The reason why we went to Condition Orange...

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-12-24 05:42am

Read in yesterday's washington times that in the
last couple of days, we've been picking up a lot
of Al Quaeda related "chatter" over various channels.

Now, kiddies, when was the last time we saw something
like this happen? Oh yeah, right before 9/11, but we had
no idea where they'd hit us, or if it was for real or not..

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2003-12-24 09:33am

Edited the Title, We are at Orange Shep

(Well you people are, we are still sitting at Bravo)

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-12-24 09:34am

Mr Bean wrote:Edited the Title, We are at Orange Shep

(Well you people are, we are still sitting at Bravo)

The military is at Threatcon Bravo???? no fucking shit? how long has that been going on?

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2003-12-24 11:36am

Threatcon bravo is nothing, man. don't worry

. It just means limiting access to military bases, I.D. card checks and whatnot. It's when we hit Charlie that things start to get locked down pretty hard

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-12-24 12:21pm

Wake me when we're at DefCon 5 and then I may give a shit for these damn warnings. I can't see how Americans put up with such things all the time now, the last time I recall a threat assessment raising the "terror level" in the UK was a couple of weeks ago.

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2003-12-24 12:44pm

Probably just our monthly dose of national security paranoia to keep us on our toes and off our minds. But what the hell; I'll wait and watch CNN.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2003-12-24 02:08pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Wake me when we're at DefCon 5 and then I may give a shit for these damn warnings. I can't see how Americans put up with such things all the time now, the last time I recall a threat assessment raising the "terror level" in the UK was a couple of weeks ago.

Isn't defcon 5 the lowest level of military alert the missiles can be at?

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-12-24 02:23pm

CaptainChewbacca wrote:Isn't defcon 5 the lowest level of military alert the missiles can be at?

Yep, 1 is the highest. During the Cuban Missile Crisis we wereat Defcon 3, which was raised without presidential dictate, to Defcon 2.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-12-24 05:00pm

CaptainChewbacca wrote:
Isn't defcon 5 the lowest level of military alert the missiles can be at?

The system applies to all types of military forces not just strategic nuclear.

DEFCON Five is normal peacetime activities
DEFCON Four is increased intelligence watch and increased security
DEFCON Three is forces on standby
DEFCON Two is forces ready for combat
DEFCON One is forces deployed for combat

But I've noticed that many people thing the system goes the other way, which is why you have idiots naming there shitty FPS maps "DEFCON Six". Though as I recall there are alert levels above DEFCON One (which basically mean aim your gun at the enemy and switch off the safety), but there generally only regional.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-12-24 06:41pm

The CIA are now reporting that they fear the North Pole has been compromised, and that the presents to be delivered to children all across the world are now doped with small amounts of anthrax and sarin gas. There is now a world-wide manhunt for Santa's sleigh, which has already departed from the North Pole. Mr and Mrs. Claus are presumed dead, with an al Qaeda operative almost certainly now guiding the sleigh. The United States has deployed fighters on patrol from all of its airbases in predominantly Christian countries.

While the reindeer are still required for the sled's operation and are thus probably still alive, all fighters have orders to shoot on sight. Tom Ridge said at a press conference earlier today, "Rudolph's sacrifice for our nation will be remembered and celebrated, as will the rest of the reindeer's." General Donald Rumsfeld has expressed confidence in the likelihood of the mission's success, saying that Rudolph's glowing red nose will be a "dead giveaway" for any pilots on patrol looking for Santa's sleigh.

The Air Force and Navy have avoided deploying Christian pilots for this operation as much as possible, citing a childhood attachment to the reindeer as a possible impediment to the pilots' duty to shoot the sleigh down.

"We are buying the lives of millions around the world at the cost of all future Christmas gifts," President Bush said. Economists have cited the death of Santa Claus as a possible economic boon, however.

"If Santa Claus is dead, then his operations in the North Pole have effectively ceased. People aren't just going to give up the idea of receiving gifts on Christmas. Modern economics tells us that people will go out and buy gifts for others if the reception of gifts for the buyer is guaranteed. This will create a massive revenue stream for retail outlets during the times between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day," Dr. Matthew Brenner, a professor of economics at Harvard University, said. "This kind of shopping frenzy is just what the economy needs to get back on its feet."

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2003-12-24 06:57pm

Actually it might be that all of Al Queda have converted and the increased chatter is just them trading christmas cards and plans for parties on boxing day....

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-12-25 01:26am

Is it just me, or do I hear the sound of a boy crying "Wolf"?

