Distrust or Derision?

[goesh]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517233,00.html


WASHINGTON — For the first time, an accused domestic terrorist is being added to the FBI's list of "Most Wanted" terror suspects that includes Usama bin Laden.

Daniel Andreas San Diego, a 31-year-old computer specialist from Berkeley, California, is wanted for the 2003 bombings of two corporate offices in California.

Authorities describe San Diego as an animal rights activist who turned to bomb attacks and say he has a tattoo that proclaims, "It only takes a spark."

I may start sporting a tattoo that says, "It only takes 5 lbs of trigger pull."

[AmericanPride]

Why is it absurd to consider that US combat veterans may possibily join right-wing militias? The Army has well known and long-time gang problem -- so what is the difference? I suspect there may be other stereotypes projected here that are unrecognized.

[Ken White]

However, the analysis was poorly done and its release smacks of political games. Your points are accurate, so are those made in the analysis but releasing in the midst of all the Tea Party stuff, intentionally or not, politicized it. Dumb move by Napolitano -- who has now managed to attack Canada...

[jmm99]

would be "From a spark a fire will flare up" - Iskra (spark), transliterating the Russki.

Goesh - youse tough - 5 lbs pull. I'd be thinking more in terms of ounces or grams. But then, I'm just a BB-gunner at heart - and like me, the pieces are old.

Ken - Absolutely correct on the bad timing. The release also occured near in time to Pres. Obama's trip to Mexico where the transnational arms trade was a topic (not handled well with respect to factual accuracy) and his recommendation for adoption of the treaty with respect thereto (ATT - Arms Trade Treaty).

[selil]

Perception can be reality even when not supported by facts. The Hollister riots were blamed on WW2 veterans on motorcycles. The motorcycling industry, after the infamous picture of a drunken (staged) biker, collapsed. Veterans were marginalized. In the 1970s "going postal" became a catch phrase and was often blamed on homicidal Vietnam veterans given preferential treatment entering the Post Office. A subtle misdirection ignoring management, issues with employment, substandard pay, and incidents contrary to the narrative.

[goesh]

I agree that it is not absurd that combat Vets could join radical right wing groups but the salient fact remains that the numbers of disconcerted Vets from the Viet Nam war did not swell the ranks of such groups and there can be no doubt some of their number could have been prime pickins' - a number of my generation got into Left leaning/anti-war type groups - and I would venture to say the number of disgruntled Nam vets far exceeds the current crop of combat Vets. A classic example of Vets going rogue is Gordon Kahl and the Possee Commatatus up in N. Dakota in 1983. He was a WW2 combat Vet and he killed 2 US Marshals and one other Lawman in Arkansas before they put him down for good.

[ODB]

As many of us on here are such, just a few thoughts:

1. What is the root cause that creates disgruntled Vets?
--- I have my own opinions, as do most of us, but wondering what others think is the main cause for this? Yes, everyone is different, but on some levels I think the root cause could be dwindled down to a few reasons, so why not fix those vs. lumping Vets into this?

2. Would returning Vets not be sought by all violent groups, those who want to increase their violent capabilities, or to learn countermeasures? Just a few examples but I think most get my point.

Then sometimes you gotta love the timing of things and how they all get spun by the media and politicians.
Marine with explosives
Fair report by AP at the link, but when googling it, there are numerous different tales told by the headlines.

I have to wonder, as standards are lowered or drafts are instituted how many more potential Vets become disgruntled? Is there a corelation?

This generalization could be boxed up with the civilian vs military perceptions. Unfortunately those few bad apples cause the generalization of the masses.

[Ken White]

on both sides of the ideological divide. Some will join other groups that are not mainstream.

Most will not do those things. Well over 90% won't join anything that's too far out of the mainstream simply because they've already done their out of the mainstream thing.

The number who will join is directly proportional to the total number of veterans -- thus a draft might influence it but lowered entry standards will have little to no effect; in fact, those who tend to join fringe outfits are the sharper folks. The occasional dummy will get sucked in as a gofer but that's rare -- it's the guy or gal who believe they're smart who fall for it and join.