Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Ash_F

(5,861 posts)
39. This is actually a common "policing" tactic and has been around a long time.
Thu May 10, 2012, 05:52 AM
May 2012

The modern term is COINTELPRO but the concept has been around as long as there has been bureaucracy. The executive force, be it employed democratically, by royalty or despots, needs to justify it's existence. If it does not appear to be doing anything, it is danger of being removed.

So they go out and find someone predisposed to committing a crime, typically someone gullible with a rock bottom IQ. Convince them to commit a crime. Train them and encourage them along the way. Then step in at the last moment to "stop" them. The argument in favor of this concept is that these people, even without encouragement or help, would eventually carry out a similar crime anyway. But someone who is that gullible and malleable is unlikely to do anything on their own. So it is a huge waste of time and resources. Not to mention a manipulation of people who are often borderline retarded.

So the bad guy goes to jail and the agency's existence is justified because obviously the bad guy's lurk right outside our windows, poised to strike if not for their vigilance. This was not "Al Qaeda". The "Al Qaeda Yemen Branch" is not a real organization in the way that Al Qaeda in Afghanistan used to be a real organization, or the way the CIA is a real organization. These were just some idiots with anti-American sentiments. Most people would not think that much about it and just see in the news:"terror plot foiled" and think "GOOD JOB CIA".

Gullible people all around.

It's amazing what these terrorists can do with our help Ezlivin May 2012 #1
While I'm certain ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2012 #5
LA Times story here: muriel_volestrangler May 2012 #2
Awesome! zappaman May 2012 #3
Hooo-leeee shit. So, the bomber...wasn't? Poll_Blind May 2012 #4
Uh-oh...the Saudis again! KansDem May 2012 #8
I called it yesterday as a PR stunt as damage control for all the people they have been murdering. Arctic Dave May 2012 #20
Yeah, that Obama character is a real bastard Nuclear Unicorn May 2012 #28
Obama is part of the CIA? Who knew? Arctic Dave May 2012 #34
Oh, I see. Obama is Bush to Panetta's Cheney. Nuclear Unicorn May 2012 #35
So you are saying Obama is involved in the day to day Arctic Dave May 2012 #37
Keeping us safe by creating, then foiling their own plots. DCKit May 2012 #6
Yes, cuz Al Qaida would never think of hurting us zappaman May 2012 #7
I admire your determination whatchamacallit May 2012 #11
I admire your determination zappaman May 2012 #12
Lol, one thing's for sure whatchamacallit May 2012 #13
Ever notice how these posts always blame the amorphous "they" Nuclear Unicorn May 2012 #30
This is actually a common "policing" tactic and has been around a long time. Ash_F May 2012 #39
Everything is Broken... Bennyboy May 2012 #9
Including the link. TalkingDog May 2012 #10
Should be fixed now Amerigo Vespucci May 2012 #25
If you can't trust an Al-Qaida bomber any more, who can you trust? slackmaster May 2012 #14
LOL truly n/t flamingdem May 2012 #38
So now the terrorist market has declined so precipitously that we have to subsidize them . . . MrModerate May 2012 #15
We've always subsidized them. Now, we're staffing them, too. nt EFerrari May 2012 #27
FEAR, FEAR, TERRA, TERRA! Odin2005 May 2012 #16
Bush/Chemey set the stage for this and Romney gave the final go-ahead cosmicone May 2012 #17
It sucks to be AQ these days - they cannot trust anyone now, including their own jpak May 2012 #18
I guess his cover is blown. TahitiNut May 2012 #19
Please fix your link. (nt) Skinner May 2012 #21
Not sure what happened, but... Amerigo Vespucci May 2012 #23
Thanks. Skinner May 2012 #24
I could easily join in on the cynicism in this thread, but this actually seems like a good thing. truthisfreedom May 2012 #22
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! zappaman May 2012 #29
FBI organizes almost all terror plots in the US jakeXT May 2012 #26
It's kind of like the David Berkowitz thing Nuclear Unicorn May 2012 #31
You have to give them credit for bringing some of the dumbest of the dumb out of the woodwork slackmaster May 2012 #32
Change that lead to,"The CIA had America fooled from the beginning." Much of Al-Qaida is the CIA. leveymg May 2012 #33
Al-CIA-DUH, run for your lives. sarcasmo May 2012 #36
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Officials: Al-Qaida bombe...»Reply #39