That's 20 Million to 1
The mission of the Global War on Terror (GWOT) is to "Keep Us Safe.". That's been the government mantra by Bush and Obama.
Ok, let me get this straight. So for the sake of 20,000,000 to 1 Odds, the government has us so scared that we are willing to give up Constitutional freedoms, incur ruinous amounts of debt, and forsake our morality and sense of decency? The GWOT is an INSANE response to such a small threat.
Let's just be honest with ourselves. The GWOT benefits first and foremost the Military Industrial Complex (MIC) and Surveillance Industrial Complex (SIC). Oh, and of course the Oil companies.
The GWOT is no longer about ridding the world of goat herders with AK47s who hate America. And god knows that US policies have done everything possible to MAKE them hate us.
When did you ever hear any leader say "Let's not be Paranoid people. The Odds of Dying by Terrorist are extremely low." You won't hear that because it just doesn't fit the narrative that perpetuates the GWOT.
Odds for Causes of Death
Here are the odds for Cause of Death. The size of each colored square indicates the proportional odds of each event happening to you. Getting killed by Lightning strike is 126,000 to 1. Note that Death by Terrorist Attack (20,000,000 to 1) falls at the bottom of the list. The proportional square is so small it is invisible.
[Click pic to embiggen.]
Civil Liberties
So for 20,000,000 to 1 Odds...
Are you are willing to let them shred the 4th Amendment. -- Just like they are throwing out yesterday's newspaper.
Yeah, true. Your Privacy isn't worth real money, is it?
It's not like we're talkin' about Gun Rights. God no! If I tried to mess with your gun rights, you'd tear my heart out and eat it.
What's the worst that could happen?
Sure, the Banksters told the government to classify OWS (Occupy Wall Street) as a terrorist organization -- which made them fair game for PRISM use. But c'mon, they're just a bunch Dirty Fuckin' Hippies exercising that quaint Free Speech crap. I think we can all agree, they deserved to be the investigated (and pepper sprayed). (snark obviously)
Then who is next to be classified as terrorists? Will The Raging Grannies for Peace piss off the MIC? Or maybe Green Peace will piss off an Oil company? Beware, don't piss off the wrong people. If you think PRISM will be limited to investigating terrorism exclusively, now and forever, I have a bridge to sell you.
Just a reminder of what you are saying is No Big Deal.
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Financial Costs
So for 20,000,000 to 1 Odds...
Will you will let them:
- Spend the country into ruinous debt. By one estimate we've spent $7 Trillion on the GWOT over the past decade. If you are one of the 69 million citizens who pay tax, then your share of the debt from the GWOT is $110,145. Will you be paying with cash or credit please?
- Cut your Social Security and Medicare benefits. All this Austerity is about transferring Taxpayer money from social programs to the GWOT (aka Socialism for the MIC and SIC).
- Let the country fall apart. If you haven't noticed, the US infrastructure is crumbling, we're laying off hundreds of thousands of teachers, police and firefighters. And the numbers of Poor People living below the poverty line has exploded. Yet, there always seems to be more money for bullets and bombs.
Moral Costs
So for 20,000,000 to 1 Odds...
The US had become the Torture country. Bush secretly introduced Torture. Obama legalized it.
We drone sovereign nations with hell fire missiles, killing the 'bad guy' and everyone one sitting nearby including the children. This program creates more hatred for America than it eliminates.
One conservative estimate puts the current civilians death toll at 300,000 people. I've seen other numbers as high as 1.5 million.
I don't even know why I include this category since human life has become a worthless commodity in today's "Greed is Good" world. It's just a moral question for the few people who trouble themselves with quaint ideas such as Morality and the value of human life. As for lost limbs and other disfigurements, you can probably multiply the death count for an approximation. For the sake of argument, shall we say 3,000,000 people with disfigurements.
When does it stop?
Sanity Check
So for 20,000,000 to 1 Odds...
Do you really believe any of the above real costs for the GWOT are justified?
Do you really think they are fighting us because they hate our Freedoms? Or is it because we are occupying their countries, killing their family and friends and installing the people we want in power?
If you believe the GWOT is a fair and measured response, I have one more question for you.
Are You Freaking Insane?!
Footnotes: Feel free to disagree with any of the estimated numbers presented since there are multiple views on these from various sources. However, I will argue they all support the same conclusion.
Source: Odds of dying by Terrorist, 2M to 1
http://swampland.time.com/...
Source: Odds of Dying graphic (PDF file)
National Safety Council
http://www.nsc.org/...
