Darn! Vegas Incident Wasn’t a Terror Attack
You have to pity people like right-wing commentator Michelle Malkin, who seem to want a terror attack on U.S. soil so badly that they can practically taste it.
Malkin was quick to connect a report that an apparent employee of the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas had rolled snake eyes when he picked up a device from atop a car to reports that Al Qaeda has had its fix on the Luxor in the past. She also noted that the 9/11 plotters had visited Las Vegas in the months before the attack.
Others dutifully picked up Malkin’s musings, which of course were made without a shred of corroboration.
Alas, the incident appears to be a garden-variety murder. No threat had been made against the hotel-casino and the victim was the intended target, according to a Las Vegas police spokesman. More here.
Now I would be the last one to rule out a terror attack on the homeland, let alone beat my breast as so many Bush sycophants have done in pointing out there have been no attacks since the Big One, but why would it behoove Al Qaeda to strike the U.S. when it is having a field day in Iraq and elsewhere?
Just asking.
34 Responses to “Darn! Vegas Incident Wasn’t a Terror Attack”
The terrorists can kill 8 Americans and Iraq and for the most part America yawns. But if they were to kill 1 in America, America would freak out. Yeah, no reason to try to hit the US, right?
Shaun, how can you be so sure? I still think there’s a good chance it’s a terrorist “work accident.”
Holly:
Well, I can’t be so sure. But it has none of the earmarks of a terror attack, notably the absence of any group taking responsibility, the time and place of the detonation and the relative lack of strengh of the device. On the other hand, it has all of the earmarks of a hit, albeit unorthodox, on a specific victim.
We shall see.
stevesturm you are absolutely right in that one death in the US at terrorist hands does more than dozens in Iraq. We should consider more the deaths in Iraq, but it’s not odd at all that people react more to a homeland attack. It’s home base, you’re SUPPOSED to be safe.
Yes the US would freak out, but sometimes I wonder about how sophisticated the terrorist objectives may be. It could well be that they in fact simply despise the culture we represent, combined with the power that makes us ideal targets for the “culture war” they have set up in twisted little minds. Actually, I’m fairly certain that something along these lines is probably in the mind of your run of the mill low level terrorist. But sometimes I think the masterminds are more crafty. The country would freak out, be frightened, and want an enemy, a clear enemy. It doesn’t look like the country has fully grasped the idea that this is not your traditional enemy that you merely crush with your breathtaking military might. So the politicians (be they Dem or Repub me thinks) would give the country what it wants, a war, vengeance, even if it doesn’t solve the problem. The result? The country bleeding more dollars and lives, becoming more mistrustful, more closed in, and reacting to any suggestion of change violently. When people are violated they close down, they harm themselves.
We are mistaken if we think Al Qaeda gives a damn about their fellow Muslims lives. Better if the US declares wars, more war orphans to inculcate into hate and suicide. Plan and execute an attack from Iran, forcing the US into war with Iran would hurt the US more in the long run than the original lives lost in an attack.
Don’t fall for that administration talking point. Muslims don’t hate us for our freedom, they hate us because of our policies in the Middle East.
And that’s not just Noam Chomsky talking, :
‘Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies [the report says]. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the long-standing, even increasing, support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and the Gulf states. Thus, when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy’
Sorry I really screwed up the code in that last comment… anyways, the quote is from a Pentagon report.
Quoted from here.
[Moderators, please feel free to clean my post up if it bothers you]
Chris, do you have a link, for context, on that?
