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Traditionally, yes. With al Qaeda (inasmuch as there is a single body with unified aims), not so much. One of bin Laden's videos spelt it out: their aim is to e

Traditionally, yes. With al Qaeda (inasmuch as there is a single body with unified aims), not so much. One of bin Laden's videos spelt it out: their aim is to economically cripple the US and the West by forcing them to spend a vastly disproportionate amount of money on security measures through performing relatively cheap acts of violence. It just so happens that attacks involving large numbers of civilians are particularly effective for this, because the political pressure to protect the public is high. In the case of targets on this list, there is a similar pressure to protect them, but in general they won't be as expensive to guard because their nature makes it easier to restrict access. If I were on the Chinese politburo, though, this leak would read like a literal shopping list.

varjag 16y ago
Well, it does not happen like that accidentally. The whole point of terrorist attack is terrorizing the population to achieve one's political objectives. To terrorize population you hit where it hurts the people. People are less emotional about shut down plants than they are about dead children. > If I were on the Chinese politburo, though, this leak would read like a literal shopping list. You bring a point here. This list makes sense (and is obvious) if you have a strategic bomber command in your disposal. Otherwise a few of those isolated attacks will fail to shatter the economy. Remember how many bombs were unleashed on German industry in WW2 before it started showing any effect. Attacking population on the other hand is accessible and effective, that's the whole idea behind the terror. So a proper, realistic list should be "dense urban areas of the United States". Of course it's not what the embassies were assigned to find out, so they really did an honest, if mostly useless, job.
- regularfry 16y ago
  Possibly you misunderstand me. I don't mean that the Chinese (for instance) might want to bomb what's on the list (although that would certainly be one approach). I mean that they might literally wish to (and be capable of) buying what's on the list. We all know they've been cornering African mineral exploitation for the last decade or so, I'm sure they wouldn't object to another cobalt mine or two on their acquisition list, even if they had to pay an absurd premium.
  - varjag 16y ago
    Oh, I see. Either way, the list could be just as easily compiled by Chinese self as it was by the U.S. missions, most of it is based on public knowledge and open sources. It's not that I suggest leaking it made any practical sense, but IMO the dangers of it are greatly exaggerated.

varjag 16y ago

Well, it does not happen like that accidentally. The whole point of terrorist attack is terrorizing the population to achieve one's political objectives. To terrorize population you hit where it hurts the people. People are less emotional about shut down plants than they are about dead children. > If I were on the Chinese politburo, though, this leak would read like a literal shopping list. You bring a point here. This list makes sense (and is obvious) if you have a strategic bomber command in your disposal. Otherwise a few of those isolated attacks will fail to shatter the economy. Remember how many bombs were unleashed on German industry in WW2 before it started showing any effect. Attacking population on the other hand is accessible and effective, that's the whole idea behind the terror. So a proper, realistic list should be "dense urban areas of the United States". Of course it's not what the embassies were assigned to find out, so they really did an honest, if mostly useless, job.

regularfry 16y ago
Possibly you misunderstand me. I don't mean that the Chinese (for instance) might want to bomb what's on the list (although that would certainly be one approach). I mean that they might literally wish to (and be capable of) buying what's on the list. We all know they've been cornering African mineral exploitation for the last decade or so, I'm sure they wouldn't object to another cobalt mine or two on their acquisition list, even if they had to pay an absurd premium.
- varjag 16y ago
  Oh, I see. Either way, the list could be just as easily compiled by Chinese self as it was by the U.S. missions, most of it is based on public knowledge and open sources. It's not that I suggest leaking it made any practical sense, but IMO the dangers of it are greatly exaggerated.