Rock the Casbah!

[The Decider]

Tom Tancredo has been thinking lately. About deterrance. Specifically, about deterring terrorist nuclear attacks on America.

Tom has an idea; threaten to destroy the Muslim holy sites of Mecca and Medina if America is attacked.

Oh yeah, Tom Tancredo is running for president in case anybody is interested.

IowaPolitics.com: Tancredo says threat of attack on holy sites would deter terrorism
7/31/2007

By Chris Dorsey
IowaPolitics.com

OSCEOLA -- Followers of radical Islam must be deterred from committing a nuclear attack on U.S. soil, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo said Tuesday morning, saying that as president he would take drastic measures to prevent such attacks.

"If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina," the GOP presidential candidate said. "That is the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they would otherwise do. If I am wrong fine, tell me, and I would be happy to do something else. But you had better find a deterrent or you will find an attack. There is no other way around it. There have to be negative consequences for the actions they take. That's the most negative I can think of."
Listen to Tancredo discuss his plan
The harsh approach is vital in order to prevent a worldwide collapse, Tancredo told nearly 30 people Tuesday morning at the Family Table restaurant.

"Beyond the loss of human life and devastation, it would cause a worldwide economic collapse," Tancredo said of a nuclear attack on U.S soil. "If all of a sudden we are not a consuming engine of the world, the producing nations will collapse also. That is what they want, that is what they are looking for, to end Western civilization as we know it."

Tancredo said there was no such deterrent in place right now.

"The president and this country better figure out exactly what it can do to deter, I underline deter, the next attack," Tancredo said. "Deter, not just respond, deter, or else I assure you we are going to suffer. The extent of which of course I do not know. I know what they are planning and I know what they want. I do not know if they are going to be capable of doing this tomorrow, the next day or a month from now. I know right now at this moment there is nothing that deters them."

Iowa Politics

[Matt W]

Ah, this old chestnut. Mr. V had the same idea over a year ago now...scary how people don't think things through...

[SoylentGreen]

The muslims have a suitcase with a dirty bomb in it and the americans have a thousand, give or take a few, nuclear missiles.
I think even the muslims can do the maths.

[Nono]

Your problem, Green, is that you imagine it's a question of math, rather than of blind passion.
A nuked Mecca would be the best propaganda godsend yet (way better than Iraq).

As Matt says, this numbskull is another example of kneejerk emotionalists who don't think things through. He'll probably be elected.

[grandpa]

Quote by: Nono Your problem, Green, is that you imagine it's a question of math, rather than of blind passion. A nuked Mecca would be the best propaganda godsend yet (way better than Iraq).

This thread answers an age-old question:
How dumb and crazy can American politicians be?

Grandpa h.

[SoylentGreen]

Quote by: Nono Your problem, Green, is that you imagine it's a question of math, rather than of blind passion. A nuked Mecca would be the best propaganda godsend yet (way better than Iraq). As Matt says, this numbskull is another example of kneejerk emotionalists who don't think things through. He'll probably be elected.

The guy who blows himself up is running on passion but the ones who supply him with the bomb are not.
Those attacks are well thought out to do the most damage.
The muslims are well aware of the consequences of escalating to nuclear. They can do the maths and think as well.
But it suites the american politician to keep pushing the propaganda that the muslims are just a bunch of loonies who will do anything.
I only hope american politicians are not so stupid as to forget that if they try and nuke then the rest of the world will turn on them.

[Nono]

Quote by: Green I only hope american politicians are not so stupid as to forget that if they try and nuke then the rest of the world will turn on them.

Well there you're thinking through it, by contrast with the proponents.

Not only would the whole freakin' world slide even further down the bench from the US, it would then be total war between the West and Muslims.
Great idea.

[SoylentGreen]

You underestimate the proponents. The american propaganda machine would like us to believe that the enemy are a bunch of fanatical and emotional hotheads who don't think there actions through.
Whereas america is the cool calm and rational voice of reason, as the above OP clearly shows:rolleyes:
Are you saying that total war is a good idea?

[Nono]

Irony, old chap, irony. (Get it?)

