Who said racial profiling doesn't work?
The United States and its allies thwarted an al Qaeda plot after the September 11 attacks to use bombs hidden in shoes to breach the cockpit door of an airplane and fly it into the tallest building in Los Angeles, President George W. Bush said on Thursday.
So what was the twist in the plan?
Rather than use Arab hijackers as in the September 11 attack, [Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11 attacks,] "sought out young men from southeast Asia whom he believed would not arouse as much suspicion," Bush said.
What people sometimes forget that is if you force the enemy to work harder, you are forcing him in a situation in which he will more likely make mistakes. The more he is forced to do, the more can go wrong.
Ideally Khalid would use young Arab men to carry out the attacks. He knew who to trust, he knew where security was weak or corrupt, he knew where he could rely on tribal or family connections.
But with the US on high alert for suspicious Arab men, he had to look farther afield:
"The plot was derailed in early 2002 when a southeast Asian nation arrested a key al Qaeda operative," Bush said in a speech.
Find any element of the enemy plan, any link in the chain, and apply pressure. If the enemy is forced to respond because you can apply effective pressure on an element where you have some control, you have created an opportunity to take the initiative and ultimately foil the plan.
Skew my story on Skewz.com
Rate political news for their bias, read related stories, and leave your own skewed commentary
Search for more opinions from Canadian bloggers on these related keywords
Sphere presents related news articles and blog posts
Sphere It!
Comments
Of course it works. That's why liberals are so against it.
Posted by: Jeff at February 9, 2006 03:09 PM
I'll play the devil's advocate: Do the ends justify the means?
Posted by: Jonny_eh at February 9, 2006 03:36 PM
What separates you from the radical Muslims? Both groups see targeting entire ethnic groups as acceptable to get rid of some undesirables.
Posted by: Peter Sams at February 9, 2006 06:00 PM
I thought Jack Bauer stopped that.
Posted by: steve in bc at February 9, 2006 08:01 PM
...if it quacks like a duck...
Granted, bigotry could thrive in a profiling environment, but does that mean we throw the baby out with the bath water?
It is not because of our freedom but our political correctness these creeps are using to their advantage.
Posted by: tomax at February 9, 2006 09:41 PM
Persecuting innocent Muslims will play right into the hands of extremists even more. After all, who wants their oppressors to "spread democracy"? The war-happy crowd need to decide why they're going to war - to fight extremism or fight the Muslim world.
Posted by: Peter Sams at February 9, 2006 11:32 PM
Persecuting "innocent" Muslims?
Uh, where were these "innocent" Muslims during 9/11, beheading of 3 Christian school girls, saying any Israeli over 18 is a fair target, and on and on, and on?
Face it, the navel gazing we're doing with Islam religion is a result of the political correct cancer that has infected Western society.
Until I see tolerance from their leadership, and from the "innocent" ones I talk to - seems all have a hard on in wiping out Israel, then I can't believe they are "innocent".
Posted by: tomax at February 10, 2006 01:31 AM
"to fight extremism or fight the Muslim world." You mean they're different?
Posted by: Agent Orange at February 10, 2006 03:40 PM
 
|
|
