"Attempted Terror attack at Fort Sam Houston Yesterday.." Topic

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Saudi National Reportedly Crashes Car Into US Army Post Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas

By Rodrigo Ugarte (staff@latinpost.com)
First Posted: Nov 24, 2014 12:09 PM EST
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Lockdown at Fort Sam Houston
The San Antonio military base Fort Sam Houston was locked down after a car rammed into one of the gates. People or cars were not allowed to enter or leave the base.

"A driver who rammed his car into the gates of U.S. Army post Fort Sam Houston in Texas is in custody after the ordeal on Sunday. Police have not provided much information about the situation or the suspect, but the military base, which had been placed under lockdown, has returned to normal operations.

The suspect has been identified as a male Saudi national, according to KCEN TV. Authorities have not identified the man, but he is in custody. Initial reports said the car contained explosives but the Associated Press reported Monday morning the car did not contain any explosive devices.

The AP also reports the suspect is a college student but did not provide his nationality."

Pretty bold title for not much information.

Sounds like another case of "workplace violence" to me, since it occurred at someone's workplace (he said, sarcastically).

Funny how important little details get scrubbed.

I didn't see it on the news last night, though I'm sure that is merely a coincidence, and not any conscious decision to avoid reporting the matter to the public, by the media.

What did make the news was the release of more Gitmo detainees, so…….

But I thought the Saudis were our friends…

Ok, can't even type that with a straight face.

Oh please 79thPA. It's not bold at all. At this point it would be a Shock and Surprise if it WASN'T an attack.

I suspect it will eventually be spun that the guy just "lost control" of the car, and was on a mission to deliver "toys" to the children.

Mako 11 I think you will find the toys were for very sick children in the local hospital.

Okay, then let's call it sensationalism for sensationalism's sake. I have no problem with calling it a terrorist act after I actually get a few facts that substantiate that claim.

He could have just been drunk.

Have not heard anything about it on CNN ?

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The military isn't calling it so, but then there were explosives in the vehicle, but then what does that constitute. They are being *really* vague.

Fireworks for the poor, sick kids at the local hopsital. Guy's is clearly a good samaritan.

On a serious note, the vagueness is increasing as the government doesn't want anti-Islamic panic.

"But I thought the Americans were our friends…

Ok, can't even type that with a straight face."

As a Brit, one could say the same thing re US-funded Irish terrorism of the 1970s, 80s & 90s.

Regarding the Saudis being our friends. I thought the Brits were our friends but still some are with the Jihad Thugs in Syria/Iraq.

Everyone talking about the local hospital, Fort Sam is a hospital by the way.

I am old enough to remember when the Iranians where our friends and we used them to keep the Arabs in line or the shah would drop an armored division on their doorstep.

Funny but I have come to the conclusion that we have no friends. But I sure know who piloted and financed those Saudis on board those four planes.

Maybe it is time to renew our old ties with the Persians, since we have no Arab or Turkish friends anymore.

I thought the Brits were our friends but still some are with the Jihad Thugs in Syria/Iraq.

The difference is the average "Westerner" fighting with IS are of Middle Eastern origin and not an Anglo-Saxon/Frenchmen etc (exceptions do exist).

E.g Zia AbdulHaq gets described an "Australian" jihadi from Brisbane.

In reality he was a migrant from Afghanistan. He lived in Australia from 2007.

Problem is Westerners sell their citizenship cheap and so anyone can call themselves an Australian or American or Brit or Frenchmen.

And even 2nd generation aren't often Australian etc. They grow up in a bastardised culture that's part Country-of-Origin and part Australian.

In many cases it's fully country of origin – there was a documentary recently about 2nd generation Australian Chinese and Vietnamese who don't speak a word of English.

It doesn't help the parents often hate their adopted culture (up to 40-50% of all migrants according to some studies). Hence you get China Town or Little Greece or Little Ethnic Whatever Ghetto.

I'm a migrant by the way. I was born in Yugoslavia and grew up in Australia in a Croatian household that was very critical of the Australian culture and society. There were massive clashes between me and my parents due to cultural differences (they hated Australia). They never accepted my Anglo-Saxon wife. They wouldn't even go to their grandaughter's first birthday party.

The same has happened to my cousins in Syndye (one is ok as his girl is half Croatian, half Serbian) as well as other migrants I've known and met from places like Malta, Greece and Italy.

My Anglo-Saxon inlaws were far more accepting of me.

I consider myself 100% Australian but was effectively disowned by most of my family for it.

I am no longer on speaking terms with my parents either. They can keep their queer Croatian culture.

Calm down TH we get ya,and luv ya :)

Awww thanks Zargon.

Just trying to show that the concepts often simplified by the media such as "British/Australian jihadi" are far more complicated.

Mainstream society just assumes migrants are happy in their new country and that their integration is perfect.

The reality is really grey, especially since multi-culturalism overtook cultural assimilation thus allowing country of origin cultural values to remain in place.

From a military perspective, in any major war demanding conscription, the Western migrant populations might be more of a detriment than an asset.

Indeed I suspect in any major war with China, Australia would have a large potentially hostile population of Chinese migrants as well as temporary residents (students, business, tourists etc).

