Bruce Schneier writes:
- Although Bin Laden has complained that Americans have completely misunderstood the reason behind the 9/11 attacks, correspondent inference theory postulates that he's not going to convince people. Terrorism, and 9/11 in particular, has such a high correspondence that people use the effects of the attacks to infer the terrorists' motives. In other words, since Bin Laden caused the death of a couple of thousand people in the 9/11 attacks, people assume that must have been his actual goal, and he's just giving lip service to what he *claims* are his goals. Even Bin Laden's actual objectives are ignored as people focus on the deaths, the destruction and the economic impact.
Perversely, Bush's misinterpretation of terrorists' motives actually helps prevent them from achieving their goals.
Read the rest. You'll be smarter for it.
Update: since the comments have turned to Rudy: Rudy's Five Big Lies
So, the 2008 US elections. There was an article in one UK tabloid today about Hilary and how she has the whole thing sewn up and is destined for a glorious victory. Thoughts?
I will probably pull an all-nighter come election day – I don’t even do that for UK elections! :)
yeah, it’s lookin like it’s gonna be Hillary v someone, for the match.
and i’m betting that someone is going to be Rudy Giuliani and that he’s going to win it. given the choice between Bill Clinton’s wife and a fist-pumping, tough-guy, phoney demagogue, America will pick the man.
i hope to be wrong!
>Rudy Giuliani
Is he really pro-choice, pro-gay and pro-immigration? He’ll have to take on board some serious policy changes to keep the Republican party happy no?
Still, there is that 9/11 factor to consider. Call me cynical, but that tragic event isn’t going to do him any harm is it?
Mmmm. 2008 is going to be one hell of a year.
Is he really pro-choice, pro-gay and pro-immigration?
he’s pro-choice, and not quite anti-gay, but he promises to “end illegal immigration” and “identify every American”.
Call me cynical, but that tragic event isn’t going to do him any harm is it?
nope. the simple coincidence that he was mayor of NYC on 9/11 is nearly all he has, and every answer he gives ends up being about 9/11. but he plays it like the fact that he was there gives him some kind of special qualification in the counter-terrorism department. it’s transparently bogus, but he sells it as a tough-guy, and people eat it up.
2008 is going to be one hell of a year
yup.
Please please please don’t let it be President America’s Mayor.
Big Lies work, and Rudy’s a Big Liar.