Yes, Michael Moore, There Is a Terrorist Threat
Moore's comments in a recent interview with Sean Hannity sound even more foolish in the aftermath of Fort Hood.
I had only just been putting the finishing touches on a piece for Pajamas Media that I had entitled “Wakey, Wakey! Remember the Liquid Bomb Plotters?” when I saw my esteemed colleague Phyllis Chesler’s excellent piece about Hizb ut-Tahrir. In turn, I had also been inspired to write my piece by the supreme idiocy of Michael Moore on a recent Hannity, when the filmmaker made the staggeringly naive observation that there are a mere “few hundred guys on monkey bars” roaming the world. Hannity shot back that we are talking about millions of terrorists.
A couple of hundred? I think there are a thousand just living around the corner from me in London’s Edgware Road! Moore laughed at Hannity and said it was absurd to treat terrorists like “they are some kind of nation.” My God, Michael, they are many nations.
Let us go back to the British liquid bomb plotters of August 2006. (Remember why, until very recently, we had to remove bottles from our luggage?) I was in Washington at the time and could feel the fear so many thousands of miles away. I was meant to fly back to London and decided to switch to a budget cruise package to cross the Atlantic. When I arrived at the dock on the day of departure from New York, there were a thousand other folks as frightened as I who had scraped together their last few pennies in order to avoid having to fly. After all, we were told the British Muslims who had concocted the “liquid bomb plot” had been planning to bring down scores of airplanes crossing the sea.
Now let’s skip to 2009. In September the plotters Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar, and Tanvir Hussain were convicted in the British courts of conspiracy to murder on transatlantic planes. At Woolwich Crown Court in south London, Mr. Justice Henriques said the aircraft plot was the “most grave and wicked conspiracy ever proven within this jurisdiction. The intention was to perpetrate a terrorist atrocity that would stand alongside September 11 in world history.” He sentenced them to life.
As usual, the men involved were well integrated into mainstream British society and one had even been a foster parent. Abdulla Ahmed Ali had been given the right to foster a child by Haringey Council, but when his Walthamstow home was searched extremist literature was found in a baby’s cot. At the bomb plot trial Justice Henriques told Ali, “I have concluded you are a driven and determined extremist with boundless energy and an ambition to lead a terrorist outrage of boundless proportion.”
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Carol Gould is the Philadelphia-born author of Don’t Tread on Me: Anti-Americanism Abroad, Spitfire Girls, and A Room at Camp Pickett, a play about her mother’s experiences as a WAC in World War II; she has just completed a film about black GI babies. Carol has been a panelist on BBC's Any Questions?, hosted by Jonathan Dimbleby, on Jenni Murray's Woman's Hour, and on Andrew Gilligan's Forum, as well as being a commentator on Sky News, Press TV, and BBC Five Live.
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31 Comments
1. Gary P:Isn’t it about time Michael Moore moved to a different country? He doesn’t seem to like America very much.
Nov 8, 2009 - 1:42 am 2. roGER:Isn’t it about time Carol Gould returned to hers? She doesn’t seem to like Britain very much.
Nov 8, 2009 - 3:31 am 3. Lauren:Carol Gould has enough cojones to speak up for the Britain you know and love that’s now being destroyed from within. The Euroweenies need more voices like hers.
Nov 8, 2009 - 4:50 am 4. Marina:@ roGER:
The majority of Britons don’t like what their libtards have been doing to their country. Very soon you will feel the same about America. But, unlike Carol Gould AND MICHAEL MOORE, you will have nowhere to move. Congratulations!
Nov 8, 2009 - 5:23 am 5. tom:We’ll go broke financially long before ever stamping out terrorism. The idea that you can even rid the world of it is ridiculous. It’s existed in one form or another since man figured out how to walk upright.
Nov 8, 2009 - 6:58 am 6. Frank:I love the irony of Michael Moore; making millions in profit for hating on making profit.
Hey Michael, the fact that you have worn the same stupid cap and sweater combo for 20 years doesn’t change the fact that you’re a multi-millionaire capitalist.
