What is a Terroristic Act?

[Clyde]

In listening to discussions regarding the Ft Hood shooting we hear a lot of talk about it being a "terroristic act." The FBI immediately declared that it wasn't a terroristic act. Now that the quotes and beliefs of the shooter are coming out we have many saying the FBI was wrong and it was a terroristic act.

 

What are the criterion for a terroristic act/crime?

[SKINPIG]

Not sure, but doesn't a terrorist attack involve the killing of civilians? In the Ft Hood killings it involves the murder of members of the military which MIGHT disqualify it as a terrorist attack and make it an act of war. At the same time, the soldiers were unarmed and in a defenseless position. I just don't know Clyde, IMO it can go either way.

[bballfamily]

Oklahoma City Bombing, 9-11-01, Ft. Hood, the Cole Bombing, the bombing of Kobar Towers, Saudi Arabia, our 2 embassies in Africa, the truck bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon, the hijackings of planes, the missile attacks on Israel, bombings of buses and cafes in Israel, the bombing of the nightclub in Bali (?), the bombing of a nightclub in Germany (where Reagan sent the planes in to get Gadahfi), the first bombing of the Twin Towers, the Train Bombing in Spain and well, I hope you get the idea. Which is to say more than what we can expect of Obama.

You may want a definition, but with this list one should be able to figure it out, except Obama. It is just a politically correct "man-made diasater.

[halfback20]

There are many many different definitions of terrorism.

 

Wikipedia says it better than I can.

[halfback20]

Oklahoma City Bombing, 9-11-01, Ft. Hood, the Cole Bombing, the bombing of Kobar Towers, Saudi Arabia, our 2 embassies in Africa, the truck bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon, the hijackings of planes, the missile attacks on Israel, bombings of buses and cafes in Israel, the bombing of the nightclub in Bali (?), the bombing of a nightclub in Germany (where Reagan sent the planes in to get Gadahfi), the first bombing of the Twin Towers, the Train Bombing in Spain and well, I hope you get the idea. Which is to say more than what we can expect of Obama.

You may want a definition, but with this list one should be able to figure it out, except Obama. It is just a politically correct "man-made diasater.

 

What does this have to do with Obama?

[bballfamily]

Forgot John Allen Mohammad. At least he is out of our misery.

[bballfamily]

What does this have to do with Obama?

 

I do not believe he has the strength to defend us because of his politically correct beliefs. He believes we should feel the pain of these oppressed souls, well unless he is someone like Tim McVey. Every one of the murders should wind up like McVey or Mohammad. He feeling the heat of having to do something besides voting present.

[halfback20]

I do not believe he has the strength to defend us because of his politically correct beliefs. He believes we should feel the pain of these oppressed souls, well unless he is someone like Tim McVey. Every one of the murders should wind up like McVey or Mohammad. He feeling the heat of having to do something besides voting present.

 

Are you kidding? The President can do nothing about this.

[Clyde]

Oklahoma City Bombing, 9-11-01, Ft. Hood, the Cole Bombing, the bombing of Kobar Towers, Saudi Arabia, our 2 embassies in Africa, the truck bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon, the hijackings of planes, the missile attacks on Israel, bombings of buses and cafes in Israel, the bombing of the nightclub in Bali (?), the bombing of a nightclub in Germany (where Reagan sent the planes in to get Gadahfi), the first bombing of the Twin Towers, the Train Bombing in Spain and well, I hope you get the idea. .

 

Do any of the following fall under "terrorism?"

 

Martin Luther King Jr assassination

Bobby Kennedy assassination

JFK assassination

Abortion clinic bombing and killing of a security guard

Bombing of a synagogue.

 

 

Had the Ft Hood shooter been a Catholic would it be terrorism?

[Hearsay]

Terrorism is a spin word for murder. It is no easier to define than saying what a "hate crime" is.

[Clyde]

Which is to say more than what we can expect of Obama.

You may want a definition, but with this list one should be able to figure it out, except Obama. It is just a politically correct "man-made diasater.

 

Did I hear correctly that the govt knew of Hasan's comments well over a year ago?

[Clyde]

Terrorism is a spin word for murder. It is no easier to define than saying what a "hate crime" is.

 

It seems to be a term of convenience which I why I posed the question.

[PepRock01]

Terrorism is a spin word for murder. It is no easier to define than saying what a "hate crime" is.

 

It seems to be a term of convenience which I why I posed the question.

 

 

More or less.

 

Military actions in war have often end up with higher civilian body counts than any terrorist attacks that we see today. To an extent you can justify some acts of civilian brutality, at least to those who feel that anything needs justification in a war. The dropping of the two atomic bombs were essentially saving more lives than they took so in that case it was a hard choice that was based on the cold logic of numbers.

 

Even so I think the largest dividing line is the fact that a terrorist is acting without any sort of state sponsorship. They do not belong to a state's military and as such their acts are not in the interest of any state but in the interest of an ideology. Killing to the sake of an ideology could be construed as terrorism.

 

That said I am just throwing out random stuff for the sake of discussion because everything in regards to a conflict is simply a matter of point of view.

[titletownclown]

It seems to be a term of convenience which I why I posed the question.

 

If it is in fact a term of convenience, what do you suppose the purpose would be?

[True blue (and gold)]

Oklahoma City Bombing, 9-11-01, Ft. Hood, the Cole Bombing, the bombing of Kobar Towers, Saudi Arabia, our 2 embassies in Africa, the truck bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon, the hijackings of planes, the missile attacks on Israel, bombings of buses and cafes in Israel, the bombing of the nightclub in Bali (?), the bombing of a nightclub in Germany (where Reagan sent the planes in to get Gadahfi), the first bombing of the Twin Towers, the Train Bombing in Spain and well, I hope you get the idea. Which is to say more than what we can expect of Obama.

You may want a definition, but with this list one should be able to figure it out, except Obama. It is just a politically correct "man-made diasater.

 

Not everything is as partisan as you make it out to be.