3 - count 'em - 3 different terrorist attacks today.

[jazzimov]

I don't have a link as yet, I heard it listening to NPR radio news on the way home today.

1 - The Government of Yemen claimed that they were able to foil an al Qaeda plot to launch missiles that were targeting foreign embassies. Of course, this was a news blurb from the Yemini government, so it is not clear if it's true or if Yemen "powers that be" were taking advantage of the US actions. I hope we will know more soon.

2 - a gas pipeline was targeted to be bombed. No details were given.

3 - in an attempt that NPR compared to the bombing of the USS Cole, several ships were targeted in the Red Sea.

Now, I don't have any confirmation that any of these are true as yet. But, since there were so many premature posts that the announcement was just a "wag the dog" attempt to take attention away from the NSA. I feel that I am justified in what may be premature attention to "no, these were real threats".

BTW, there was some question as to why the Iraq, Afghan, and Pakistan embassies were allowed to re-open. Well, considering their respective recent histories these are obviously the most well-fortified embassies and the most ready for any attack. If the other potential targets were closed, it's almost like the US was saying "go on, hit me here. I dare you!"

It's a trap!

[JaneyVee]

1. I heard Yemen stopped an AQ plot to explode pipelines and seaports.

And an India consulate in Afghanistan was attacked killing 10 civilians.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. You know what is hysterical...

According to analysts, yes on NPR, Yemeni threats are a weekly thing.

Please do chew on that one after looking at a map.

And yes, governments do manipulate populations...you can take that to the bank

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

3. Sounds like a slow wednesday in Iraq

zzzZzzz

[randome]

5. Unfortunately, that is both funny and true.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[cali]

4. I don't think this was wag the dog to shift attention from the NSA

I don't doubt that there is a resurgent AQ in the Arabian Peninsula, concentrated particularly in Yemen. We've certainly helped recruitment hugely. Public sentiment in Yemen has become even more anti-American, anti-West since the U.S. increased drone killings dramatically starting in 2012. Estimates are that we've killed about 90 civilians including children with drone strikes in Yemen. Most of these drone strikes have been signature strikes and their are well documented cases of double tapping.

[geek tragedy]

6. You're more reasonable on this than many.

The wag the dog commentary is pretty prevalent here--echoing 1997-1998 Republicans.

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

8. pfft... more like 01-08 Democrats and Duers

to be more REASONABLE.

[geek tragedy]

9. No, exactly like the Gingrich Republicans.

There is a big difference between Bush's barrage of terror alerts and this unusual action/response from Obama.

Those smart enough to realize that Obama is not anywhere near as bad as Bush manage to avoid acting like Gingrich Republicans.

It's typically the Ron Paul loving libertarian losers who are breaking out the wag the dog conspiracy theory.

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

12. That is a scurrilous smear against DUers, and a specious argument

calling BS on the neoCON's BS terror alerts, and calling BS on the neoLIBs terror alerts are APPLES to APPLES.

What the rethugs were doing in the 90's isn't even about the same thing.

Only the ignorant, partisan, totalitarian, scum sucking, a$$ kissing, lackeys would buy that nonsense.

[geek tragedy]

13. Truth hurts, eh?

At least the Gingrich Republucans were upfront about their status as partisan hacks who wanted to bring Clinton down at all costs.

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

14. to the partisan hacks who do not like their lame nonsense to be noted

[geek tragedy]

15. Fuck Ron Paul. nt

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

17. And Fuck his Son, too!

And all the dumbshit, partisan, bootlicking totalitarian lackeys who support all this TERROR FUCKING BULLSHIT to justify MASS MURDER, and MASS SPYING on EVERYONE!

They all are TRAITORS, the lowest form of scum on the planet, imho.

[treestar]

29. Why are you then allowed to "smear"

Your bolded part is laughable, too.

[snooper2]

30. you are a riot LOL

What are you going to do with your percentage of the 3Trillion when you get it?

[n2doc]

21. Targeted announcements are far more effective than a constant barrage

Obama is smarter than Bush. His underlings are too. We already knew that.

