The War on Terror on US Soil
With the bombing of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, the United States entered a new chapter in the fight against terrorism. Two washout wannabe terrorists, who will remain nameless throughout this post, placed one of our country's most presitigous cities under martial law using little more than some pressure cookers and ordinary household items readily available to anyone at any hardware store. It did more than take the lives of 3 people and wound more than 250 others... It displayed a successful "test-run" on a small scale for later coordinated, more sophisticated attacks.
On Novemeber 13, 2015, the world watched in horror as a coordinated effort of shooters and bombers systematically murdered over 130 people in an attack on Parris, France. Given the soft-target nature of Europe, this was easy-killing for any trained and motivated group... Sadly, on June 12, 2016- the world watched a similar attack on the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
In short, these attacks all have some very strong similarities in tactics and effectiveness. While the tactics of our enemy are evolving, they are not wildly different than other instances that we've seen around the world. It's actually quite simple: "Choose a soft-target in a densely populated area, utilize "politically correct" ideaology to mask your preparations, wreak carnage on those inside said soft-target." Yet even with multiple instances around the world and here within our own country, we bury our heads in the sand and our legislators urge us to "not offend" the same people who are trying to kill us... But what happens when these coordinated attacks happen on soft-targets in our elementary schools (as they have promised)? What happens when day-cares capture the media glory that they so desperately seek as they kill countless innocent children?
We know it's coming... We know their tactics. We know their motives. We even know their intentions. Yet no one is doing anything about it to prepare a suitable defense.
Ever seen a propane tank explode? Yes- those same propane tanks you can pick up at any grocery store for grilling out in your backyard... It's one hell of an explosion. They are readily available for about $35 - $45 in any city in America. What happens when our demented enemy purchases 5 - 10 of these tanks and then tapes nails, screws, and various shrapnel to the outside only to the remote detonate it near a playground? The carnage would be horrific. Yet none of our liberal legislators are discussing the banning of propane tanks, nails, or screws- because the perceived use of them is for good purposes. The idea that evil would attack our children on such a morbid, disgusting level horrifies us beyond comprehension. We don't discuss it because we can't fathom it..... Yet...
We as a society are going to have to come to the harsh realization that we live in a world where evil people exist and attempt to control us with intimidation and violence. It is uncomfotable and gruesome. Yet it isn't any less real simply because we choose not to acknowledge it. The idea of "gun control" spawns from the idea that we want to "do something" to prevent violence but we are not willing to actually look the problem in the eye. The rifle used at Pulse Night Club wasn't any more of the problem than the pressure cookers were at the Boston Marathon. The problem is evil, and you won't defeat the lawless by creating additional laws. They simply don't care about your laws any more than they do your lives. Understand that their incentive is to kill as many people as possible prior to their death. They don't care about your laws because they don't even intend to live, let alone face judgment in a court they don't recognize by a jury they'd just as soon behead as stand before. But we as Americans have been taught by our societal norms that violence is an outlier. It's for people on the other side of the world. We as Americans are inherently good... The downfall is that we as Americans are being attacked by "those people from the other side of the world" and they are not inherently good. We must face that reality if we are going to defeat it.
Our allies in Israel (who our current leadership have largely abandoned) have faced similar threats for years. They understand the threat of terrorism after living with it for generations. Many of the lessons that they learned through blood and tears will be suffered in similar fashion in our beloved country. It is sad; it is scary; but it is the world we live in.
We will continue to see more and more attacks on soft targets. We will see the use of IED's used in conjunction with rifles wielded by coordinated attackers. The tactics of the middle-east are now amongst us in the United States. Expect explosions to kill and designed to send unarmed victims running toward an awaiting ambush of attackers using rifles to mow them down at close range. Expect gun fire to attract law enforcement and first responders into an ambush of explosives. Expect our deepest vulnerabilities and our children to be attacked when in groups such as at theme parks, day cares, elementary schools, and other similar locations. Expect movie theaters, night clubs, passenger trains, passenger buses, concerts, sporting events, and other soft-targets to increasingly catch the attention of those who wish to harm us.
Somewhere, someone is training to kill you and those you love. They seek to scare you, intimidate you, and then publicly kill you. Their goal is to be the cause of your demise, and your goal is to prevent that from happening.