Seriously, is anyone going to pay any attention to these fucking "terror alerts?" They don't tell you to avoid any of your usual activities, they have no idea what precautions you can take to prevent whatever they think might be happening at some undisclosed date and place at the hands of unknown agents, and if nothing happens, they'll just issue another alert a month from now.

These "terror alerts" are utterly useless.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-12-25 03:04am

What I find most irritating is how cable news puts on "Terror Alert: High" on the bottom of the screen as if anyone gives a shit. It doesn't tell you anything, it's just another thing you should be afraid of, along with killer bees.

theski · Post by **theski** » 2003-12-25 11:02am

Vympel wrote:

What I find most irritating is how cable news puts on "Terror Alert: High" on the bottom of the screen as if anyone gives a shit. It doesn't tell you anything, it's just another thing you should be afraid of, along with killer bees.

and Mad cows and Global Warming and the hole in Ozone

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-12-25 03:14pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:
CaptainChewbacca wrote:
Isn't defcon 5 the lowest level of military alert the missiles can be at?
The system applies to all types of military forces not just strategic nuclear.

DEFCON Five is normal peacetime activities
DEFCON Four is increased intelligence watch and increased security
DEFCON Three is forces on standby
DEFCON Two is forces ready for combat
DEFCON One is forces deployed for combat

But I've noticed that many people thing the system goes the other way, which is why you have idiots naming there shitty FPS maps "DEFCON Six". Though as I recall there are alert levels above DEFCON One (which basically mean aim your gun at the enemy and switch off the safety), but there generally only regional.

I fucking knew I should've looked it up again, it's that damn game DEFCON 5 and numerous films that have confused me. It's one way then the other!

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-12-25 05:05pm

Darth Wong wrote: These "terror alerts" are utterly useless.

Stop issuing them, and then when something DOES happen, the media
will be all over the evil bush administration for not warning us about
this perfidious plot they knew about, blah blha

Meest · Post by **Meest** » 2003-12-25 07:39pm

It's just to make Americans feel unsafe, control through fear, classic tactic. Religion does it all the time

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2003-12-25 08:31pm

Meest wrote:It's just to make Americans feel unsafe, control through fear, classic tactic. Religion does it all the time

I agree, well with the first part, it's just a scare tactic, fear of the unknown so the military can do more stuff and people will be ok with it.

But the public'll probably get bored of it soon and stop paying it attention, the whole crying wolf thign, as DW said.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2003-12-26 09:23am

50 states in fear. and they call US eurowimps. bah!

Zed Snardbody · Post by **Zed Snardbody** » 2003-12-26 09:34am

Same bullshit, diffrent day. Most Americans couldn't tell you the order of the bloody colors.

Personaly at this point I don't think a military coup would be so bad. The army out in the streets telling everyone to go back to their homes and everything will be ok. I could deal with that. And I wouldn't have to worry about hillery in any elections for a while.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-12-26 10:12am

Durandal wrote:The CIA are now reporting that they fear the North Pole has been compromised

This needs to be FUQed. Repeatedly. Now.

Dalton! Get Cracking!

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2003-12-26 10:28am

MKSheppard wrote:
Darth Wong wrote: These "terror alerts" are utterly useless.
Stop issuing them, and then when something DOES happen, the media
will be all over the evil bush administration for not warning us about
this perfidious plot they knew about, blah blha

Here's a hint. What about declaring "orange" alert secretly? I mean, what's the whole damn point of telling the public this? The public is being told to go around acting normal, live normal lives, pretend that a terrorist is not going to try and kill them etc etc etc.

So, why not pull a Man in Black? The world can do with more Agent Kays around.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-12-26 10:43am

PainRack wrote: Here's a hint. What about declaring "orange" alert secretly? I mean, what's the whole damn point of telling the public this?.

Cover Your Ass, RE: the evil democrats who would love to paint
the Administration as uncaring since it didn't even tell the public
about that devastating terror attack that killed 1,000 people because
it would "alarm the public"

And the leftists shriek about a republican conspiracy...blah blah, I think
I like these terror alerts more than the fallout if we didn't do it.

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2003-12-26 11:17pm

MKSheppard wrote: Cover Your Ass, RE: the evil democrats who would love to paint
the Administration as uncaring since it didn't even tell the public
about that devastating terror attack that killed 1,000 people because
it would "alarm the public"

And the leftists shriek about a republican conspiracy...blah blah, I think
I like these terror alerts more than the fallout if we didn't do it.

Right, and how does protecting yourself secretly don't cover your ass?

You're implying that issuing a terror alert will not prevent criticism from attacking the Bush adminstration if a terror attack does occur.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-12-26 11:24pm

No terrorist activities here in the States, I see.