4 ms·

This is an honest fear to have, but it hides the real causes many of the recent "bad actors" did what they did. Most of the recent terrorist acts can be traced

This is an honest fear to have, but it hides the real causes many of the recent "bad actors" did what they did. Most of the recent terrorist acts can be traced to different organizations that only exist because of military/economical interventions that happened a few years, or even decades ago. In a broader sense, many can even be traced to the aftermath of the first world war and how the Ottoman empire was split, and the interventions that followed. What I'm trying to say is that this is not a "inherent" problem in western society. They were created by misguided actions of the past (and current) generations. The techniques and methods used by these actors are just details. You could theoretically spy in everyone like the US or UK governments want, but ultimately the criminals can easily be one step ahead of them if they want and try just hard enough. They can switch to other method or just pay some hacker group to create software for them if they were really organized. Think of the prohibition in the US. Did it really stop alcohol consumption? Not at all. And a few years later everyone realized how stupid that idea was and the whole prohibition was scraped.

marcoperaza 9y ago
I strongly disagree. You can't just blame terrorism on poor decision making by Western powers. The world is complex and every country has to make difficult decisions that will make winners of some and losers of others. Ultra-conservative strains of Islam are big losers to the West's cultural influence, even in the absence of Western military and diplomatic intervention in the Muslim world. Western economic and cultural might is a threat to their value system and way of life, and some are willing to kill to defend it. Within the United States there has been left-wing terrorism (e.g. anarchists in the early 20th century or the Weather Underground) and right-wing terrorism (e.g. the Oklahoma City bombing). We cannot always avoid arousing the ire of hardcore radicals. >but ultimately the criminals can easily be one step ahead of them if they want and try just hard enough. They can switch to other method or just pay some hacker group to create software for them if they were really organized. They can, but thankfully most people seeking to do us harm (and most people in general) are incompetent. Even the most seasoned computer criminals get careless and make mistakes.
- princekolt 9y ago
  It's not me saying it. The Pentagon itself made such claims even before 9/11. https://www.cato.org/publications/foreign-policy-briefing/does-us-intervention-overseas-breed-terrorism-historical-record https://www.cato.org/publications/foreign-policy-briefing/do... Do you really think an entire population will just accept a foreign nation obliterating their lives completely, without at least a small amount of revolt groups wanting revenge? Now that would be naïve.
- k-mcgrady 9y ago
  >> They can, but thankfully most people seeking to do us harm (and most people in general) are incompetent. Even the most seasoned computer criminals get careless and make mistakes. People wishing to do us harm don't need computers at all. Just look at the 3 attacks in London in the last few months (Westminster, London Bridge, Finsbury Park). All that is required is a driving license to rent a van and the want to drive it at people at speed. Any person willing to do harm can go out and do it this afternoon without any planning. If we give up our freedoms so that the government can spy more effectively the terrorists will just do more of the above style of attacks.
- calcifer 9y ago
  > Ultra-conservative strains of Islam are big losers to the West's cultural influence You mean the same strains that have been repeatedly propped up [0] by the western powers? [0] http://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Independent-1993.jpeg http://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Independent-1...

marcoperaza 9y ago

I strongly disagree. You can't just blame terrorism on poor decision making by Western powers. The world is complex and every country has to make difficult decisions that will make winners of some and losers of others. Ultra-conservative strains of Islam are big losers to the West's cultural influence, even in the absence of Western military and diplomatic intervention in the Muslim world. Western economic and cultural might is a threat to their value system and way of life, and some are willing to kill to defend it. Within the United States there has been left-wing terrorism (e.g. anarchists in the early 20th century or the Weather Underground) and right-wing terrorism (e.g. the Oklahoma City bombing). We cannot always avoid arousing the ire of hardcore radicals. >but ultimately the criminals can easily be one step ahead of them if they want and try just hard enough. They can switch to other method or just pay some hacker group to create software for them if they were really organized. They can, but thankfully most people seeking to do us harm (and most people in general) are incompetent. Even the most seasoned computer criminals get careless and make mistakes.

princekolt 9y ago
It's not me saying it. The Pentagon itself made such claims even before 9/11. https://www.cato.org/publications/foreign-policy-briefing/does-us-intervention-overseas-breed-terrorism-historical-record https://www.cato.org/publications/foreign-policy-briefing/do... Do you really think an entire population will just accept a foreign nation obliterating their lives completely, without at least a small amount of revolt groups wanting revenge? Now that would be naïve.
k-mcgrady 9y ago
>> They can, but thankfully most people seeking to do us harm (and most people in general) are incompetent. Even the most seasoned computer criminals get careless and make mistakes. People wishing to do us harm don't need computers at all. Just look at the 3 attacks in London in the last few months (Westminster, London Bridge, Finsbury Park). All that is required is a driving license to rent a van and the want to drive it at people at speed. Any person willing to do harm can go out and do it this afternoon without any planning. If we give up our freedoms so that the government can spy more effectively the terrorists will just do more of the above style of attacks.
calcifer 9y ago
> Ultra-conservative strains of Islam are big losers to the West's cultural influence You mean the same strains that have been repeatedly propped up [0] by the western powers? [0] http://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Independent-1993.jpeg http://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Independent-1...