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Fort Hood - Terrorist Attack?

Terrorist or Not

  • Yes, A terrorist Attack

    Votes: 38 54.3%
  • no

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Total voters
    70
I am in the terrorist attack column.
If this had happened anywhere but here on US soil, on a military base, by military personnel, no one would even question if it was a terrorist attack.
 
LARRY KUDLOW: In a hair-raising number, the Pew Research Center reports on a new poll that as many as 1 in 4 young American Muslims condone suicide bombings against civilians, at least sometimes. This kind of home-grown radicalism is bloodcurdling scary, and we have got to dig in and get to the bottom of this story. Joining us: Steve Emerson, NBC terrorism analyst and author of Jihad, Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the United States; and Edina Lekovic, communications director for the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

Read more at: "New Poll on U.S. Muslim Youth" :: IPT in the News :: The Investigative Project on Terrorism

Delayed stress syndrome, as some of the media is reporting.
 
I see nothing that leads me to believe it is a terrorist attack. In fact, I see more to lead me to say it most definitely isn't.
 
Read more at: "New Poll on U.S. Muslim Youth" :: IPT in the News :: The Investigative Project on Terrorism

Delayed stress syndrome, as some of the media is reporting.

Here's the actual study, for those who would rather see the facts as opposed to the spin.

Findings:

*Al Qaida's approval rating among American muslims is a whopping 5%.

*"Overall, 8% of Muslim Americans say suicide bombings against civilian targets tactics are often (1%) or sometimes (7%) justified in the defense of Islam."

*78% say suicide bombings are never justified.

*"Seven percent of Muslims overall say that the [9/11] attacks were the result of a conspiracy involving the United States government or the Bush
administration. Very small proportions hold others responsible, including individuals other than Muslims (1%),[or] Israel or Jewish interests (1%)" [ed note: That's a lower incidence of Trutherhood than for all Americans]

*Most Muslims in the U.S. express optimism that a balanced solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict can be found. Indeed, 61% of Muslim Americans say that “a way can be found for Israel to exist so that the rights and needs of the Palestinian people can be taken care of,” compared with 16% who say that the rights and needs of Palestinians cannot be taken care of as long as Israel exists. In this regard, the opinions of U.S. Muslims closely resemble those expressed by the U.S. public as a whole [of which 67% say they can exist together while 15% say they cannot].

*"A large majority of Muslim Americans believe that hard work pays off in this society. Fully 71% agree that most people who want to get ahead in the United States can make it if they are willing to work hard."

*"The survey shows that although many Muslims are relative newcomers to the U.S., they are highly assimilated into American society. On balance, they believe that Muslims coming to the U.S. should try and adopt American customs, rather than trying to remain distinct from the larger society. And by nearly two-to-one (63%-32%) Muslim Americans do not see a conflict between being a devout Muslim and living in a modern society."
 
I am in the terrorist attack column.
If this had happened anywhere but here on US soil, on a military base, by military personnel, no one would even question if it was a terrorist attack.

Are you saying that because of the motivations behind his attack, it should be treated differently than if he were simply some crazy homeless guy who just went beserk?
 
Are you saying that because of the motivations behind his attack, it should be treated differently than if he were simply some crazy homeless guy who just went beserk?

No, in the matter of law, murder is murder. (IMHO obviously)

However I do believe his motivations are important as more people may be involved and more attacks could come or be prevented.
 
I don't consider attacks on military targets to be terrorism.
 
I think some of this is going to depend on how you define "terrorism".

If you don't think targeting a military base in the middle of the USA is terrorism, then you won't think this was terrorism...I disagree, but set that aside.

It is certainly looking like his motivations were terroristic. That is, a hate or anger against the USA because he is muslim or middle-eastern, etc, and a desire to kill people because of it.

Did he act entirely alone, or were there people who supported/encouraged him or helped him plan his attack, etc? I don't think we know for sure yet, and even if the Gov finds out they may not tell us.

Can one man, acting alone, be a terrorist? I would say most definately.

Based on his actions and motivations, I would tend to classify this as terrorism, just as I classified the attack on the USS Cole as terrorism.

G.
 
I don't figure it was a "terrorist" attack, but I suspect his religion played a role. To me, the most likely problem is a depressive disorder in which his age and religion played a role. If he was opposed to the ME wars, he could have gotten out of the military over the past 8 years at some point (I'm guessing), so the fact that he stayed in makes me wonder about the entire circumstance of what was happening with this guy.
 
