By Brigitte L. Nacos
Color-Coded Terror
Alerts: Since 9/11, the terrorism threat level of New York City has been orange for high. Obviously,
there is no correlation between the alert status and the prevention of or
preparedness for terrorist strikes. Yet, for whatever reason, the Department of
Homeland Security has not gotten around to either drop or revamp the
nonsensical, color-coded terrorism alert system that was put in place and
exploited by the Bush administration to hype strategically timed threat alerts
and thereby strengthen the president’s public approval . If it were strictly
used to inform police departments and other agencies involved in terrorism
prevention and preparedness, the system could have some value. But issuing such
alerts for public consumption does not serve any purpose. After all, regular
citizens do not have any idea what to do and what not to do when the threat
assessment stands at one of five colors--green for low, blue for guarded, yellow
for elevated, orange for high, and red for severe threat.
Fortunately, New
York City’s Police Department has exemplary
counterterrorism capabilities and, as the failed bombing demonstrated,
post-incident investigative skills as well. Most important, this time around,
the great degree of cooperation between often competing law enforcement
agencies caught the would-be bomber in record time. Yes, the no-fly list needs
changes assuring that new entries find their way immediately to airlines and
all airport security stops--but nothing should overshadow the superb work of New York City police and
FBI.
Former Governor
Pataki’s wisdom: preventing terrorism is success. When asked during an
appearance on Fox whether the failed bombing attempt could be seen as a
victory, the former governor of New
York, George Pataki, said, “I don’t think you call it
victory. I think victory would be being able to prevent these before they get
to that point where you have a loaded van in Times Square.
I think it’s more a question of lucky.” Ah, well. Perhaps George Pataki, who is
rumored to prepare for a presidential bid in 2012, forgot that he was the
governor of New York—and his good friend Rudy Giuliani the mayor of New York
City, when terrorists flew two airlines into the World Trade Center. I assume
that success, according to his measuring stick, should have been their roles in
prevention of the 9/11 attacks.
However unsatisfied with what transpired at Times Square
Pataki and other Republican critics may be, they surely know that not even the
best laid counterterrorism plans will prevent all attempts to commit this sort
of violence. Even Israel’s
excellent terrorism prevention measures are not fool proof.
Virtual Recruitment
and the Myth of the Lone Wolf Terrorist: Someone like Faisal Shahzad who
tried to explode a home-made car-bomb at Times Square was more likely subject
of virtual recruitment rather than old-fashioned personal enlistment. Reports
that he listened to and read the extremist sermons of American-born cleric
Anwar al-Aulaqi as he underwent a process of radicalization, are hardly
surprising. After all, the shooting at Fort Hood last November was the work
of Nidal Hassan, an Army doctor, who was
familiar with al-Aulaqui’s sermons and corresponded with the now resident of
Yemen. In short, while Shahzad may have planned and carried out the bombing
attempt all by himself, he was no lone wolf but rather inspired by others in
the virtual community of hate and violence. This is not only true for extremist
jihadis but literally all other religious and secular terrorists as well—here
in the United States
and around the world.
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