Approaching Critical Mass
By Carol Devine-Molin (09/24/07)
One of life’s pivotal maxims is to anticipate problems and head them off at the pass. And in this brave new world, where we find a very dangerous nexus among rogue states, terrorism, and nuclear proliferation, it’s absolutely essential to grasp the big picture and think a few steps ahead. That being said, I appreciate the analysis being provided by conservative radio and television talk-show host Glenn Beck, especially on the theme he’s dubbed “the perfect storm”. In short, Beck underscores how a series of events can come together to produce a devastating synergy, which can wreak havoc upon our society.
But it’s never enough to just anticipate catastrophe – Smart people proactively attempt to thwart catastrophe. And by “smart people”, I mean those that are able to successfully negotiate life’s difficulties utilizing their intellect, experience and basic common sense.
Mind you, it doesn’t have to be WMDs that tear at the fabric of western civilization, although nuclear, chemical and biological warfare are clearly at the forefront of our concerns. On his website, Glenn Beck lists the crucial issues that could readily produce disasters of one kind or another: a) Hot Zones (Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, etc.) in this increasingly turbulent world, b) Iran and other lawless regimes, most notably Syria and North Korea, c) Terrorism, d) Oil and the economy, and, e) Border and culture-related matters.
To that I would add the political polarization that’s taken hold in this nation, especially the far Left’s willingness to aid and abet Islamo-fascists, and its twisted viciousness toward conservative Republicans and the military. The simple truth is that most Americans want to fight and win this global war on terror – However, we’ll have to simultaneously fight off Leftist groups such as moveon.org, which are determined to throw a monkey-wrench into the mix at every opportunity.
Interestingly, not one of the Democrat presidential contenders voted for the Senate resolution to denounce moveon.org for their ad that denigrated General David Petraeus and, by extension, our troops and their efforts in Iraq. Why? Because Democrats have a tiger by the tail. Moveon.org and other members of the far Left do the dirty work for the Democrat presidential contenders, attacking and smearing conservatives and the GOP presidential field with alacrity. The Democrat presidential contenders dare not complain about moveon.org’s methods, lest they be assaulted by their own thugs who boast they “bought and own” the Democrat Party.
Regarding terror threats on American soil, Glenn Beck regularly interviews security experts that suggest how we can anticipate and prevent future attacks. We have to ask ourselves fundamental questions: What are the most likely targets? What venues have terrorists targeted overseas? What has been their modus operandi? What has been the American experience with mass violence? And how can we best strengthen and protect potential targets such as schools, school buses, shopping malls, stadiums and entertainment arenas? A greater security presence, including more armed guards, could be enough to dissuade a terrorist attack simply because terrorists look for the easier targets. Furthermore, we should take heed and learn from past episodes of violence, even if they’re not terror-related: For example, the “gun free” zone at the Virginia Tech campus made it possible for a psychotic such as Cho Seung-Hui to murder scores of fellow students, before the police were able to make it to the scene and take him down.
As to the escalating Iranian crisis, it’s doubtful that the Bush administration is going to permit the fanatical mullah-run regime – that’s in bed with every major terror group in the Middle East – to have nuclear weapons capability. With that in mind, military action taken against Iran will surely produce blowback or unintended consequences. Airstrikes upon Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military sites could very well activate terror cells in America and other western societies. Therefore, it’s time for all Americans to adhere to the Boy Scout axiom, “Be Prepared!”
In this post 9/11 atmosphere, it’s natural, even desirable, that we’re on the look-out for circumstances on the world scene that can come back to bite us. Two recent news reports were red-flags, indicative of “warning” or “danger” for me and probably for many Americans: First, one of our crucial allies on this war on terror, Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf, is in a very precarious position, with radical Islam on the ascendancy in Pakistan, and Osama bin Laden calling upon the citizenry to topple Musharraf. If Musharraf is ejected from power or assassinated, there’s an increasing likelihood that elements sympathetic to al-Qaeda and the Taliban are going to have a nuclear arsenal at their disposal. Do we really want these Islamic fundamentalists to possess nukes? It makes you wonder if the US has a sufficient plan to secure Pakistani nukes so that they don’t fall into the wrong hands.
Second, Israel recently conducted airstrikes on a Syrian nuclear facility reportedly being set up by North Korea. So North Korea is now subcontracting out its nuclear program? It’s evident that all of these “axis of evil” nations – Iran, Syria, North Korea, and new kid on the block, Venezuela – are involved in collaborative efforts. This is the new “Pinky and the Brain” gang. Each evening, “Brain Ahmadinejad” is asked by the other “axis of evil” nations, “Gee, what are we going to do tonight?” And “Brain Ahmadinejad” answers, “The same thing we do every night. Try to take over the world.”
Carol Devine-Molin
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