Nov 8, 2009 - 7:59 am 7. moho:Yeah, and they sound even more foolish after Orlando. I knew those Cubans were a timebomb!
Nov 8, 2009 - 8:44 am 8. don:Like Michael Moore, Major Hasan also viewed Islamic warriors on jihad as “freedom fighters.” He is a major in the United States Army, a natural born American citizen, but one of those protected ethnic groups. At the taxpayer’s expense, he is a trained psychiatrist and practicing doctor, espousing the radical Islamic line while on the job in the military’s primary health care facility in Washington for five years. None of those politically correct officers dealt with Hasan’s “sudden jihad syndrome” warning signs. When transfered to a real army base in safe middle America, Major Hasan did a martyrdom operation, killing the enemy while Muslim. Of course, Muslims will publicly condemn his treasonous acts while privately praising him for offing the crusaders. Michael Moore is only being consistent, and doubtless he thinks those Pakistani nuclear weapons are in safe hands in the custody of Muslim military officers, and that Iran’s Islamic rulers can be reasonable when they have the bomb too. After all, in Michael Moore’s eyes, bigoted American’s are the cause of Muslim delayed stress syndrome.
Nov 8, 2009 - 9:41 am 9. TomF:Maybe it is just me, but I thought that in general Americans consider Michal Moore(He doesn’t deserve the el in his name) and his work on the level of the “National Enquirer”. He purposely distorts the truth to “document” his views. I am sure that he justifies his lies for the “higher” cause. The scary thing is that overseas his “documentaries” are considered documentaries rather than what it is– propaganda. When the entrenched powers wanted to control the presidential election in Ukraine, they not only falsified the election through as many means as possible, but also leading up to the election they showed Michal Moore’s “documentary”, “Fahrenheit 9/11.” The old KGB powers recognized the propaganda nature of Comrade Moore’s work.
Nov 8, 2009 - 10:45 am 10. Rubicon:Like so many others, Michael Moore makes excuses for anything or anyone who has a poor opinion of America. Michael seems to think he is immune from the dangers. He seems to think ‘he’ will be spared. He seems to think ‘liberals’ will be spared & accepted into the jihadist clan.
Nov 8, 2009 - 12:44 pm 11. Mary Jackson:Michael Moore & many other liberals who think negotiations will solve all problems, show us that Nevile Chamberlain still lives & his foolish immaturity & naiveté, is the logic of useful idiots.
a driven and determined extremist
Driven by what, though? The teachings of Islam, that’s what.
By the way, Michael Moore, hero of the working class and scourge of captialism has an estimated fortune of $50 million.
“Capitalism did nothing for me,” he says.
Nov 8, 2009 - 1:56 pm 12. Alex Bensky:There’s more irony about Michael Moore, Frank. In one of his books, I think “Stupid White Men” but I’m not sure and do not plan to check, he criticizes Americans for not eating properly and being obese.
I couldn’t help thinking of that when I saw the pic accompanying the post and, of course, remembering that the great friend of the working man doesn’t use union labor on some of his projects. He’s all for the principle except when it costs him money.
Nov 8, 2009 - 6:32 pm 13. tanstaaflt:I watched Hannity’s lengthy interview of MM.
Moore came across as a good Catholic boy, a-hopin’ & a-prayin’ that he’s gonna make his way into heaven by all of his self-serving paeans, aka films, from Columbine to Sicko to this latest film assaulting Capitalism. And, occasionally, turning over a fraction of his income to his “lessers”.
Hannity challenged him to do more than occasional donations and to give up the private jet and the multi-millions.
Naturally, our anti-capitalist wannabe will not be abandoning the profligate “good life” anytime soon, much like others of his hypocritical ilk, most notably, Noam Chomsky.
Nov 8, 2009 - 7:16 pm 14. Rodger Harris:Michael Moore is a fat pig idiot. It’s ok for him to make millions in a free economy but he like most left wing idiots dont want any one else to make millions, if they do they are evil. This just goes to show you want morons most American are they actually go to this idiots movies and support this fat no nothing.
