Terrorists continue to underestimate us
By Tino
This barbaric attack will not the scare British into submission or retreat, it will just solidify their resolve. These are the same heroic people who took 43.000 civilians dead during the Blitz without any dent to their willpower. Do the Islamist scum really think a few bombs will do what Hitler couldn’t do with 13 kiloton of explosives and over a million incendiary bombs? This British response still applies:
"What kind of a people do they think we are? Is it possible they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them until they have been taught a lesson which they and the world will never forget?" -- Winston Churchill
Some seem to think patriotism or rallying around our leaders during times of war are signs of irrationality, an unsophisticated response from the masses to frown upon. Many also make fun of the mindset of “let’s not do X because it's what the terrorists want”, viewing it as jingoism or meaningless platitudes. I completely disagree. This is in fact the exact correct response in the game-theoretical situation we are faced with. As often the common people are more rational in their beliefs than many intellectuals:
The terrorist have their strategy clear. They know they cannot win militarily, instead they expect the west to give in due to political sensitiveness to small casualties, something they can actually achieve despite their limited resources. This is the lesson Beirut and Mogadishu taught them.
To quote Bin Laden’s declaration of war on America in 1996:
“…when the explosion in Beirut took place on 1983. You were turned into scattered pits and pieces at that time; 241 mainly marines solders were killed. And where was this courage of yours when two explosions made you to leave Aden in less than 24 hours!"
"your most disgraceful case was in Somalia; hereafter vigorous propaganda about the power of the USA... [you moved]twenty eight thousands American solders into Somalia. However, when tens of your solders were killed in minor battles and one American Pilot was dragged in the streets of Mogadishu you left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat and your dead with you.” “You have been disgraced by Allah and you withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear.”
If they did not believe small casualties had large political effects on US and UK there would be no point for them to purpose the attacks. This is why Kerry exploiting the Zarqai car-bombs during the 2004 election was so horribly misguided. The bombings in themselves were costly to the terrorist and had no inherent payoff. They only had a political payoff, and that only if we chose to give them one. But this is exactly what Kerry did, I believe causing him the election. I don’t think this was on purpose, but to misunderstanding the situation. By his dovishness he made the election about signaling resolve to the world and to the terrorists.
Noble prize winner James M. Buchanan stated this perfectly:
"I support President Bush for a simple reason. A victory for Kerry would be taken as a victory for the terrorists, by both the terrorists and the rest of the world. Economic issues pale in comparison with this overriding fact."
The west also has it’s share of Bribed Traitors, spineless appeasers, and the mentally insane, all practically begging to submit to Al-Quaida. Nevertheless, the continued determination of the Australian, American and British have gone a long way showing the right stuff the Anglo-American world is made of. Again the only man worth quoting on this at this tragic moment is Churchill:
"We have not journeyed across the centuries, across the oceans, across the mountains, across the prairies, because we are made of sugar candy."
Comments