How many large scale foreign led terror attacks were there before 9/11? The truth is this is not some common thing that was routinely happening in the United States. It's hard for them to pull a major attack off and it always was.
The government did stop a lot of guys that they setup: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-fbi-hatched-some-crazy-terror-plots-2013-3
Oh, are you implying that this major news blitz about an attack which included detailed information about how we found about it might have been to justify to the American people the NSA program? You cynic! So let me get this straight. Snowden is a criminal and should go to jail for leaking the details of the NSA program. It could cost people their lives! But in the last week, Pentagon and intelligence officials have detailed, ON THE RECORD, how they intercepted calls between the two respective leaders of AQ and AQAP, what they discussed, etc. and how that led to this. Are they criminals too?
Well I'll tell you this much... My superhero alter ego has A LOT to do with it. When I'm flying around patrolling I find and stop a lot of stuff. You're welcome.
No offense, but this is silly. We do not, and will not any time soon, know the track record of stopped attacks anytime soon because most of that is never released to the public (until whenever historical records are released 50 or whatever years later). The track record may be great or terrible, but we really have no idea.
welcome to the homeland Canada! unless the NSA is lying to Congress, which would be par for the course.
I thought it was silly too and was not going to post it, until I thought about it. Would an FBI that seems so desperate to prove how awesome they're doing that they'd brag about "foiled" plots that reek of FBI-involvement (to the point that it's been repeatedly written about and mocked) really avoid bragging about successes? Within a few hours of these embassy closings based off vague hints of increased activity, senators were off touting how this proved the NSA programs were needed. I find it laughable to think that we're all being left in the dark while clandestine operations happen all around us protecting us from some constant stream of terrorist activity. If that was the case, we'd know...they would brag and justify as much as possible. Sure, you may be right. But it's really hard to believe.
Could you bother to explain how? We had the 93 bombings, than the 98 bombings, than the Cole attack, and than 9/11. Now, we've had...the Libya incident, I guess, which despite the tragedy, still only killed 5 people. I think da juice is generally correct with his statement that future attacks may still occur, albeit in a more fragmented, but the idea that Al Qaeda would remain strong even in the face of American attacks that I remember hearing through the early 2000s has been clearly refuted. Despite the chaos of the last 12 years, our position in the Middle East is stronger than it was a decade ago, with drones replacing troops and relatively friendly governments being set up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whether it was worth the cost is one thing, but I think it's safe to say that at this the threat of militiant Sunnism is much smaller than it was on 9/12
You lumped the 98 embassy bombings and the cole attack even though they occurred overseas. To that I would respond by pointing out that AQ and their affiliates now attack American interests every single day. Americans are dying overseas much more regularly now than they were prior to 9/11, but now they are just soldiers in a war.
Certainly - I wouldn't remotely trust that graphic either way. But even so, that's only in reference to the Snowden programs. There's no telling how many other attacks were stopped by other intellligence, on-the-ground actions, etc. FBI, certainly - but their role in society is a bit more public. Clandestine operations? Sure, those tend to get kept quiet pretty well. Just look at all the crazy things we've learned about over the years that we did back in the 40s, 50s, 60s, etc. Those agencies are a hell of a lot better at keeping secrets than the FBI. Certainly - that's politicians playing politics, though. I don't think you can really take much from it. If people died in a huge attack and the embassies weren't closed, there would be plenty of other consequences. Besides, it's not like this increased chatter is in isolation - it's also in conjunction with a number of known and successful prison breaks. AQAP is clearly demonstrating their capabilities and *something* is clearly going on, whether we know what it is or not.
Agreed - attacks on the "homeland" have decreased, but this *could* simply because we've made more targets available overseas that are simply easier.
I'm not sure what your argument is anymore, so I'm not sure what to explain anymore exactly. I'll try though. You stated: Which is backwards. The conclusion (at least, this was my point) is that there is no way to prove that any of these measures actually accomplished anything. Thus the amusing quote about spacious reasoning. That being said, I certainly would argue that the vast majority of these programs are useless. Given that the associated costs are not only in terms of money but also in terms of liberty makes their logical inconsistency and factual futility all the more depressing.
Perhaps. But I doubt it in this instance. Of course you can; they're willing to "change the color on the terror flag" to justify the programs... I don't know what your point is here.
Not speaking for most people, but I think everything we've done to disrupt terror groups (wars, drone attacks, infringements on civil liberties, etc) probably have decreased their ability to launch attacks on the US. But, it is impossible to say by how much, or which of these efforts were efficacous and which were stupid, or whether any of this was worth it, generally. If you're looking for kudos that at least they kept me from getting blown up, I don't have enough information to give that. I don't know that they made a difference or if I'm better off if they did.
according to the NSA on that graphic, 54 events were disrupted, and of those 53 were aided by NSA authorized spying on foreigners. of course that might not take into account events disrupted by other agencies, but really, I wouldn't see why not.
