Quote:
Originally posted by bryanthompson
crazed insanity and blind hatred... they can't be rationalized or reasoned with. Can anyone name one time when 'negotiations' with a terrorist lead to long-term peace?
I think their only criterion (criteria?) for timing are:
- when is it the most visible and/or destructive
- when will they (the terrorists) be prepared
- when is the target the weakest
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To that list I would also add:
- the timing depends on when the risk of being caught is minimal, and the impact is maximized.
IMHO: The date for the 9-11 attacks was not based on a 'cosmic number,' it was based on maximizing the efforts of the terrorists, and minimizing the chance of failure. 9-11 was on a Tuesday, which is the day the least amount of people fly. Less people on the airplane equates to less people challenging the terrorists. The vacation season was also over - so again, less folks on the planes.
As for the London and Spain bombings -- I do believe the London bombings conicide with the G8 Summit. And the Spain bombings were related to their elections. But both of those attacks were lower in magnitude. Still tragic, but not as large a scale an attack. The smaller the act of terror, the more flexible the terrorists can be.
As for the attacks in the Pacific rim that followed the 9-11 attacks, I am unsure where to place them in terms of timing.
My $0.42,
-Z.