Posts in "Security"

On a Road to Disaster

Feb 22, 2010 at 2:32 PM

Baloch Warriors from the 1800s The New York Times recently reported that a “NATO airstrike on Sunday against what international troops believed to be a group of insurgents ended up killing 27 civilians in the worst episode involving noncombatant deaths in six months, Afghan officials said on Monday.”

NATO, an international organization which is supposed to “safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries,” found it necessary to kill innocent civilians in the name of freedom and security. Understanding that civilian casualties are always and should always be expected, targeting 27 is hardly just a "mistake."

This not only represents the failure of international organizations to promote anything for the common good, but it also shows how the strategy in Afghanistan is inherently flawed and on a road to disaster.

It’s extremely difficult to fight a land war in Afghanistan, let alone win a war on an ideology.

TSA Targeting "Anti-Goverment" Groups

Jan 13, 2010 at 8:23 AM

By Alex Kharam

This makes me sick: Obama nominated this man for the TSA, seen here ranting against pro-lifers, Christians, and those who are "anti-government," among others. Does that put YAL on the no-fly list? Know your rights when you go to the airport.

Comments (4)

That disallowing trips to the bathroom thing is a GENIUS plan, guys.

Jan 8, 2010 at 8:34 AM

By Bonnie Kristian

That's not to say we shouldn't take measures to stop terrorism. Absolutely, we should. It would be unjust and foolish not to do so. But we must take reasonable measures, and it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to me to say that looking into possible motives for this terrorism (and not just the motives we want to be true) is going to be a more productive activity than simply making ridiculous but ineffective airport security measures more ridiculous. As Glenn Greenwald explains,

to discuss causes of Terrorism is not to imply justification; one can seek to understand what we do to fuel Terrorism without suggesting that the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians is in any way legitimate or justified.

Read the rest of his piece here.

Security Forces Involved In Massive Attack In Baghdad

Dec 18, 2009 at 8:05 AM

By Jihan Huq

iraq Democray at its best!

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Malaki accused members of the Iraqi Security Forces of being involved in last week's attacks. The attacks have left 127 people dead and 500+ wounded.

Malaki stated: "The network was a large one, 24 from one arm of the Iraqi security forces, 12 from another, and eight or nine from another." Top officials have also been arrested after many of the attacks.

Despite security increases in Baghdad, the endless violence keeps continues and no one is exactly sure why.

Bag Check

Oct 19, 2009 at 9:02 AM

By Bonnie Kristian

Who doesn't love the TSA and their water-stealing practices?

Comments (3)

Does government really keep us safe?

Dec 25, 2008 at 6:08 AM

By Bonnie Kristian

This past semester I took a course in logic, which included a very extensive discussion of a little over 15 major logical fallacies, such as the straw man argument or argument ad verecundiam, or appeal to false authority. By the end of the semester, my roommate - who was also in the class - and I would have whole conversations attempting to call each other out on fallacies (incredibly geeky, I know). Anyway, formal knowledge of logic and logical fallacies is particularly helpful in politics, because political rhetoric is frequently rife with unnoticed logical errors (I'd recommend a logic