar hari?

not a who but a what. It's that ancient book with all the sexual positions it. Quite famous.

No, Mata Hari was the dancer/spy.

Hook & Line

Yes. The book with all the sex positions is the Dalai Lama.

person!

no hes on the right track






kharma

WAS I what am i now ?

You mean to seriously tell me that a finger printing machine is going to do anything other than give the US government my finger prints if I inadvertently stay in their country longer than 90 Days? What a frigging joke. A person with a van full of diesel and fertiliser can do an Oklahoma bombing. How do you stop that?

Ok call me nieve also free with every fingerprint is D.N.A i for one would be more worried about what the administratve system did with it
ok i'm law abideing in general but what if i'm in the wrong place at the wrong time......

You can bet your life interpol cia mi5 and all that will be far more interested in useing information gained in ways other than broadcasted.

In light of Beagle i see why they are not relying on sattelite technology.



Ps which party/country do you think will come up with implanted microchips for alien visitors holiday makers ect,"i heard airport food already considered as way of keeping tabs on suspected terrorists"