I am NOT making this up.
Michael Scheuer, the chief of the CIA's Osama bin Laden unit from 1996 to 1999, is the author of "Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq."
He was a guest on Glenn Beck's FOX show on June 30. Among other things, he said:
"Scheuer: The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States. Because it's going to take a grass-roots, bottom-up pressure. Because these politicians prize their office, prize the praise of the media and the Europeans. It's an absurd situation again. Only Osama can execute an attack which will force Americans to demand that their government protect them effectively, consistently, and with as much violence as necessary.
Beck: Which is why, I was thinking this weekend, if I were him, that would be the last thing I would do right now."
You can see the video for yourself, courtesy of CrooksAndLiars.com.
Almost makes me wish the Alien and Sedition Acts were still law. Maybe we could use "Extraordinary Rendition" to drop these guys into Iran? I think they'd find the mullahs' way of thinking very congenial.
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So I take it you disagree?
If you think Beck or Scheuer was hoping for an attack you are simply nuts or have something wrong with your thinking process. I suspect instead you are grandstanding as that is NOT what they said.
The point made was that the governing class doesn't take seriously the threat of a serious terrorist attack. the media doesn't, the government doesn't, and bloggers such as yourself don't. In fact, whenever some people have worried about it, bloggers like you make fun of them and accused them of fearmongering.
A terrorist attack will happen here at some point. The only question is are we prepared for it. When you have people like Bennie Thompson selling out our national security or Napolitano worried about veterans coming more than she does about Hezbollah cells, its clear they aren't really worried about terrorism and neither are you.
and by the way, Liberals such as yourself have not minded quoting Scheuer at all many times over the last few years when you needed someone to criticize Bush. Brian Johnson over at the JFP looooves to quote MS.
Personally, I do think that some people, at least in some way, wish for another attack on the United States, so as to justify their political philosophy.
What's really funny though is that Glenn Beck had a thought where he had to think "If I were Osama Bin Laden..."
Wow.
Justin:
Since you are obviously not capable of abstract thought, I will explain it to you.
What Beck was doing was trying to do was think like the enemy and imagine what his goals and desires might be. Something that happens in law enforcement and the military all the time.
I defy you to show me one mainstream Republican or Democrat who wishes for an attack on this country. I don't mean the kooks who make great copy and can be found trolling at Democratic Underground or at Westboro but those of the more sane variety. Show me one.
Kingfish,
Scheuer: The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States.
Since, clearly, you're incapable of logical analysis, let me do this for you. These are a few logical proofs:
OPTION 1:
1.) In order for America to have a chance, ObL must deploy a major weapon in the United States.
2.) [PRESUMPTION] Scheuer wants America to "have a chance"
3.) [Conclusion] Scheurer wants ObL to deploy a major weapon in the United States
OPTION 2:
1.) In order for America to have a chance, ObL must deploy a major weapon in the United States
2.) [PRESUMPTION] Scheurer does NOT want ObL to deploy a major weapon in the United States
3.) [CONCLUSION] Scheurer does not want America to have a chance
It's simple modus tollens and modus ponens.
Stick to your freaking Metalica videos and complaining about JFP.
Kudos to your abstract thought.
So, either Scheuer's premise is wrong or he wants one of two things: an attack on the United States by bin Laden or for America to not have a chance.
Which do you prefer?
It seems Glenn Beck agrees with him too, or, at the very least, he didn't object to his argument. (Then again, expecting Beck to understand the logical consequences of what individuals say is like me expecting my dog to become self-aware.)
Your premise is that you think you know what Scheuer wants. It should be noted Scheuer is known as an Israel hater so he's not some neocon bent on war.
I don't think Scheuer was saying what he wanted to happen or desired but what he thought the sitrep was in terms of our readiness and willingness to fight terrorism. He was a counterterrorism chief and I think he was giving an analysis that was very cold blooded and calculating. you haven't been around intel types and some of them can sound very much like this when discussing options and analyzing things. to the average person on the street it sounds horrifying however.
However, your said in your original post some people wanted such an attack to happen yet you never actually seemed to name anyone or someone people would take seriously as there are a few kooks on both sides no matter what the issue.
Beck didn't say anything wrong. He said if he were Osama the last thing he would want is an America that was united in defeating him. Thats really kooky stuff.
I still defy you to back up your claim about how some people want an attack here to justify their politics. what you are trying to do is smear conservatives or Republicans as wanting an attack to happen here when that is plainly not the case and is no different than Republicans who claim democrats support terrorists.
No, what I'm trying to do is point out that there are idiots out there who think that, the only way for America to succeed, is for there to be a catastrophic loss of American life on its soil.
If you look above, there are only two ways to interpret his words as he said them.
I'm not smearing. I'm calling someone out for a ridiculous statement and a tacit agreement on the part of Beck.
Regardless, I love this great country, and I'm sure you do to. So let's agree to disagree. I'll take back my snarky comment earlier. It was impulsive and a result of me being at work when most people I know had the day off.
Drink a beer. Eat some burgers. And Happy 4th.
God Bless America.
Got news for ya, alot of talk show hosts, when someone makes a comment like that, let him keep on talking to see what else he will say. very common technique in radio or tv. What we think is tacit approval is in fact a talk show host letting him hang himself.
read sheuer's history of statements. This was a guy who said the Holocaust Museum was built in order to manipulate American public opinion towards Israel.
however, the left has been using Scheuer for years as he was a huge critic of the Iraq war and accused Bush of manipulating intelligence so he could go to war in Iraq. the left loved him then. Now what has happened is that he has appeared on a right-wing show and made these comments and suddenly everyone is outraged when he has made similar comments before with no protest from anyone on the left.
Don't take my word for it about the Museum, go look it up.
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