I've basically sworn off of Meet The Press since Tim Russert died, but, this morning I had it on for background noise while doing some house chores and I'm glad I tuned in. This morning, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich boiled the vast, epic failure of the Republican Party on matters of national security down to a single, concentrated drop.
First, let's be clear: a terrorist organization's primary goal isn't to kill people, its to terrorize them. Its right there in the name-- terrorist, terrorize-- same root. Yes, randomly killing civilians is a common way that terrorists terrorize people, but its only a ghastly means to a political end; the primary goal of terrorism is to drive a population crazy with fear to the point that their leaders cede to the terrorists' demands. Make a population scared enough and its leaders will do just about anything to make the craziness stop and restore the peace. It seems ridiculous to have to say it, but creating fear is the very essence and goal of terrorism.
With this in mind, let's have a look at Newt Gingrich's statements on Meet The Press this morning (emphasis mine):
REP. GINGRICH: Let me just say, I think people should be afraid. I think the lesson of 1993, the first time they bombed the World Trade Center, was fear is probably appropriate. I think the lesson of Khobar Towers, where American servicemen were killed in Saudi Arabia, was fear is probably appropriate. I think the lesson of the two embassy bombings in east Africa was fear is probably appropriate. I think the lesson of the Cole being bombed in Yemen was fear is probably appropriate. I'll tell you, if you aren't a little bit afraid after 9/11 and 3,100 Americans killed inside the United States by an effort, if you weren't worried about the second-wave attack that was designed to take out the biggest building in Los Angeles, I think that, that you are out of touch with reality.
Get that? Be afraid. Be very afraid. Nowhere is safe. The exact message Osama bin Laden and his gang of murderous thugs want those acts to communicate.
Really, the same point can be made about the GOP's fear-mongering about the transfer of GITMO prisoners to U.S Federal prisons. Suggesting that the prisoners at GITMO are way too scary and dangerous to be held in U.S. prisons-- prisons which already hold dangerous criminals of all kinds, including convicted domestic and international terrorists-- once again does al Quaeda's job for them.
The same holds for former VP Cheney's pro-torture media tour. The underlying message during every appearance-- and indeed the entire theme of his Vice Presidency is this: "American values don't work. We have to give them up because al Quaeda is just too scary."
Amplifying a terrorist group's message of fear is not the way real leaders or strong nations confront terrorism. Right-wing politicians like Gingrich and Cheney who have consistently put themselves forward as advocates for the very fear al Quaeda seeks to inspire have done great harm to this country. Its time we started calling them on it.