From the 'Is Not Evidence of Absence' Dept.

Comes this story:

SASABE, Mexico, Nov. 3 ? A crackdown along the U.S.-Mexico border designed to prevent terrorists from entering the United States hasn't stopped even one known militant from slipping into America since Sept. 11, an Associated Press investigation has found.

It's a long article with much gray area; I'd caution reading it before jumping to conclusions. (Via Virginia Postrel)

Comments

[Justin Raimondo]

The same might be said of the Iraq war -- which was launched in the name of "fighting them in the streets of Baghdad so we won't have to fight them in the streets of New York," as Governor George Pataki, the Bushies' point man for Iraq put it the other say on MSNBC.

It's funny how the very same people who rail on about 9/11 giving them a blank check to conquer the Known Universe don't give a fig about guarding our own borders.

[Jean Bart]

I suppose you could also argue that the increased activity has made terrorists shy away from the borders.

Can I state the obvious? These "terrrorists" can barely get to targets in a porous place like Iraq, what makes anyone think they can pull off another 9/11 in a much less porous US?

[Steve in CO]

Hey Jean,

I don't think potential Al Qaeda terrorists are going to enter the US via the Rio Grande. And I doubt anything as audacious as 9/11 will be accomplished until they get their hands on a nuke or large dirty bomb. What we may see in the mean time is more John Mohammads and some day, suicide bombers.

That day may not come for some time. However if we continue with our current hyperactive foreign policy it most definitely will be sooner, rather than later. And of course, the blame will be laid squarely on those who oppose our agressive stance, rather than on the decisions made post-9/11.

[R. C. Dean]

However if we continue with our current hyperactive foreign policy it most definitely will be sooner, rather than later.

Funny, they attacked us and killed thousands before our current "hyperactive" foreign policy.

I would say that the odds are that it would be sooner, rather than later, if we hadn't carried the fight to them. Seeing as, when we didn't carry the fight to them, they most definitely carried it to us.

[Truth]

Justin: We know they don't give a shit about OUR borders, the Likudniks that run this country care more about building a wall around their own little tyranny. But don't expect Welchie and his corporate buddies to mention it here!

[the terrorists have already wo]

Actually R.C. Dean, they have been bringing the war to you for a very long time. The Sheeple in 'murika just don't pay attention, so they needed a little wake up call. Its funny how 9/11 is the 'first terrorist attack', so easily the sheepole forget Lockerbie, The first Trade Center bombing, Countless embassie bombings, USS Cole, the list is endless.

It was only when a few rich white people had a building fall on them that other rich white people in politics decided that 'we were attacked'. When a few poor lower income kids get blown up in a barracks nobody gave a shit. When a few sailors took one, nobody gave a shit, only after a few millionaires got smashed did anyone even look up from thier Survivor reruns to notice that there is some serious shit going on in the world.

What scares me the most is, I have little doubt that the current administration doesnt want to do much to stop terrorisim in the 'homeland'. Thier actions certainly show that its not really a priority, just talk alot of talk, but dont act. Ask yourself, how many more freedoms will they assault when people are blowing themselves up at the mall. The answer, all the ones they havent been able to assult yet.

[JDM]

Ha ha, jackass! Survivor doesn't even have reruns. What a moron!

[POT: ITS WHATS FOR DINNER]

Either they are damn good terrorists or not all the pot confiscated at the border is going to the evidence locker!

[Mona]

terrorists have already won: WRT your notion that the response to 9/11 is attributable to some rich white people dying, get fucking real. I'm not rich, and neither is my adult son. That morning I was in Dallas and he in our home in Indiana, both of us were sheerly terrified, and I was stranded away from all of my family because, you see, no airplane was going anywhere.

He got his kids from daycare and went home, and we stayed in constant email and telephone contact (whilst glued to the TV) wondering where the next target was going to be and what other cells were out there with various modes of cataclismic destruction awaiting us; we live close to Chicago. You dolt, the attack took place on our soil, was enormous, unexpected, and a civilian target. The country was paralyzed and in shock, white, black and brown people alike.

None of which is to say I endorse all that has followed from 9/11. I remain nervously supportive of the war in Iraq, but totally opposed to most of the Patriot Act. I do find some arguments contra the war with Iraq persuasive, but yours is enough to drive people into the arms of hawks.

[StMack]

Terrorist have already won,

Let me get this out of the way first - you're an ass.

I'm guessing you would have preferrred a response to 9/11 much closer to lip bighting, a few fake tears and a police style investigation.

Could it ever penetrate the racist barrier to rational thinking that surrounds your mind that the difference in reponse has much more to do with who was responding?

[Ruthless]

Everyone here should listen to the song, "Gimme Three Steps" by Lynyrd Skynryd.
US policy should be like the poor guy staring down a 44, who managed to talk the "terrorist" into giving him 3 steps toward the door.
If we "escape," we need to spend time making a list of our behaviour patterns leading us into this serious violence.

[Anonymous]

"The country was paralyzed ..."

Get real. The only thing "parlyzed" was air travel, thanks to our gummint overreacting. Not to say that grounding the planes for a few hours, or even a day, wasn't called for. But if the possibility never entered your mind that the government (or natural forces) could strand you for a day or two, you are ignorant.

More people die of food poisoning every year than terrorism. And I've been more paralyzed stranded because of blizzards and floods.