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Homeland Security Getting Serious About Terrorism! by Rich Arland, K7SZ |
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Two days ago the Department of Homeland Security raised our threat level to Orange, or High, due to intercepted ELINT and/or HUMINT sources indicating that Al Qaeda is readying another attack on the United States and/or American interests either at home or abroad. Many people complain “Not again! Nothing happened the last time we went Orange, why should we pay attention now?” This is the kind of thinking that the terrorists want us to assume. It’s also the kind of thinking that can get people killed by lulling them into a false sense of security so they’re not observant of their surroundings. Terrorists are cowards. They depend upon deception, stealth, and subversion to accomplish their goals of killing innocent people and assaulting non-military targets in the name of their cause. They also depend upon the apathy, indifference, and boredom of their target(s) to aid in the completion of their mission. As concerned Americans who enjoy the common bond of radio communications, we need to be more vigilant during times of elevated national security. Our eyes and ears are intelligence tools that can assist our government in thwarting the terrorist threat. Our ability to rapidly communicate what we see and hear to the proper authorities puts all of us in a unique position as valuable counter-terrorism assets in our country’s war on terror.
Who, you ask, are the “proper authorities”?
Your local, county, or state police, of course. They are the first line of
defense against terrorism. Load their phone numbers (provided they don’t
have an active 911 system in place) into your cell phone speed dial. Time
is one thing that is not on our side when it comes to terrorism. Be
observant as you travel. If something doesn’t seem or feel right, err on
the side of caution; report it to the local authorities immediately.
Obviously, use common sense and don’t start “crying wolf.”
While we’re on the subject, I’d like to offer
the following observation for those who think the war on terror is a
static game, or a war of words and little else. We, as a nation, are
engaged in a “shadow war.” We measure success not by the incidents that
happen but by the incidents that don’t happen. The problem for most
Americans is that they have become so indoctrinated by the news media that
they cannot grasp this concept. |
A photo shot from the front of the new
Mobile Command Post. This Suburban was an unused fire/EMS vehicle that was
sitting on the city’s motor pool lot. Now it is a state-of-the-art
communications center. |