That's nearly 400,000 Chinese born and also some percentage of second generation that would require extensive monitoring by Australian intelligence services or at worst internment like they did in WWII.

As a Brit, one could say the same thing re US-funded Irish terrorism of the 1970s, 80s & 90s.

Perhaps you might want to make a closer examination of Saudi state-sponsored terror groups, militant religious schools, and related activities. Saudi foreign (as domestic!) policy is neither monolithic nor "friendly" to the US.

Nations have allies, individuals have friends. The US and UK is a special relationship, but even then there can be problems. Some foolish, even evil, Americans did support terrorists against the UK. That was not the policy of the US government. Some individual Saudis support the terrorists against the USA, but that is not the policy of the Saudi government.

My wargame group has played wargames where one or more of the players had to deal with individuals on their own side being terrorists. The "terrorist" player got to put a small dot on the bottom of a few stands and could activate them at any time during the game. Prior to that the original player moved them around.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

"But I thought the Americans were our friends…

Ok, can't even type that with a straight face."

You might be able to type that, as for me…..

As a Brit, one could say the same thing re US-funded Irish terrorism of the 1970s, 80s & 90s

Yep, and the US HAS NEVER LISTED SINN FEIN/IRA as a terrorist organisation. Indeed the House Chair of the Anti-Terrorism committee has come out in support of the organisation and has consistently refused to condemn their violence. I came close to being killed on two occasions by Sinn Fein/IRA. (Baltic Exchange and London Bridge Station) missed both bombs, for which we had no warning by less than 5 minutes. Naturally, I take a dim view of this.

ThomasHobbes so sorry that you have become estranged from your family, but I can understand why.

Glad to hear you weren't harmed in those attacks, 138 SquadronRAF. Many in the US not of Irish decent really didn't (and don't to this day) understand the conflict in Ireland. Most people I know were sympathetic to Irish independence but abhorred the violence of the IRA.

Not to pick too fine a nit, as your point about Sinn Fein/IRA is warranted, but both the RIRA and CIRA are currently listed by the US government as terrorist organizations.

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While you may not consider either organization part of the original IRA, both organizations do claim that lineage.

I'm not trying to start anything- just pointing out that the US position isn't what it used to be.

Many in the US not of Irish decent really didn't (and don't to this day) understand the conflict.

That applies to the current mess too.

What 138SquadronRAF said is pretty much the same way as people in Northern Ireland feel about IRA murderers being funded by the US.

To be fair, most of the funding to those murderous bastards in the IRA were Unions in the northeast and the Teddy Kennedy wing of the government giving them political cover. Many of us were appalled at the time and more than a little ashamed by it.

WOW ! Did this thread jump off the track ! And again some how it devolved into an Anti-US rant by some … I'm no expert on many things. My Grandparents came from Italy in the very late 1800s to the US. So I have no vested interest or axe to grind with the Irish, English, etc. … But from an outsider's view … Did not many Irish and Scots leave the UK because of long standing oppression by the English King ? More of less … Hence inturn, those that came here still carried some of that animosity from over there … and it remained for generations. Regardless, I too am ashamed that the US did not help one of our strongest allies with their terrorist war on their shores. But as we all know one man's freedom fighter 1s another's terrorist … It is again boldly demonstrated today with islamic terrorism against the West. Dare I say, even the American Colonists in the AWI, were considered terrorists, traitors, etc. by the "Redcoats" and their Hessian Mercenarie allies … Who both today are strong US allies. But again, my linage didn't start here in America centuries or many decades after such events as the AWI/ARW, ACW, etc., etc. happened …

I don't buy this "one man's terrorist…" comment as anything other than a sound bite, at least when it comes to Northern Ireland.

It's simple really, when a bunch of armed thugs try to murder and intimidate people into accepting something they don't want, those gunmen are terrorists. Even today, after forty years of murder and mayhem, only 20% of the population of N.I. support leaving the United Kingdom.

I'm not saying the IRA were not a bunch of murderers, etc. … however, as crazy as it may seem, some will think otherwise. For example, look what is going on in the Africa, ME and A'stan with jihadists, et al … other islamists percieve them as freedom fightser, heroes, etc. … Perceptions and prediletions is truth to some and lies to others …

"It's simple really, when a bunch of armed thugs try to murder and intimidate people into accepting something they don't want, those gunmen are terrorists."

I take it your are refering to the 12th thru the 19th century?

No VCarter, what I was referring to was quite specific. I suspect if you had stood at the gravesides of your friends and relatives – or in some cases what was left of them after being blown apart – as they were laid to rest because of the actions of the IRA, you may not be so quick to try to muddy the waters.

The waters were muddy long before we were born.

Still not being covered in the news here, on the major cable stations, or on Yahoo news.

Why am I not surprised?

Failed suicide bombing attempt, given the explosives in the trunk?

STUPENDOUSLY failed suicide bombing attempt, since there were NO explosives or weapons anywhere in the vehicle.

Why am I not surprised – at some of the over-reactions here?

STUPENDOUSLY failed suicide bombing attempt, since there were NO explosives or weapons anywhere in the vehicle.

LOL

Must be…STEALTH EXPLOSIVES!

Must be . . . STEALTH EXPLOSIVES!

Then he must have been . . . a Romulan!

And they let him go, the fools!