Danger Imminent - US Embassy shutdown

[amateur51]

Well times have moved on, in case you hadn't noticed. I am sure that the US would not go to such lengths if they did not believe there was a credible threat. Perhaps you would rather they did nothing and hoped for the best? If they are aware of a threat, but unable at this point to locate the key players, then surely the next best option to ensure the safety of their people is to close the embassy temporarily?

The conspiracy theorists really are out in force on these boards nowadays.

I'm sure you're right, Mr Pee if such a threat is real.

But wouldn't it also be sensible not to announce the withdrawal to the world, as others have pointed out?

Nah looks like a stunt to me - abuse me all you want, that's my opinion.

[eighthobstruction]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc7SyffnebI

[Pabmusic]

...Nah looks like a stunt to me - abuse me all you want, that's my opinion.

Yemen says it has foiled a plot:

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

It seems to me that the USA can't win. If they'd withdrawn saying nothing, people would have accused them of hiding information that they 'obviously' knew about (remember the Snowden affair?). "The US should be honest and tell us what's really happening".

But if they tell us, it's "I can't believe they're telling us this - they've never done this before - it must be a stunt".

Perhaps they've put pressure on the Yemenis to lie on their behalf.

[amateur51]

Yemen says it has foiled a plot:

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

It seems to me that the USA can't win. If they'd withdrawn saying nothing, people would have accused them of hiding information that they 'obviously' knew about (remember the Snowden affair?). "The US should be honest and tell us what's really happening".

But if they tell us, it's "I can't believe they're telling us this - they've never done this before - it must be a stunt".

Perhaps they've put pressure on the Yemenis to lie on their behalf.

I understand the thrust of your post, Pabs but the USA (and sadly UK) has such form when it comes to deception and distortion, it has only itself to blame.

That's what living with the Met does for your perspective.

[Pabmusic]

I understand the thrust of your post, Pabs but the USA (and sadly UK) has such form when it comes to deception and distortion, it has only itself to blame.

That's what living with the Met does for your perspective.

Well, I can't say I have no sympathy. I tend to stand alongside David Hume (who was speaking of miracles, and not the USA, of course) when he said "That no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact, which it endeavours to establish". It's actually a version of Occam's Razor - your belief requires rather more effort than mine. Doesn't mean to say I'm right, of course, but in terms of likelihood it probably gives us a clue.

[I had to edit this because I'm in danger of using commas as often as Hume did!]

[amateur51]

Well, I can't say I have no sympathy. I tend to stand alongside David Hume (who was speaking of miracles, and not the USA, of course) when he said "That no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind, that its falsehood would be more miraculous, than the fact, which it endeavours to establish". It's actually a version of Occam's Razor - your belief requires rather more effort than mine. Doesn't mean to say I'm right, of course, but in terms of likelihood, it probably gives us a clue.

New Labourites used to tell me that I had to vote for Tony because "he's the future and however much you may mistrust him, at least you know you can influence him, haul him back from the brink."

Well we are all much the wiser (and sadder, I must say) now.

[scottycelt]

That was nearly a year ago, scotty.

So what time-scale would you suggest that the Americans and other Westerners say to themselves 'ah, we're safe now, the last time such a thing happened was ----'

A week? ... month? ...

[Pabmusic]

New Labourites used to tell me that I had to vote for Tony because "he's the future and however much you may mistrust him, at least you know you can influence him, haul him back from the brink."

Well we are all much the wiser (and sadder, I must say) now.

Oh for an emoticon!

[amateur51]

So what time-scale would you suggest that the Americans and other Westerners say to themselves 'ah, we're safe now, the last time such a thing happened was ----'

A week? ... month? ...

I'd be more impressed if in return you had pointed out that we're coming up to the twelfth anniversary of what our friends call 'nine eleven', scotty.

[An_Inspector_Calls]

As for Americans leaving — advising people to make an unplanned and anxious run for the exits just opens them to attack as they will be leaving familiar surroundings where neighbors can help and protect them, for transit points where they will be concentrated, obvious, and more attractive and vulnerable as targets, whether for a real, orchestrated or “false flag” attack.

How right your expert on security matters was! Just how many died whilst making their emergency exit?

[ahinton]

I am sure that the US would not go to such lengths if they did not believe there was a credible threat.

Even if US does believe that, the two questions that immediately spring to mind are (a) is such a belief justified and by what? and (b) has US given any thought to the manner in which and the extent to which its own conduct has itself encouraged such a threat?

[Resurrection Man]

So you don't think that Western governments run fear driven agendas, RM?
.....

No I don't as I am, thankfully, free of paranoia.

[ahinton]

No I don't as I am, thankfully, free of paranoia.

Good as that may be to hear insofar as it might go, you sadly appear, however, to be equally free from realism and almost abjectly and complacently trusting of Western governments to eschew any such practices or agendas at all times. As a healthy and realistic acceptance that governments (not only Western ones) are not, after all, as trustworthy, moral and blameless as that does not even require paranoia in any case, it hardly matters in this context whether or not you are free from it, "thankfully" or otherwise.

[DublinJimbo]

I'm with the conspiracy theorists. It's too neat altogether to be told that the surveillance regime brought the threat to light. The scare will be used as another stick to beat Snowden with.

[amateur51]

No I don't as I am, thankfully, free of paranoia.

Meaning what exactly? What is your understanding of paranoia in this context?