Yes, your average Muslim is every bit as rational as your average Christian (and probably goes to the mosque about as often as your Chistian goes to church).

But we ain't talking about the great collectivity here. We're talking about fundamentalist loonies -- Christian Right / Neocons on one side and Islamo-fascists on the other. Those are the ones wielding weapons.

[SoylentGreen]

The fundamental loonies are the ones who actually get to blow themselves up. The erratic orators are the ones who get to make impassioned speeches to stir the emotions of the people. But the ones who make the decisions are the cold and calculating lot who are playing it like a chess game.
Its quite obvious that the acts of terrorism are calculated not random.
Ben Laden and his elite are not idiots they know what they are doing.
The talk of nuclear strike are meant to impress but things have to get a lot worse before it actually happens

[GHook93]

The guy is a nut. He does believe in abortion even if the women is raped, victim of incest or the women's life is in danger. He has absolutely no chance of winning.

However, he has a point. They play dirty, why don't we play alittle dirty. Not stupid dirty like invading Iraq. But threatening the holist of Islamic sites if they nuke us.

[GHook93]

Quote by: Matt W Ah, this old chestnut. Mr. V had the same idea over a year ago now...scary how people don't think things through...

Or are so blinded by thinking nobody is out there to hurt you!

[LadiesMan217]

I think Tancredo is on the right track when he says we need to do something to deter the terrorists from attacking us but making threats that you will blow up there holy sites is not going to help the situation in my opinion.

[Matt W]

Quote by: GHook93 Or are so blinded by thinking nobody is out there to hurt you!

Right. No, just thinking about what would happen if someone was stupid enough to do that. Think it through. Think worst-case. See what you come up with, and just think about what Muslim Americans would do, for starters for such a blatant abuse of their religion. Then move on...

[GHook93]

Quote by: SoylentGreen The muslims have a suitcase with a dirty bomb in it and the americans have a thousand, give or take a few, nuclear missiles. I think even the muslims can do the maths.

Beautiful leftist thinking! No muslims are crazy enough to nuke us. Radical islamist think of the general welfare of all Muslims in general. Word to the wise: radical muslims are response and kill more muslims then any foreigners. They kill more fellow muslims, then they do non-muslims!

[grandpa]

Quote by: GHook93 Beautiful leftist thinking! No muslims are crazy enough to nuke us.

I don't think that's what was said. I think the point was that nuclear weapons development tends to be in the hands of states. This may have been why John Kerry expressed concerns about nuclear weapons stockpiles in Russia during the Presidential debates, because some nukes could be stolen.

Many, many Muslims--radical or non--know next to nothing about making nukes.

Grandpa h.

[SoylentGreen]

Quote by: GHook93 Beautiful leftist thinking! No muslims are crazy enough to nuke us. Radical islamist think of the general welfare of all Muslims in general. Word to the wise: radical muslims are response and kill more muslims then any foreigners. They kill more fellow muslims, then they do non-muslims!

And typical right wing thinking, any excuse to make the enemy look like unthinking fanatics. A propaganda technique rather than a truth.
Things like 9/11 don't just happen because some loony goes bananas and steals a plane. It was well thought out and planned attacked with a definite and predictable result.
The consequences of using nuclear weapons are also predictable and even the muslims realise that a radioactive wasteland is no place to call home.

[grandpa]

Quote by: SoylentGreen And typical right wing thinking, any excuse to make the enemy look like unthinking fanatics. A propaganda technique rather than a truth.

This may seem like a side note, but much of our foreign policy is boosted by
PR firms and Rightwing "Think Tanks." And PR firms want to "sell product" rather than openly and proudly speak the truth. Ever hear of the "Nayirah"/Hill & Knowlton thing during the first Iraq War?
Anything to make the US policymakers look sane and benign and declared enemies else look like absolute monsters.

Grandpa h.

[SoylentGreen]

Its one thing when the PR firms are boosting this kind of stuff, but to have politicians also using this method in order to get votes is ridiculous.

Surely you should be looking at voting for politicians on their ability to soundly manage not their ability for meaningless rhetoric.

[grandpa]

Rhetoric works. That's how this Tancredo joker and his ilk get into office.

Grandpa h.