State Department warning of Al Quaida threat world wide.

[graciegirl]

What do you think it means?

[aln]

They're winning by creating a threat of danger.

Almost the pure definition of the word:
Noun
The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

[Arctic Fox]

What do you think it means?

Isn't that just the problem, GracieGirl?

The authorities spend time and money issuing notices and warnings, and the public hasn't a clue what they mean.

It is about time they came up with a more-understandable system.

Imagine if traffic signals were not just red, amber and green, but came in a selection of twenty different colors which meant different things on different days of the week :-)

[Indydealmaker]

Closing the embassies is an example of an entire government failing to understand the bedrock values of "Standing Your Ground". We should staff the embassies and guard them as we would our own land as well as our own homes.
Walking away, turning the other cheek never makes the predators go away.

[Patty55]

What do you think it means?

I think it means THEY are trying to divert our attention from something else.

[Madelaine Amee]

What do you think it means?

I think it means that they believe the "chatter" they have picked up and instead of losing people they are prepared to close embassies which I think is very smart. When the embassies close the local people lose jobs, income from local purchases etc. etc. It appears that the local people have nothing to begin with so losing American dollars might make a point.

I am a firm believer that this is a war that needs to be fought from the inside out.

[ilovetv]

With this announcement being the first of its kind since before the 10th anniversary of 9-11, it seems it is "very specific".....

Embassies close in Middle East

The Al Qaeda threat that prompted the State Department to issue a worldwide travel alert and close down 21 embassies and consulates for the weekend is serious and 'very specific,' Rep. Peter King, chairman of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, said Friday.

“We’re not certain exactly where something might happen but it’s very specific as to when and it’s also very specific as to the fact that it is going to happen, so we have to be on alert everywhere,” the New York Republican told WINS-AM.
The travel alert was the first of its kind since an announcement preceding the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It came as Washington prepared to close its embassies and consulates throughout the Muslim world this Sunday over security concerns.

U.S. officials have not offered many details on the nature of the threat, but apparently are taking it seriously.

A White House official said Friday night President Obama was being updated on "a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula."

"There is a significant threat stream and we're reacting to it," said Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He told ABC News in an interview to be aired Sunday that the threat was "more specific" than previous ones and the "intent is to attack Western, not just U.S. interests."

Daily politics news delivered to your inbox: sign up for our newsletter
King, a former chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee told WINS-AM that Americans abroad should register with the U.S. consulates in the countries they are visiting.

“I would let the American embassy know where you are. Basically check in and where you are and how long you plan to stay there and what your itinerary is,” King said.

John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said the alert indicates the U.S. government must have some "pretty good information" about a possible threat.

Great Britain announced Friday night it would also close its embassy in Yemen "as a precautionary measure" on Sunday and Monday and urged its nationals to leave the country.

The travel alert issued Friday warned Americans of the "continued potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, and possibly occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula."......

Read more: Rep. Peter King says Al Qaeda threat is 'very specific' as US issues travel alert | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/03/rep-peter-king-says-al-qaeda-threat-is-very-specific-as-us-issues-travel-alert/#ixzz2avXO4ATC)

[aln]

I think it means THEY are trying to divert our attention from something else.

Yeah...... that too :clap2:

[gomoho]

When they announced on Friday they would start closing embassies on Sunday because
of the potential attacks. My first thought was "so why don't they just move the attack up a day till Saturday"? Maybe they don't think that fast?

[DianeM]

I hate the world we live in now.

[janmcn]

Closing the embassies is an example of an entire government failing to understand the bedrock values of "Standing Your Ground". We should staff the embassies and guard them as we would our own land as well as our own homes.
Walking away, turning the other cheek never makes the predators go away.


How do you "stand your ground" against planes flying into buildings?

State Department protocol states that the host nation provides security for foreign embassies.

[Indydealmaker]

It is worse now that we can only "talk nice" to the bad guys. We're not any better liked now, but for sure no one is afraid of us.

[wendyquat]

Closing the embassies is an example of an entire government failing to understand the bedrock values of "Standing Your Ground". We should staff the embassies and guard them as we would our own land as well as our own homes.
Walking away, turning the other cheek never makes the predators go away.

I agree! Someone, somewhere is having a good laugh at us!

[janmcn]

I agree! Someone, somewhere is having a good laugh at us!


They must have been wetting their pants with laughter the night Osama Bin Laden was murdered.

[gomoho]

They must have been wetting their pants with laughter the night Osama Bin Laden was murdered.

At that point he had probably already passed the hatred to the next guy in line - there is no stopping these people - especially since we have become so soft. They are getting more brazen and it's probably just the beginning.

[ilovetv]

How do you "stand your ground" against planes flying into buildings?

State Department protocol states that the host nation provides security for foreign embassies.

Really?

......"As part of the $1.4 billion Congress approved this year, $553 million will go to recruiting, training and deploying about 350 Marine security guards to two dozen high-risk embassies in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Kenya. The first 90 additional Marine guards are expected to arrive by the end of the year, State Department officials said. Currently, there are about 1,200 Marine guards in more than 130 countries.

