] In radicalizing your apathetic sympathizers, you have no
] better ally than the violent extremists on the other side.
] Only they can convince your people that compromise is
] impossible. Only they can raise your countrymen's level
] of fear and despair to the point that large numbers are
] willing to take up arms and follow your lead. A few blown
] up apartment buildings and dead schoolchildren will get
] you more recruits than the best revolutionary tracts ever
] written.

Occasionally something smart pops out of the Kos. I think this is a reasonable view of the situation. Its worth a read, even if some of it is review.

The only thing I really didn't like about this essay was his answer to question 9. Three reasons:

1. His answer contradicts question 8. I don't agree with 8 either, but I'm willing to allow the possibility that he's right. Either way, if BL didn't need a terrorist attack in September he doesn't need one in January, if he couldn't get one in September he won't be able to get one in Jan.

2. I don't see how BL can act to widen the war through an attack on U.S. soil. We know BL is in Pakistan. We're already going there. An attack here would not make that happen any faster. He has to create foreign conflicts and draw us into them. Thats actually not terribly easy.

3. The "lets pick a likely target" exercise was slightly offensive. No, you don't know. Yes, you picked one of your political enemies. Yes, that does detract from your overall credibility.

Daily Kos :: The cycle of violence