|
|
|
|
lpetrich
Skeptic Friend
USA
74 Posts |
 Posted - 10/06/2001 : 03:40:57
|
Osama bin Laden and his friends are not likely to stop with the destruction of the World Trade Center buildings; let's see what other targets Al Qaeda might be wanting to hit. The only pattern apparent is that the targets are various prestige targets; this suggests where else to look.
One of the accomplishments celebrated in an Al Qaeda recruiting video is the demolition of some tall Buddha statues carved in the mountains near Bamiyan, because they were supposedly idolatrous. The closest US counterpart might be the Statue of Liberty -- which should be especially offensive to a Muslim Fundamentalist because of all the exposed skin.
Or they could try to do what was successfully thwarted in Pennsylvania and attack the White House or the Congress building.
Or they could attack the Kennedy Space Center and perhaps wreck a launchpad or the Vehicle Assembly Building or aSpace Shuttle or two. Or else try to wreck the International Space Station with a missile with a shrapnel-filled warhead.
Their interest in crop dusters and hazardous-material trucking suggests other sorts of attacks, such as chemical, biological, or radiological. Imagine a crop duster loaded with a nerve gas like Sarin, some nasty microbes like anthrax or smallpox, or some strongly radioactive materials. A crop-duster attack would not work very well where many people are indoors, but it could be very effective on outdoor gatherings.
And one prestigious such gathering is the Super Bowl. Imagine while the game is progressing that some crop duster comes by and sprays the players and spectators with something very nasty.
|
|
|
Trish
SFN Addict
USA
2102 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2001 : 05:07:47 [Permalink]
|
Hm, well this should be an interesting concept for all concerned then.
One week ago a water tanker, the type used for calming the dust at construction sites, was stolen from a local construction site here in Colorado. As yet, this peice of equipment has not been recovered.
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." ~Blaise Pascal |
 |
|
|
Tokyodreamer
SFN Regular
USA
1447 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2001 : 11:15:11 [Permalink]
|
quote:
Imagine a crop duster loaded with...some nasty microbes like anthrax or smallpox...
Well, nerve gas and radioactive material would be nasty, indeed. But there are experts telling us not to worry about things like anthrax in crop dusters or dispersed with an explosion. Either of these methods is more likely to destroy every trace of the bug before it has a chance to infect anyone.
------------
And if rain brings winds of change
let it rain on us forever.
I have no doubt from what I've seen
that I have never wanted more.
|
|
|
|
rubysue
Skeptic Friend
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2001 : 12:33:03 [Permalink]
|
quote:
One week ago a water tanker, the type used for calming the dust at construction sites, was stolen from a local construction site here in Colorado. As yet, this peice of equipment has not been recovered.
Trish - Here's an update to this story.
http://9news.com/newsroom/13439.html
rubysue
If your head is wax, don't walk in the sun.
|
|
|
|
Trish
SFN Addict
USA
2102 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2001 : 16:33:13 [Permalink]
|
Well that explains it. I was sleeping when the news came out. Thanks rubysue.
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." ~Blaise Pascal
"Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith. I consider the capacity for it terrifying." ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. |
|
|
|
Mespo_man
Skeptic Friend
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2001 : 07:42:58 [Permalink]
|
Lessee now. What's next. Biological and chemical attacks in the U.S. are too obvious. If you look at the patterns of attacks the last few years, Al Qaeda seems to have the knack of hitting where we're not looking.
So, while everyone is buying gas masks, my money is on explosive laden zodiac boats, like the one used in the attack on the U.S.S. Cole. The target would be a Caribbean cruise ship during the tourist season. The attack would have to be in the open sea, but still close to land, either just before or just after a port-of-call in a Caribbean island. That puts it out of U.S. jurisdiction and the reach of the Coast Guard.
The U.S.S. Cole barely managed to stay afloat. And that was a warship with a trained crew. Imagine the same hole in a cruise ship with 2000+ people on board. Carnival Cruise Line and others have completed some really monster ships. Prime targets, all.
The terrorists must be encouraged by the appalling financial impact of the WTC hits. An attack on a cruise ship and a "non essential" tourist industry could wreak havoc on local economies based on tourist trade.
That's my take. But not until next summer. Perhaps this winter. They will most likely keep track of passneger load factors on the various ships to select an opportune time for attack. Meanwhile the terrorists will probably lay low and absorb whatever hits come along. They're not out of business by a long shot.
(:raig |
|
|
|
 |
|
Topic Locked
