Category: terrorism

Should our soldiers be armed?

security, terrorism
Should our soldiers be armed?
Where? They already are armed in combat situations, but are not generally armed in headquarters locations. Arms are kept safely in the Unit Arms Room, a secured area designed for that purpose.
We might have to revisit that, in light of recent events where, as Pogo said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
Arguing that our soldiers should always be carrying their weapons does not address the problem, but it does give some light to the problem — how is it that the armed defenders of freedom are as vulnerable to the whim of some deranged character as those of us innocents walking along the city streets? Shouldn’t they be able to protect themselves, if we call on them to protect us? But knowing how to “kill people and break things” does not a good tactical defender make.
I’ll have more to offer later. Developing, as they say. In the meantime, take a look at this from the WaPo.

The Dynamics of Evolving Beliefs

9/11, Education, Politics, security, September 11, terrorism
We found that heightened responses after September 11 dissipated and reached a plateau at various points in time over a five-year period.
The folks over at USC’s CREATE site have released a fascinating report about the way we respond to catastrophe in general by documenting the responses to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States.
It’s a twenty-page report in pdf. Report
I’m curious; what did you do afterward? I joined a CERT group in my county, and trained over 200 radio operators in the skills required for effective communications under trying circumstances. And, as far as I know, the sponsors of both these programs have seen a leveling off of interest over time. As humans, that’s they way we are–until the next time.