Nov 8, 2009 - 8:13 pm 15. DonnaB:If there was ever any meaning to the old lefty insult of “capitalist pig”, Moore is the living embodiment of it.
Nov 8, 2009 - 8:18 pm 16. seanmahair:Moore is an idiot looking for his savant. The worst thing people could do to him is not pay any attention to him at all. Don’t watch him or his moronic movies, don’t watch him on TV, don’t read articles about him and don’t comment about him on blogs. I personally believe that he doesn’t really exist.
Maybe the Egyptians were right. Living forever means you’re important enough to be talked about.
Moore is not.
Nov 8, 2009 - 8:45 pm 17. Carol:How about Moore and others of his ilk move to a Muslim country and enjoy the fun!
Nov 8, 2009 - 9:08 pm 18. DoubleTapper:Here in Israel, we know how to deal with radical Islam and terrorism.
Terrorist find no soft targets in Israel and are often put down
Nov 9, 2009 - 1:12 am 19. mags:before they have the opportunity to do any damage..
In addition, Terror attacks are stopped by armed civilians, teachers, bus drivers and EMT’s.
Muslim extremest, deranged postal worker, nut job with mental issues, here in Israel we don’t discriminate. They all get what they deserve.
DoubleTapper
DoubleTapper@gmail.com
DoubleTapper, blogging on Guns Politics Defense from Israel
Carol,
Sometimes i wonder if we are in the same country. Then i wonder why you are still in our country.
I am not bothered about Michael Moore and his belief on how many muslim extremists there are.
You are impying that here we do not recognise the threat from within.
I don’t whether you have heard but we have just lost five soldiers and many injured when an Afghan soldier/police opened fire on the soldiers they where working side by side with.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1225090/Five-British-soldiers-killed-Afghanistan-single-attack-Taliban.html
At least the BBC was reporting YOUR losses at Fort Hood live,ours hasn’t had a mention by you or pyjamas media.
The debate here has been huge about the threat here and overseas.
Did you not join in with remembrance sunday ,did you wear a poppy for the soldiers who have died in all conflicts to protect us from the threat we know exists just differ on what action should be taken.
This was on live,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8348225.stm
We supported the U.S when they were attacked on 9/11. We have had soldiers die in Iraq and still dying in Afghanistan because of our agreement that muslim extremists are a threat to us.
Nov 9, 2009 - 4:54 am 20. JED:Even experienced the 7/7 bombs,but we are all just anti-semites ,are we?
On another scale, yet similar, one wonders why the anti-gun, anti-self denfense, terrorists are only misunderstood, cops cause criminals, code-pink mindset can not see the threats before their eyes. The reality check is that there are lots of people just waiting to do harm to anyone right now. Wishful thinking does not make them repent.
Nov 9, 2009 - 7:25 am 21. Seraphim:I just emptied my spam and virus filter. In the last day I defended this computer from 21 viruses and 67 spams selling whatevers. The point of that obviousness is that the bad guys are there and willing to cause harm.
All of that filthy pig capitalist money and he can’t spend a little on Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers?
Not that he could lose the UGLY anyway.
This idiot wouldn’t know a Jihadist if one of them implanted an explosive suppository up his greasy rectum.
Nov 9, 2009 - 8:15 am 22. Peter the Bubblehead:The best movie starring ‘Michael Moore’ is “An American Carol.”
Rent it today!
Nov 9, 2009 - 8:41 am 23. Carol:19 Mags – I truly cannot make head or tail of what you wrote. What in the world is your point?
Nov 9, 2009 - 12:55 pm 24. Don Rodrigo:“”"”"” Hannity challenged him to do more than occasional donations and to give up the private jet and the multi-millions. “”"”"”
Michael Moore has a private jet? Really? I find that hard to believe; I mean, even with his fortune he can’t possibly afford a C-17.
Nov 9, 2009 - 2:41 pm 25. deguello:Please somebody help me! Call PETA, Michael Moore keeps moleting me; will someone tell him that it’s sows not cows he should be dating? Elsie the Cow, Borden Ranch,Wisconsin.
