how-likely-is-a-nairobi-style-attack-in the US?

http://reason.com/blog/2013/09/30/how-l ... -attack-in

http://reason.com/blog/2013/09/30/how-l ... -attack-in


It has been over a week since the Somali Al Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on a Nairobi mall which has resulted in the deaths of 72 people (including 61 civilians, six members of Kenya’s security forces, and five militants). FBI agents have been sent to the site of the massacre despite the fact that the attack took place in Kenya, was carried out by a group from Somalia, no Americans died in the attack (although five were injured), and the attorney general does not believe that there is verifiable intelligence indicating Americans were among the perpetrators.

According to The Los Angeles Times the FBI agents were sent to Nairobi in order to gather information on any plans to carry out similar attacks in the U.S."...

Any chance that the recent Navy Yard shooting would be a good example of how difficult it would be for a similar event to happen in a public space? How many times does an individual have to confirm their identity pulling into a parking garage at the average mall? Is a background investigation and badge required to gain access to a mall? My CRS is getting worse by the day but didn't we have a recent episode of an individual attempting to plant explosive devices at the Southwest Plaza mall?

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_20334627/attempted-southwest-plaza-bomber-earl-albert-moore-gets

Publicly accessible places will always be favorite targets of terrorist organizations because they are hard to secure, more security impedes commerce. Have a look at Hamas and their tactics sending suicide bombers to buses and markets in Israel. Plenty of examples in present day Iraq and Afghanistan too. So, what's the answer? Maybe start with securing the boarders of our nation? Even secure boarders isn't going to stop the domestic terrorists but it would be a good start IMHO.

I think we have been very lucky with this so far. Imagine if the Boston Brother Bombers had hit a mall with both explosives and gunfire.

The more that people become desperate as it seems like there is little hope the odds will go up.

If the only security is that people are afraid of getting caught after the fact, all you need is one person that does not care about being caught.

My understanding is that this stuff happens here and there in the US. Navy yard, Columbine etc.

So I would assume the more that we screw with other peoples' livers with public policy, the more this is going to happen. To think that mall security or cops with cameras will curtail this would be silly.....both security and attacks are going up. The analysis that should be done is one of causality, one may be able to find that the security is actually causing the attacks.....by pissing off the attackers or presenting a challenge.

Honestly ask yourself, did all the security and investment we made in Iraq and Afghanistan make people want to attack us more or less. I feel like they want to hurt us more, that more people all over the world and in our country hate us more than ever as a group.

Really all there needs to be to have more attacks is less hope. As most of us know, hope is going down.

Today in fact, many Americans have been told the sky is falling. There are many people without hope even today because of today, thus odds go up.

But they are still really really really low.

Very likely in any venue where there are a number of people. Some are willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause. They also become famous because our media makes them famous.

So easy to get into malls and other public access areas, like the parking lots of stadiums for football, baseball, etc. Enough people could be injured w/o taking out the entire stadium.

If some idiot(s) want to, they will find a way.

If/when the number of people killed by terrorist/mass shooters comes close to the number of people killed by drunk drivers, people will begin taking steps to defend themselves in public places. Even the nutty fringe "guns are evil" crowd. And when enough people can protect themselves, those incidents will less likely. Self preservation trumps all.