The puppy dog theory of terrorism

[randy_byers]

Former counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke has given a name to the theory that if we leave Iraq, the terrorists will follow us home:

How is this odd terrorist puppy dog behavior supposed to work? The President must believe that terrorists are playing by some odd rules of chivalry. Would this be the "only one slaughter ground at a time" rule of terrorism?

Of course, nothing about our being "over there" in any way prevents terrorists from coming here. Quite the opposite, the evidence is overwhelming that our presence provides motivation for people throughout the Arab world to become anti-American terrorists.

Yeah, it's not as though the occupation of Iraq kept the terrorists out of Bali, Madrid, or London. But I guess that isn't "home," right?

Comments

[del-c.livejournal.com]

I still like the older name "flypaper theory", the idea that the terrorists couldn't move as long as the soldiers in Iraq were gluing them down. The irony is that the glue appears to be constraining the movements of the soldiers more than any terrorists.

Which reminds me of a story I heard (novel? play?) about a cynical German army officer in occupied country in the losing years of WW2, who finally has an outburst on hearing yet another babble of optimistic news about Germany's "capture" of more territory. "30 miles! Flies capture 30 miles more flypaper! Wonderful news!"

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Yes, and some people clearly believe that Iranian flypaper is of the highest quality.

[del-c.livejournal.com]

Well, it is. All that mountain country, oil wealth and three times as many angry young men add up to a product that's sticky as anything.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

As the name "flypaper theory" suggests, the idea is apparently that terrorists have only one hive mind between them and can therefore only do one thing at a time. (All we'd need is a single terrorist who can pat his head while rubbing his stomach to disprove that theory.)