What does $456 billion buy?

[BrownEyedBoy]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/gallery/050207_TheCostofWar/

What the cost of the Iraq war could translate to.

 

[Smallville]

Security is priceless.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Since security costs liberty and liberty is priceless that statement may be rationalised.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Security is priceless.

Yep. Thank God they got rid of that Osama guy and Al-Qaeda... oh, wait, they didn't do that, did they?

 

[Smallville]

Yep. Thank God they got rid of that Osama guy and Al-Qaeda... oh, wait, they didn't do that, did they?

I haven't seen another attack like 9/11 on US soil since, well let's see 9/11!

 

[DrTeeth]

I haven't seen another attack like 9/11 on US soil since, well let's see 9/11!

You should contact Lisa Simpson, I think she has a rock you might be interested in.

 

[Smallville]

You should contact Lisa Simpson, I think she has a rock you might be interested in.

So wait, lives are at stake and all you can use is a Simpson's analogy?

 

[Axver]

I haven't seen another attack like 9/11 on US soil since, well let's see 9/11!

Well, let's see, it's getting close to six years since the 11 September 2001 attacks. Were there any similar attacks in the equivalent timeframe BEFORE 11 September 2001? Nope. Your point is meaningless.

And are you familiar with DrTeeth's Simpsons reference? Because if you are, you'd know it's a damn good point.

 

[LJT]

I haven't seen another attack like 9/11 on US soil since, well let's see 9/11!

Attacks after 9/11?

Madrid
London

Unless only America counts........

 

[catehope]

Attacks after 9/11?

Madrid
London

Unless only America counts........

And Bali...twice.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Attacks after 9/11?

Madrid
London

Unless only America counts........

And Cologne... well, the bombs didn't work, but we were so close towards a similar tragedy. Stupidity saved us.

 

[Smallville]

Attacks after 9/11?

Madrid
London

Unless only America counts........

Hence the "on US soil" part of my statement.

 

[Smallville]

Well, let's see, it's getting close to six years since the 11 September 2001 attacks. Were there any similar attacks in the equivalent timeframe BEFORE 11 September 2001? Nope. Your point is meaningless.

And are you familiar with DrTeeth's Simpsons reference? Because if you are, you'd know it's a damn good point.

Was Jihad waged on us before? I think not, at least not at the level it is now.

And no I'm not familiar with it, I stopped watching Simpsons a long time ago.

 

[BVS]

The lies you've been sold, don't come cheap.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Well, let's see, it's getting close to six years since the 11 September 2001 attacks. Were there any similar attacks in the equivalent timeframe BEFORE 11 September 2001? Nope. Your point is meaningless.

And are you familiar with DrTeeth's Simpsons reference? Because if you are, you'd know it's a damn good point.

So things like Oplan Bojinka, millenium bombing plot, USS Cole, Kenya and Tanzania embassy bombings and WTC bombings don't count? Or for that matter the foiled attacks since September 11. It's not like there has ever been a pause either in the preceeding decade or since.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Would you say - post-9/11 - there's an increase in activity, but decrease in success, or would you say there's a decrease in both activity and success?

Personally I think that the argument of "well, there hasn't been a 9/11 since 9/11 so we must be winning" is an absolutely ridiculous argument on a whole bunch of levels.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Yes the argument that we are either safer or for that matter more at risk today are both flawed because that sort of risk isn't readily measurable, but 9/11 had a very long fuse and it does seem like AQ has had its leadership decapitated; but then anybody with an internet connection can learn how to make a bomb and a conspiracy to commit mass murder doesn't need approval from a few Arabs in tribal Pakistan.

But that is even more dangerous because it gets the government a reason to start spying on it's own citizens; just today they have an apparent probe to see if Hilali could have commited sedition - speechcrime for merely stating his position as a Muslim to stand with Iran against the usual "enemies of Islam".

 

[Earnie Shavers]

But that is even more dangerous because it gets the government a reason to start spying on it's own citizens; just today they have an apparent probe to see if Hilali could have commited sedition - speechcrime for merely stating his position as a Muslim to stand with Iran against the usual "enemies of Islam".

Yeah, that is scary, very scary, but I think those sort of ridiculous stunts for the stupid will go at the next election. In the meantime though...

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

For that much money, they could have paid off all our homes and cars and put in security systems for everyone.