Winning the War on Terror
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;” Ps 91:4-5
It may seem like stating the obvious, but perhaps the easiest and most effective way to win the war on terrorism is to stop being afraid.
I’ll share some government facts and figures with you to give you an idea of why I say that.
Over the past five years 2,752 have died in the United States as a result of terrorist acts.
In 2005 (most recent available government figures) no one died in this country and 56 US citizens were killed in other countries as a result of terrorism. To put that in context, twice as many people died in the United States during the same period from wasp and bee stings. Your risk of being killed by a terrorist is about at the same as your risk of being hit by a meteor. More people drown in bathtubs in the United States every year than are killed worldwide by terrorists. The Homeland Security budget for this year, however, is $50B.
In comparison, since 9/11, traffic accidents have claimed the lives of over 200,000 people and the National Highway and Traffic Safety Budget is $815M.
2005 was one of the worst hurricane seasons on record with four storms causing $160B in damage and approx 2000 deaths. The budget for Hurricane relief and defense this year is $29B.
We don’t seem to have any problem living in areas where hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods are virtually predictable.
We don’t seem to have any problem dealing with the current risks associated with driving. Government standards are making cars and roads safer and the fatality rate is declining gradually as a result. If we were as frightened about automobile safety as we seem to be about terrorists, though, we could make our cars much safer. We could mandate ignition interlock devices that would virtually eliminate drunk driving. We could eliminate speeding by deploying the sort of automated monitoring equipment already used in Europe. We choose not to because we like the freedom associated with driving our cars.
But somehow when it comes to terrorism, we flinch, open our wallet, and give up our rights.
The only explanation I can come up with is that neither political party really wants the war on terror to end because both continue to perpetuate the myth that there is a significant risk. That reason may be reflected in the budget numbers and the obvious promise that money can buy security.
Money can’t buy security any more that it can buy love. Fortunately, security like love is freely available to whoever sincerely seeks it from the only real source.
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
February 8th, 2007 at 1:10 am
Terrorist? What is a terrorist? One who disagrees with our government’s ideology? Well count me as one who disagrees wholeheartedly with the present regime’s prescription for what ails the world.
“If we were as frightened about automobile safety as we seem to be about terrorists, though, we could make our cars much safer. We could mandate ignition interlock devices that would virtually eliminate drunk driving.”
WTF do drunken driving “offenses” have to do with the American government’s obsession with “war on terrorists”? And with bible quotations, no less. Sheesh. I suppose we should add our own 11th Commandment, eh? “Thou Shalt Not Drive A Vehicle, whether horse-driven or otherwise, under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquors or Thou Shalt Die A Painful Death.” The World might be going to hell around us, but we’re too busy worrying about tipsy drivers among us to see Satan at the door? Get real.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:47 am
Erich,
Not quite sure what you’re getting at here.
I guess we can agree on the fact that our government appears to be obsessed with the war on terrorism. I simply used some statistics about some of the other risks that our government is also spending money to mitigate to try and put the whole thing into some relative context.
You pretty much lost me with your rant about commandments and Satan at the door. You are certainly welcome to your opinion, I’m just not quite sure what it is.
Jeff