In addition to more Marines, who are mainly responsible for securing classified material in the diplomatic posts, the State Department also created 151 new diplomatic security positions; 113 are expected to be hired by the end of September. The remainder will be hired in fiscal 2014. In addition, the department has improved and expanded efforts to upgrade language capacity, especially Arabic, among American employees, including diplomatic security agents. The department is seeking $2 million from Congress to expand a two-year training course. In the meantime, a 12-week introductory class for diplomatic security agents begins Oct. 1.

Beyond the recommendations outlined in the panel’s report, the administration is taking other steps to address shortcomings in security.

The Pentagon is revamping its quick-response forces around the globe to respond faster to crises like the one in Benghazi. The independent investigation determined that military intervention would not have prevented the deaths of the Americans there, but lawmakers from both parties have expressed anger that the military was caught flat-footed.

As the first part of this overall plan, the Marines are sending a special 500-member combat team to Spain that will be ready to deploy on six hours’ notice to hot spots in Africa and the Mediterranean.

The corps is also creating a group of 120 Marines based in Quantico, Va., which by the end of the summer will be able to send teams of 10 to 12 Marines on short notice to embassies and consulates to reinforce the Marines stationed there....."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/us/politics/after-benghazi-us-pressing-ahead-on-security-upgrades.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[Bucco]

They must have been wetting their pants with laughter the night Osama Bin Laden was murdered.

THAT night, although surely a moral victory, did nothing to the band of those who still wish to kill us.

The middle east actually has worsened since that date a lot.

While surely none of us can be sure of what is going on "behind the scenes", it appears we preach international involvement in finances...but no so much in international politics. We do not seem to have a place at the table anywhere in the world including Russia.

Way back on the political forum, someone spoke of the threat from Russia and someone actually made fun of them for "living in the fifties
".
International affairs are right now simply horrendous !!!!

[DianeM]

I think our forefathers would be ashamed of who we've become. So afraid of "offending" that we're no longer who we were. It's okay to hate the bad guys. We don't always have to play nice.

[Virtual Geezer]

The people creating the chatter are no dummies. Talk as if something is going to happen in the middle east while the actual target may be half a world away or in Asia or South America. A way to draw attention to one area while the rest of the world feels secure.

The warnings should not be taken lightly by any westerner where ever they may be in the world.

VG

[graciegirl]

The people creating the chatter are no dummies. Talk as if something is going to happen in the middle east while the actual target may be half a world away or in Asia or South America. A way to draw attention to one area while the rest of the world feels secure.

The warnings should not be taken by any westerner where ever they may be in the world.

VG

Did you mean taken lightly, John?

[kittygilchrist]

Gracie, I think it means Ramadan ends August 7. Attacks in various countries have been going on since the start of Ramadan in early July.

https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&q=ramadan+terrorist+attacks&oq=ramadan+terror&gs_l=serp.1.0.0j0i22i30l3.3354.5302.0.7274.7.7.0.0 .0.0.278.1250.0j5j2.7.0....0...1c.1.23.psy-ab..0.7.1221.hljioPXP0Wo&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=e52b800d2f4c5408&biw=1600&bih=768

that's a google search of Ramadan terror attacks...take your pick of articles.

[DaleMN]

I hate the world we live in now.

Make the world go away.....:doh:

[DougB]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m79zK49WDdE

[Virtual Geezer]

Did you mean taken lightly, John?

Yes you are correct. I did not proof reading the posting before hitting submit. Posting updated.

Thanks Gracie

VG

[kagney123]

MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY - EDDY ARNOLD.mpg - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m79zK49WDdE)


LoL I thought of the same thing! thanks for putting the this song up....

[DianeM]

Make the world go away.....:doh:

Kinda what I was thinking. So tired.

[graciegirl]

I wonder about domestic terrorists connected to Islamic extremists during this post Ramadan time.

[kittygilchrist]

Al Jazeera English - Live US, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Sports, Weather & Business News (http://www.aljazeera.com/#)
best source I know for muslim news.

[Bucco]

This warning, which by itself we hope will diffuse any violence, does bring to mind how we have failed totally in the Middle East.

People are dying in Syria, Egypt, and still in Libya with no end in sight. What we referred to as the "Arab spring" with some pride has turned into great opportunity for those who live to kill and in itself is killing so many innocent people.

Thankfully and finally we are addressing Israel/Palestine talks, but we seem, and I say "seem" because you never know what is happening behind the scenes, to ignore all else. At the risk of offending some, we seem more interested in a death, albeit very tragic, of a young man in Florida than the troubling times in the world.

Are we to be the worlds "cop"...I hope not but with power comes responsibility.

[Taltarzac725]

Al Qaeda embassy threats: Sign of shrinking ambition? - CSMonitor.com (http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2013/0804/Al-Qaeda-embassy-threats-Sign-of-shrinking-ambition)

[Bucco]

Obviously our own government is not aware of the links premise.

Our government REDUCES our defenses at embassies (see Benghazi)