[geek tragedy]

22. Any evidence that Obama is fabricating this threat, or are you just substituting imagination

for evidence?

[n2doc]

24. I have no more evidence that these were fabricated

than you have that they are real.

[geek tragedy]

25. The closings of the embassies and ramped up security in Yemen, plus

a sudden intensification of drone strikes in Yemen serve as circumstancial evidence.

Also, the fact that the administration asked media outlets to avoid publishing certain details as they could have given away operational details about intelligence gathering.

[n2doc]

26. Well then I stand corrected

There were terrorist attacks, by us, on Yemenis. And of course an attack on the 1st amendment by our 'progressive' administration.

When W did these things, did you support him? When his department of homeland security raised the terror alert status periodically, did you support him? Did you support the 'surge' to attack terrorists in Iraq during our occupation there? Be honest.

[geek tragedy]

32. "an attack on the 1st amendment."

must have missed that one.

Bush lied us into a war, and routinely exploited terrorism as a political weapon. Routinely.

Did not support either the surge nor the 'terra alerts.'

[SidDithers]

23. Nailed it...

It's typically the Ron Paul loving libertarian losers who are breaking out the wag the dog conspiracy theory.

Sid

[n2doc]

27. Those who resort to insults typically have lost the argument n/t

[cali]

19. I don't like stupid and I don't care where it comes from

but back to Yemen; I think what the U.S. is doing in Yemen is stupid and counterproductive. We're propping up a President and creating the conditions for him to be dragged from the Presidency. We're drone bombing the shit out of Yemen and it's naturally making people furious. It's not wag the dog but it sucks all the same. And why? We're increasing recruitment for AQ.

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

7. I do

otherwise they wouldn't have blared it all over the M$M.

these kinds of alerts, and actual attacks are going on all the time over there.

This was purely wag-the-dog, imho.

[cali]

31. then I suggest reading more about Yemen

and about this latest expansion of the War on Terror. This escalation in Yemen has been going on- and planned- for quite some time. Starting in 2012 there was a dramatic escalation of drone killings: 54 in that year. In the days before the announcement of the Embassy closures and the removal of Embassy personnel, there were 3 drone attacks. And there's oil in Yemen. It's their chief export.

As some writer said, the U.S. is propping up Mansur Hadi's government with one hand and dragging it down with the other. The government of Yemen which controls only portions of the country is a thoroughly corrupt one. The Arab Spring there which occurred in 2011 hardly brought improvements to the country. Hadi, btw, was elected with over 99% of the vote.

this isn't about Greenwald or the NSA. I rather wish it were. It's far more serious than that and it has wide reaching implications in a way a momentary distraction does not.

[jazzimov]

10. Here's a link to the NPR website:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/08/07/209765048/yemeni-government-says-al-qaida-plot-was-foiled

Although it doesn't say anything about the missiles targeting foreign embassies. Although it does link to this BBC article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23598516

[99Forever]

11. Get back to us when...

... you've "got the details" and some actual verifiable evidence, beyond what someone "says."

[WilliamPitt]

16. 1. Didn't happen. 2. Didn't happen. 3. Didn't happen.`

Wow. Helluva thing to see Americans startled so easily.

No, wait. That's the new America.

Congratulations. You just reeled off three press releases.

About nothing.

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

18. Thank you.

Though i originally thought only a DERP was required... but on second thought I remembered that a lot of these folks need it spelled out to them like they are 2 year olds.

[Junkdrawer]

20. Get better writers and you don't have to beat the shit out of journalists...

Old MO:
Send cruise missiles/drones. Deny. Beat the shit out of and jail journalists who report the lie.

New MO:
Detect chatter. Close embassies, declare travel alert. Send cruise missiles/drones. Declare victory.

[treestar]

28. they'll just make snide posts to the effect that

if they can't all be prevented and AQ is not totally dead, it's a failure anyway. No point in doing anything at all if it can't all be done at once. No progress is allowed to take more than a couple of days. If it can't be done immediately, it's a failure. No single payer, don't bother with anything that moves towards it.