C Stanley, check http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/120104V.shtml
[...] And of course Vegas is known for attracting big names, which is why there are some high rollers in town for the event, including FCC chairman Kevin Martin, who will be keynoting a session entitled “Cable 2.0: Growing Cable’s Next … A man carried a backpack into the second level of the parking garage and it exploded, killing the man carrying it… State and federal authorities have swarmed over the Luxor Hotel after an explosion in its parking ramp this morning. Check out the first pictures of Britney Spears exiting her tour bus and heading for her House of Blues show that takes place tonight at Vegas. In fact, Vegas was one of the American sites that the four Detroit Al-Qaeda … Seen here are the celebrities who went for the third option and attended the big fight in Vegas on Saturday night. As usual Jim and Jenny had fabulous hair, while Matthew’s could use a trim. Malkin was quick to connect a report that an apparent employee of the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas had rolled snake eyes when he picked up a device from atop a car to reports that Al Qaeda has had its beady terrorist eye on the Luxor … Well, Vegas Mayor (and Mafia lawyer) Oscar Goodman has repeatedly denied the very valid story of how members of the Detroit Terror Cell had cased Vegas. Also, for those of you who actually heard the … read on… [...]
[...] of the Detroit Terror Cell had cased Vegas. Also, for those of you who actually heard the … read more… [...]
[...] And of course Vegas is known for attracting big names, which is why there are some high rollers in town for the event, including FCC chairman Kevin Martin, who will be keynoting a session entitled “Cable 2.0: Growing Cable’s Next … A man carried a backpack into the second level of the parking garage and it exploded, killing the man carrying it… State and federal authorities have swarmed over the Luxor Hotel after an explosion in its parking ramp this morning. Check out the first pictures of Britney Spears exiting her tour bus and heading for her House of Blues show that takes place tonight at Vegas. In fact, Vegas was one of the American sites that the four Detroit Al-Qaeda … Seen here are the celebrities who went for the third option and attended the big fight in Vegas on Saturday night. As usual Jim and Jenny had fabulous hair, while Matthew’s could use a trim. Malkin was quick to connect a report that an apparent employee of the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas had rolled snake eyes when he picked up a device from atop a car to reports that Al Qaeda has had its beady terrorist eye on the Luxor … Well, Vegas Mayor (and Mafia lawyer) Oscar Goodman has repeatedly denied the very valid story of how members of the Detroit Terror Cell had cased Vegas. Also, for those of you who actually heard the … more… [...]
[...] And of course Vegas is known for attracting big names, which is why there are some high rollers in town for the event, including FCC chairman Kevin Martin, who will be keynoting a session entitled “Cable 2.0: Growing Cable’s Next … A man carried a backpack into the second level of the parking garage and it exploded, killing the man carrying it… State and federal authorities have swarmed over the Luxor Hotel after an explosion in its parking ramp this morning. Check out the first pictures of Britney Spears exiting her tour bus and heading for her House of Blues show that takes place tonight at Vegas. In fact, Vegas was one of the American sites that the four Detroit Al-Qaeda … Seen here are the celebrities who went for the third option and attended the big fight in Vegas on Saturday night. As usual Jim and Jenny had fabulous hair, while Matthew’s could use a trim. Malkin was quick to connect a report that an apparent employee of the Luxor hotel-casino in Las Vegas had rolled snake eyes when he picked up a device from atop a car to reports that Al Qaeda has had its beady terrorist eye on the Luxor … Well, Vegas Mayor (and Mafia lawyer) Oscar Goodman has repeatedly denied the very valid story of how members of the Detroit Terror Cell had cased Vegas. Also, for those of you who actually heard the … more… [...]
[...] into the second level of the parking garage and it exploded, killing the man carrying it… more… [...]
This has been a test. If this was a real terrorist attack, we would have been instructed by Michelle Malkin which Americans to round up and intern for immediate torture.
This was just a test. All brave members of the 101st Fightin’ Keyboarders may now cease circling while flapping the wings on their headless bodies.
I believe that’s also now known as the chickenhawk strut.
It’s amazing to me that those who live their lives in constant terror of the possibility of an attack, are the first to claim my beliefs give aid and comfort to the enemy.
One thing that George Tenet is probably right about- al queda is not out to strike small targets- ie individual murders. They want to do something spectacular like bring down the WTC or do nothing at all. Most of the time would-be-terrorists in the US have been observed photographing major bridges or tunnels-. So I do think its a waste of time to think about it with these small incidents.