Nov 9, 2009 - 3:35 pm 26. A.M. Mallett:Mr. Moore has obviously been eating enough of something to cause him to guess at the location of the commode.
Thank you for a well written and informative article.
Nov 9, 2009 - 6:04 pm 27. Barrie:Have all the anti-Jewish crowd here ever considered the fact that, despite the Holocaust they suffered -in which a large proportion shared a brutal death, or many, in their close families, there is NO Jewish body like the murderous multi-national al-Qaeda in existence these last 60 years, picking off Germans, other informers or quislings, and Vichy French on a month-to-month basis? Yet they all had very good reasons for good old ‘Moslem revenge’, didn’t they?
It’s all apparantly because of the ‘great’ deal they got in 1948 from a generous UN world -a mosaic of slivers of land they miraculously defended alone [in 1948!], and have defended stoutly during Arab annihilation wars and phony war truces ever since.
Meanwhile, they now are more educated and more productive technically, than even a blessedly peaceful country like, say, Switzerland [who, by the way, even STOLE from the Holocaust survivors!]
The amazing thing is how civilised and peaceful the Jews are everywhere, given the appalling treatment the world has dealt out to them, including the UN ['Zionism is racism', not Palestine-ism] these last 35 years.. Truly amazing.
Now you Guardian types can go back to your Jew-inspired ‘righteous’ anger, and delicate Arab/Moslem sympathies.
Nov 9, 2009 - 11:07 pm 28. Delia:Michael ‘pig knuckle’ Moore always looks to me as if he reeks of stinky cheese. I pity the poor fool who’s job it is to give that smegma oozing cretin’s crevices a sponge bath.
And wtf is it with the mentally challenged Leftist/Islamist united crap? Hello? Islamists would annihilate you for your Leftist ‘ideals’. Self-defeating behavior much, ya dopes.
*shiver*
Nov 10, 2009 - 5:59 am 29. deguello:#28 Delia commented: “Islamists would annihilate you (Moore),for your leftist “ideals”.At last!Someone discovers the silver lining in Jihad!
Nov 10, 2009 - 8:27 am 30. mags:Carol,
I am sorry if my ramblings made no sense.I will try again.
Initially you were writing about Michael Moores underplay of muslim extremist.
You then linked it to the British ,who you believe haven’t a clue either.That we don’t recognise the threat faced by terrorism, then giving examples of this.
Abdulla Ahmed Ali did not foster a child-it was his family who he had access to.
The placement here was made after checks and before anyone was made aware of any terrorist activity in the extended family network.
“The child was moved immediately when the police were in touch and arrests were made in 2006. The family no longer fosters for Haringey.”
It came about because he was under surveillance.
Hence recognising the threat here.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8242479.stm
Everybody was pleased,we managed to thwart the plan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8244025.stm
The police investigating the liquid bomb plot were forced to cut short their surveillance operation and make arrests earlier than they intended when Rashid Rauf, a close friend of the acquitted terror suspect and the alleged joint ringleader, was arrested in Pakistan in August 2006, after authorities there came under pressure from the US.
The early curtailment of the evidence-gathering mission had raised fears that police in Britain may not have had all the time they needed to collect the evidence necessary to prosecute the case successfully.
‘all regular broadcasting has ceased on BBC News and Sky channels to cover the shootings at Fort Hood,’you said
So what? We have just lost five soldiers killed by an Afghan soldier/policeman who they were working with.At least your soldiers got a mention here,ours didn’t over there.
‘Jews inside Britain are not causing the British intelligence services to work overtime monitoring their multi-faceted plots 365 days a year, 24/7, unlike so many British Muslims.’
So you agree that we do see the threat from British muslims ?
Nov 10, 2009 - 3:22 pm 31. Tex Expatriate:Here in the U.S. we will soon have the same problem. Barack Obama, head socialist, wants to drestroy the U.S. and will, unless Americans rise up.
Marina: Americans will rise up.
Nov 10, 2009 - 4:16 pm