I think some of this is going to depend on how you define "terrorism".

If you don't think targeting a military base in the middle of the USA is terrorism, then you won't think this was terrorism...I disagree, but set that aside.

It is certainly looking like his motivations were terroristic. That is, a hate or anger against the USA because he is muslim or middle-eastern, etc, and a desire to kill people because of it.

Did he act entirely alone, or were there people who supported/encouraged him or helped him plan his attack, etc? I don't think we know for sure yet, and even if the Gov finds out they may not tell us.

Can one man, acting alone, be a terrorist? I would say most definately.

Based on his actions and motivations, I would tend to classify this as terrorism, just as I classified the attack on the USS Cole as terrorism.

G.

Would you also call the Va tech massacre a terrorist act?
 
I think some of this is going to depend on how you define "terrorism".

If you don't think targeting a military base in the middle of the USA is terrorism, then you won't think this was terrorism...I disagree, but set that aside.

It is certainly looking like his motivations were terroristic. That is, a hate or anger against the USA because he is muslim or middle-eastern, etc, and a desire to kill people because of it.

Did he act entirely alone, or were there people who supported/encouraged him or helped him plan his attack, etc? I don't think we know for sure yet, and even if the Gov finds out they may not tell us.

Can one man, acting alone, be a terrorist? I would say most definately.

Based on his actions and motivations, I would tend to classify this as terrorism, just as I classified the attack on the USS Cole as terrorism.

G.

I'm positive his religion was the main motivator for his actions. I simply don't consider attacks against military targets to be terrorism. Military targets are legitimate targets. Better he attacked soldiers than civilians.
 
Too early to tell for me, though currently leaning towards mass murder

Unless it comes out that he was tied to some kind of terrorist organization that helped to plan/encourage/assist/incite directly/etc with this attack, or it comes out that there's compelling evidence that he did this in hopes of sending some kind of political message or for some kind of political stand other than "I just don't want to go to Iraq".

Not to mention its specifically targeting the military instead of indiscriminately targeting civilians

I don't see mass shootings like this or columbine or the guy in the museum recently as "Terrorist" acts. I see it as mass murders.
 
Too early to tell for me, though currently leaning towards mass murder

Unless it comes out that he was tied to some kind of terrorist organization that helped to plan/encourage/assist/incite directly/etc with this attack, or it comes out that there's compelling evidence that he did this in hopes of sending some kind of political message or for some kind of political stand other than "I just don't want to go to Iraq".

Not to mention its specifically targeting the military instead of indiscriminately targeting civilians

I don't see mass shootings like this or columbine or the guy in the museum recently as "Terrorist" acts. I see it as mass murders.

Are you saying a lone nut job can't be a terrorist?

Think John Mohammad, the DC sniper.
 
I feel confident in calling this a terrorist act, preserving the slim possibility of an alternate explanation once the requisite train of dithering investigations is complete.

But I just have to say GO GIRL! to the badass civilian cop who gunned this guy down after being hit multiple times. Who knows how many lives she saved by risking her own?

:gunsmilie <-- needs boobs
 
I feel confident in calling this a terrorist act, preserving the slim possibility of an alternate explanation once the requisite train of dithering investigations is complete.
Why do you consider an attack on a military base to be a terrorist act? Simply because it was committed by a Muslim in the name of Jihad doesn't make it so.

But I just have to say GO GIRL! to the badass civilian cop who gunned this guy down after being hit multiple times. Who knows how many lives she saved by risking her own?

:gunsmilie <-- needs boobs

True dat.
 
Why do you consider an attack on a military base to be a terrorist act?
That it occurred on a military base is irrelevant in my opinion. These were unarmed, non-combatants going about their daily business.
 
That it occurred on a military base is irrelevant in my opinion. These were unarmed, non-combatants going about their daily business.

Still soldiers and a legitimate military target. Military personnel and equipment are always a legitimate target.
 
Are you saying a lone nut job can't be a terrorist?

Think John Mohammad, the DC sniper.

I remember being scared whenever he was on the loose, much more so than any other time (other than the time my High school got shot up in 2005, bet the thread is still around here somewhere).

But I don't recall any intent to push an ideology or a religion it appeared to be nothing but the commitment to kill people.

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