But, but , but…
We’re still fighting them over there, so how could they possibly attack us over here?
In a similar vein: My name is Harvey Mudd. Everything I say is a lie.
Now listen: I am lying.
Mommy my head hurts.
THE MODERATEly paranoid) VOICE
It’s hard to take accusations like this seriously from people who think that America went to war in Iraq to steal Iraqi oil Now, that is paranoid.
But what about Malkin? Is she really just irrationaly saying this is the work of al Qaeda? Let’s look at what she says.
“This incident may or may not have anything to do with al Qaeda terrorism.” — Malkin
“may or may not” means she is hardly breathless at the possiblity that this is a terror incident (unlike M.V. which is breathless at the thought that she is).
“anything to do with” means that she is asking “could this be connected?”, not was it an actual incident. (explosives sometimes go off accidentally).
“Others dutifully picked up Malkin’s musings, which of course were made without a shred of corroboration.” — M.V.
“musings” are just speculations. They require no “corroboration” though they should be based on some reality, and they were.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/30/national/main633064.shtml
You guys should be the first to recognize real uncorroborated musings, as this piece on her is, since you do it all the time. At least Malkin has al Qaeda surveillance tapes of that very Las Vegas hotel to rely on. But still she does not come out and accuse them, as you more than imply. She is merely asking if there is some connection, and saying it bears watching to see if it turns out there is. That is not at all unreasonable, as any real moderate would know.
This is why I know that this website is not “moderate,” because if it were the writers wouldn’t be so quick to accuse others for what they do so much themselves, and so much more often.
Just sayin.
yonason- are you a real moderate? Just wonderin.
CHRIS APPARANTLY BELIEVES THAT . . .
“‘Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies”
Based on what? The “musings” of a far Left hater of America like Chomsky?
If they hate America for our Mid East policies, how do you explain their hatred for nearly everyone else?
“India and the Sudan and Algeria and Afghanistan . . . and Pakistan and Israel and Russia and Chechnya and the Philippines and Indonesia and Nigeria and England and Thailand and Spain and Egypt and Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia and Ingushetia and Dagestan and Turkey and Kabardino-Balkaria and Morocco and Yemen and Lebanon and France and Uzbekistan and Gaza and Tunisia and Kosovo and Bosnia and Mauritania and Kenya and Eritrea and Syria and Somalia . . . and Argentina and Kuwait and Virginia and Ethiopia and Iran and Jordan and United Arab Emirates . . . and Tanzania and Germany and Australia . . . and Belgium and Denmark and East Timor and Qatar and Maryland and Tajikistan and the Netherlands and Scotland and Chad and Canada and China and…”
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
No, they are the same nearly everywhere, with few exceptions.
They have a saying that was in place long before the US came into existance, and that is “First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people” (‘. . . and then everyone else’ which is implicit in that declaration of hate).
http://www.davekopel.com/Corner/Corner-Archive-2005.htm#First_the_Saturday_people,_then_the_Sunday_people.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/007975.php
We have to look at their behavior, and the words they say to themselves. If we just look at what they tell us, we will be at a severe disadvantage, because they have developed deception to a fine art and have been developing an extensive network through which to channel their disinformation.
Not to pick on Holly, but she jumped on the “terrorist” bandwagon. The links at her post were ready to tie this incident to the London bombings, with a backpack that never existed. Now no one in Lost Wages is murdered over a bad debt, a scam or for revenge. Seems the Captain was also foaming over al-Qaedda attacking us in our land of S&G.
LINKS, RUDI, LINKS
I can’t see what you are talking about if you don’t leave specific references. How much trouble is it to copy and paste a link into your post? (hint – a lot less than for others to go searching for what you might be referring to)
Thank you.
MORE REFERENCES FOR CHRIS AND THOSE WHO THINK LIKE HIM
(I hope this isn’t too “right wing” for you)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/19/AR2006051901769.html
That article was found here
. . . along with plenty more that show the kind of savagery we face. It isn’t just a matter of treating them niclely. Mutual respect despite fundamental religious differences is not a concept they honor.
