What Is Al-Quaida's Best Next Move?

:shock: It’s too damned quiet! So tell me, is there going to be another 9/11 or not? Over the past several years myself and everyone else I know is, still, waiting for, ‘the next shoe to drop’; and things don’t seem to be getting any better. I’m an old chess player; and one of the things you always have to do in chess is to view the board from your opponent’s perspective. So, here goes:

Question: Will there be another 9/11 style airplane attack using American planes on American soil?

My Answer: Quite frankly the odds are against it – a foreign plane, perhaps, but not an American one.

Question: At the present time does this sort of aerial attack continue to be attractive to Al-Quaida?

My Answer: No, not really! At this time I do not believe another aerial event is high on Al-Quaida’s list of, both, attractive and possible terror activities. These people think in terms of, ‘big events’ and ‘big numbers’. Today, an airplane or two, striking a couple of buildings would be passé. Even Tom Ridge is expecting it; and, at best, another aerial event holds only a, ‘diminished shock value’ for these terrorists.

Other popular rumors I’ve heard include: Threatened attacks against famous national institutions like the White House or the Statue of Liberty; but, again, these attacks don’t seem very likely to me. The White House is more than safe because it's well-known to be a, 'hard target'; and I doubt that even a crazed Muslim fanatic would waste himself on a lesser object like the Statue of Liberty – no matter how symbolic it may be.

Then there’s that most intriguing of rumors, often repeated but largely unsubstantiated, that Osama Bin Laden has promised to commit suicide, right here, in America at sometime in the near future; and, to make matters worse, I’ve, also, heard that Al-Quaida has, ‘The Bomb’. Exactly which model is open to speculation; but most authorities agree: Al-Quaida DOES have, 'The Bomb'!

Now, do you see, ‘Why’ I’m nervous! My home is within the, ‘blast range’ of New York City; and I keep asking myself; ‘What are these people going to do next?’

Question: So, with the given rumors in hand, and assuming that only part of this information may be correct: ‘What’ would be the most plausible method of attack for a relatively low-tech group of Muslim fanatics whose historical, ‘strong suite’ is an unabashed willingness to sacrifice themselves in violent confrontation?

Imagine, if you will: Here you are, a murderous Muslim fanatic with a medieval mindset, barbaric religious scruples, and deep-seated craving for violence and revenge. Your heart is full of hate; your intellect is, still, locked up deep inside a, ‘crusade mentality’; AND, you’ve managed to acquire a really big bomb! Let’s remember that delivery is a serious problem; and you don’t have a B-1 bomber to come flying in on. What do you do? …… What do you do?

My Answer: Well, now, how about that most unobtrusive and readily available of low tech delivery systems – a well-traveled commercial ship! That’s right, A SHIP! If I were playing, ‘chess’ with Osama Bin Laden and his ilk this is, ‘How’ I would view, ‘the game’ from his point-of-view!

There are fewer than a dozen principal commercial entry ports in North America. If only 4 or 5 of them were to be successfully attacked and rendered inoperable, then, life as we have known it in the Western world would change forever; and the extraordinarily high, ‘body count’ would be exactly what Al-Quaida is looking for!

Question: Are we, as a nation, truly ready AND able to defend our ports?

My Answer: No, not from what I've seen - so far!

Question: Are North American commercial ports, really, easy targets for a devastating low tech/big bomb attack?

My Answer: Yes, they are - and beyond any shadow of doubt, too!

Question: Is the probability of carrying out successful attack weighted in favor of these insane Muslim aggressors?

My Answer: Yes, unquestionably, it is!

Question: Is Al-Quaida going to attempt this sort of attack(s)?

My Answer: In my opinion, they would be very foolish to overlook this blatantly obvious, 'soft belly' in America's defensive armor.

My Conclusion: Coordinated Atomic bomb attacks on America’s principal commercial ports is the next, ‘smart move’ on Osama Bin Laden’s, 'terror chess board'.

What a damned shame that in spite of the Patriot Act, and the sacrifice of so many of our cherished historical freedoms, America is, still, goofing around, foolishly involved in a broad range of loosely organized military ventures all across the globe while our homeland remains, quite literally, wide open to devastating attack!

We don’t need to disband our hard-won civil liberties in order to protect this nation; instead, we need to protect our main ports of entry, as well as to take a lesson from our forefathers by defending ourselves against America’s, skulking, ‘fifth column’ enemy that is, unmistakably, well-hidden and waiting – within!

Pray that I’m wrong; I know I do.