Vassallo, Scruggs Debate: How U.S. Can Stop the Spread of Terrorism

With terror escalating throughout the world including the US to the degree it is, business as usual is no longer acceptable. Following is a multi-point plan that should be considered in dealing with this global menace.

1. Profile all Muslim groups both trying to enter the country and those already here. Until Muslim Americans begin whistle-blowing on terrorist activities (unlike CA) extreme measures must be enforced.

2. The new President must devise a comprehensive plan coordinated with the Pentagon to destroy the ISIS presence in Iraq and retake Mosul which has now been under ISIS control for two years. It’s apparent the current administration is content with the policy…”less is better.”

3. Establish a worldwide Islam Peace Corps to reward Muslims who share information leading to the capture and destruction of terrorists.

4. Eliminate visas from Middle East countries except for business entries.

5. Issue an ultimatum to states that sponsor terrorism…proceed at your own risk!

6. Seal our Southern border at all costs. Build a wall for starters and screen everyone entering until it is 100% certain they are crossing for all the right reasons.

7. The Republican Party needs to solidify its support behind Donald Trump to ensure the White House does not remain under Democratic rule. A Clinton administration will continue the dangerous policies of the previous seven years.

8. The US Military must be raised to increased levels of readiness via a draft, significantly more funding and community interaction to assist local law enforcement on the borders, at public locations such as airports and to become highly visible throughout society.

The above measures may seem extreme, however, what is happening on a regular basis throughout Europe as well as in the US is also extreme. We are not being attacked by nice people. Fighting fire with fire is apparently the only alternative these savages understand. The time has come to return another Ronald Reagan to the White House!

Dick Scruggs: “We must remain ever vigilant, but not overreact to the actual threat of terrorism.

Richard “Dickie” Scruggs

We must remain ever vigilant, but Steve’s proposals are an overreaction to the actual threat of terrorism, and, if imposed, could actually worsen the problem.

The goal of all terrorists is to scare a population into forcing political change. At a recent seminar at MIT, Radcliffe Dean Louise Richardson gave the generally accepted definition of terrorism as “the deliberate targeting of noncombatants for a political purpose.”

In America we have suffered spectacular terrorist attacks from Islamic extremists. Who can erase the horrible scenes of 9/11, and more recently the Boston Marathon bombings and the San Bernardino shootings. Europe, with large, unassimilated Muslim and ethnic enclaves, arguably has it worse, as demonstrated by the recent Paris attacks and the still playing-out bombings in Brussels.

The victims of these attacks suffered horribly. And because of their brutality and notoriety, the attacks have understandably frightened us. That, of course, is one of the goals—to scare us into overreacting. Steve’s proposals are an overreaction.

Here’s why:

1. As horrible as an attack is for the victims, the chance of becoming a victim of terrorists in America is highly remote. According to the firm Global Research, the odds are 1-in-25 million. By comparison, the odds of being killed by falling in your tub are 1-in-600 thousand. Of all the ways to die an unnatural death, being killed by a terrorist ranks down there with the chances of being eaten by an alligator at a college football game.

2. Regardless of what some candidates for President are saying, we already have an unparalleled, world class counter-terrorism apparatus. Since 9/11 the beefed-up FBI, CIA, NSA and the new National Counter Terrorism Center have done a remarkably good job, having detected and thwarted scores of plots and infiltrated communities where terrorists are likely to breed. Our guys have been so effective that only a few lone-wolf attacks have succeeded, and those perpetrators were caught (or killed) almost immediately. What’s more, those attacks would have arguably succeeded even if more severe measures had been imposed. In Iraq and Syria drone strikes and Special Forces raids are gutting the leadership of ISIS and other terrorist organizations. And friendly military forces have gained the initiative on the ground, having just reclaimed Palmyra (Syria) from ISIS control.

3. Overreaction gives the terrorists a win. They will have succeeded in scaring us into forcing our government to impose severe measures that will only restrict our own freedoms and cause the radicalization of our loyal and law-abiding Muslim citizens, thus compounding the problem.

4. Some of Steve’s suggestions bear little relationship to Islamic terrorism. Walling off the Mexican border, for instance. While there have clearly been some thugs who’ve crossed that border, I am unaware of Islamic terrorists getting through.

5. Finally, Steve’s prescription will not guarantee security from terror attacks. Nothing we do can stop every single person who wants to commit suicide and murder some of us in the process. There is a point of diminishing returns where more security provides little additional protection, costing us instead loss of freedom and privacy.

As scary as terrorism can be, we should keep its risk in perspective. And we shouldn’t do things that will make the problem worse, or that have little connection to fighting terrorism.

Dickie Scruggs is one of Oxford’s best-known former attorneys who now expresses his passion for adult education through the GED in a unique state-wide program he has developed, aptly called “Second Chance.” Scruggs is a well known Democrat and anchors the position of the Left in Point/No-Point. He can be reached at DickScruggs@gmail.com.

Steve Vassallo of Oxford is a frequent contributor to HottyToddy.com covering a wide range of subjects. An arch conservative, the popular columnist holds the political position of the Right in Point/No-Point. He can be reached at sovassallo@gmail.com.

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