OOPS
That was supposed to be
“That article was found here
http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/mideastdispatches/archives/000729.html
. . . along with plenty more . . . “
yonason – The links are at Holly’s post below, Captain, Sister Toldja and MM all jumped on the “Lost Wages terror attack”. Seems most sites are now back pedaling on their earlier paranoia. Maybe the hit was from that Miami terror cell looking for boots.
Kim,
The point is that the speculation was about the possibility of the ‘backpack’ (as it was originally thought to be) might have been left for someone to carry into the casino- thus creating a fairly large incident. That this didn’t happen indicated that either it was a botched attempt at that or that this wasn’t the intent at all (and as facts came out they supported the latter)
I simply can’t understand the need for all the snark about those who speculated about an obvious possibility (unless of course, one’s agenda is to ridicule the right wingers).
Well, in unrelated but related news, I woke up in NY to this breaking story about 6 guys in NJ (some of them alleged Islamic radicals) being arrested on terror charges for a plot involving Fort Dix:
http://www.wnbc.com/news/13274813/detail.html?dl=mainclick
Will be interesting to see how this one plays out… Malkin et al might just have a story after all.
Shaun: Look, they’re from NJ. What a shocker, eh?
CS- yes, I know. But that is still small potatoes. They are looking for another 9/11 or grander- they are not looking to perpetrate the type of bombings that we have seen in other countries, because those are not large enough in scale. There ARE some terror groups that copy al queda that might try to plan this type of event, however, like the plot uncovered today against Fort Dix in NJ. Those arrested were muslim extremists but were not al queda, though they used their training tapes.
Kim: not to pick on you, but what do you make of the reported terrorist plot to kill soldiers at Fort Dix? Not exactly on a par with the WTC, is it?
sorry kim, I totally missed your comment right above mine. careless, careless, careless.
Well, Kim, I guess I don’t see why any attack has to be an OBL/Zawahiri hit to be significant. And how do we know that those lower level terrorist groups won’t decide to use Hamas style tactics here?
[...] arrested six ethnic Albanians who were planning to attack soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey, than breathless reports yesterday that an explosion in a Las Vegas parking garage was a terrorist [...]
“yonason – The links are at Holly’s post below, Captain, Sister Toldja and MM all jumped on the “Lost Wages terror attackâ€. Seems most sites are now back pedaling on their earlier paranoia. Maybe the hit was from that Miami terror cell looking for boots.” — Rudi
Thanks
But this article here is about Malkin, and she has no reason to be back-peddling. If the others are doing what Shaun falsely accused Malkin of doing, then why didn’t he write about them? You can’t prove a concept from something that contradicts it. Bottom line, Shaun probably wanted to slander Malkin because she’s a bigger target, and discrediting her gets more points than the smaller fish. The trouble is, he failed. And if the others are (I haven’t read them yet) then using them to slander her is a cheap way of attacking her.
Now, let’s look at SisterToldja
“I hope that the incident in Vegas is isolated and not part of a coordinated plan for future attacks of this nature.” – (quoted in Holly’s article, below)
Hmm, nothin to back off on there.
What about Captain Ed?
“UPDATE III: As I noted earlier, it was not likely a terrorist attack, despite one blogger [Rudi? Shaun?] who apparently couldn’t read that far into the post.
Nope, no smoking gun there, either.
Ya got nuthin, Rudi. I see your B.S., and I call.
THE FINAL NAIL IN THIS ARTICLE’S COFFIN
(and I missed it until just a moment ago)
EXCUSE ME?!
If shaun “isn’t sure” and agrees that “We shall see,” and that is essentially what all the bloggers whose throats he is attempting to jump down say, how in the world can he fault them? He’s just using this as a really feeble excuse to throw some mud, just ‘caus he wants to, I guess.
SHEEESH! Talk about making a mountain out of a gopher hole!