Saturday, November 08, 2014

Becoming Our Burden


                                             http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/

As EKOS reports that the Harperites are making political hay from the fear of terrorism, Paul Adams argues that there is a good case to be made for doing almost nothing about it:

It’s never going to be easy to catch lone-wolf terrorists before they strike. None of what the government is suggesting now seems likely to change that. And the expanded police and intelligence state we erected after September 11 already seems capable of catching and convicting the mostly low-grade terrorist conspiracies springing up in our midst.

And, when it comes to the Islamic State,

in one of the most extensive studies of the Islamic State publicly available, the counter-terrorism expert Richard Barrett has noted that there is no evidence it has established any training or planning for terrorist strikes outside Iraq and Syria. What it does is encourage sympathizers in the West to commit isolated outrages like those recently perpetrated here and in Australia.

Indeed, unlike al-Qaida, Islamic State is preoccupied closer to home. It is trying to be much more than a terrorist organization. It is trying to seize, control, defend and administer territory — to become a state in fact as well as in name. It is attempting to do these things in extremely exigent conditions, leaving few resources and little energy for terrorizing the rest of the world.

Adams argues that, if radicalized Canadians return home, we do have a problem. But he points out quite correctly that:

It is in the very nature of terrorism that it works by creating fears disproportionate to its power to create actual physical harm.

If we run around acting out our fears with extravagant counter-measures, we give the terrorists an unearned victory — and ourselves an undeserved burden.

And it's quite clear that Stephen Harper is completely focused on becoming our burden.


18 comments:

Lorne said...

In his column this morning, Thomas Walkom talks about how the Harperites are stoking fears against Muslims to their political advantage. The latest bill they have proposed, the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act, says it all, doesn't it, Owen?

Owen Gray said...

They believe in one thing only, Lorne: political advantage. And they will seek to destroy whomever or whatever they see as an obstacle to their advantage.

Steve said...

The midterms in the US prove the body politic in the US no longer has a mind only emotion. I Harpo group is working hard from the back (deny science, cut study eliminate facts) and from the front, wedge, scapegoat and bribe.

Toby said...

Let's start the day with a little paranoid thinking. I'm remembering the old story about the death of Wild Bill Hickok. Somebody bribed a disgruntled drunk to shoot him, so the story goes. True or not, it doesn't matter but the seed is always there. I can't help but wonder if somebody did the same with this kook who stormed Parliament. Is there someone(s) at CSIS, CSIC or the PMO who saw the political advantage and found a disturbed individual and wound him up and encouraged him to go on a rampage? What we have been hearing is that ISIS and/or Al Qaeda or other hardline Islamists did this but would someone in Harper's cabal of sociopaths do it?

This is the same question asked about the 9/11 attack on the WTC, did G.W. (Gomer) Bush or his entourage have anything to do with it? Similar questions were asked about both the Kennedy and Lincoln shootings. When certain survivors are so substantially advantaged people are bound to ask. Harper insisted it was a terrorist attack as soon as he emerged from his closet. Did he know ahead of time?

Owen Gray said...

Harper's spin machine likes to trumpet the notion that the man is a master strategist, Toby. The truth is that he has been extraordinarily lucky.

And he has always capitalized on his good luck. The problem is that his good luck has not contributed to the common good.

Owen Gray said...

The Republicans have provided Harper with a model, Steve. One can only hope that Canadians see through the model.

Toby said...

Owen said, "The Republicans have provided Harper with a model, Steve. One can only hope that Canadians see through the model."

Judging by the polls, they don't. http://www.ipolitics.ca/2014/10/30/ekos-poll-liberal-lead-halved-harper-sees-security-bump/

The Mound of Sound said...

Fear, along with stoked anger and resentment, are Harper's favourite instruments of governance. It never dawns on Conservative supporters that these tools are primarily targeted at them. They're the border collie by which Harper keeps his supporters penned.

the salamander said...

.. Sorry Owen .. but Harper has beeen extralrdinarily stupid or incompetant.. not lucky

The so called 'legacy' hanging on him and his.. like a dead albatross.. is not the residue of hard work & effort.. often described as 'luck'.. Rather, its the well earned residue of arrogance, fraud, entitlement.. with a huge spritz of Evangelism.. All about the 'end times' y'know.. the 'Rapture'.

The clues to the obsessive behavior are obvious. The sucking up to Israel, trashing our environment, the entitled smug hypocracy.. and the ignorance

If Canada and Canadians have been unlucky by seeing the foolishness of Harper Baird Clement Toews Fantino Kent Leslie Flaherty Oliver et al.. it hardly implies luck on the part of those losers.. rather it implies fraud and ignorance, arrogance and obstruction, deceit and coverups

This is a government in disgrace
a train wreck pretending to be a victory
completely out of control out of touch
and out of time.. its OVER .......

Owen Gray said...

Harper has been lucky only in so far as he has gotten away with it, salamander.

And it is we -- or at least the 39% who voted for him -- who have been complicit in his fraud.

Owen Gray said...

Harper knows exactly which buttons to push, Mound, and Pavlov's dogs salivate.

Owen Gray said...

The latest EKOS numbers are truly disturbing, Toby. The seem to prove that Orwell was right. Ignorance is Strength.

Anonymous said...

And, Harper selling Canada to the evil empire Communist China, is any better? Maybe Communist China and the ISIS empires, will kill each other. That would be a bonus. How is Communist China's record in other countries? One very nice record China has is, torturing and murdering the people of Tibet. That is only the tip of a needle, for China's atrocities.

Good gawd!! Do people not recall when? Harper was Policy Chief for his, Northern Foundation of 1989. Conrad Black was a member of Harper's Foundation and was Harper's propaganda machine. Why do you think, Harper permitted Black back into this country?

Do not people recall just who, donated to Harper's Alliance in 2002?

How about Harper's good buddy Wolfgang Droege and his Heritage Front?

How in the hell can people not see through Harper?

The opposition is far too busy with their juvenile squabbling, to have Harper in prison as a traitor, doing acts of treason to this country and the people.

Owen Gray said...

At this point, Anon, Harper has a very long record. But lots of Canadians seem to know nothing about it.

Unknown said...

Salamander,

Do you remember the so-called rapture was supposed to happen in the year 1000 since it did not it was pushed to the year 2000 14 years ago!

Now it is going to happen any day, I personally will not hold my breath...

Owen Gray said...

I'm told, Mogs, that some of the Harperites believe they have insider information on that subject.

Unknown said...

Owen,

You made my day...

Because I'm sure tongue in cheek Harper as a direct line to Jesus who by the odd circumstance was born to a virgin as a Jew and given a Spanish name? [pronounced hey-zous in fact]

Let there be light.

Owen Gray said...

Indeed, Mogs. Let there be light.