The 28,000 victims of terrorism

The 28,000 victims of terrorism
From Tim Reid in Washington

New figures show dramatic increase in global attacks


THERE were nearly 3,200 terrorist attacks worldwide last year, the Bush Administration said yesterday, using a broader definition that increased fivefold the number of incidents that Washington had previously tallied for 2004.
In figures published in April, the US State Department said that there were 651 significant international terror incidents, with more than 9,000 victims.



But under the newer, less-stringent definition of terrorism, which counts domestic attacks without an international element, the National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC) reported 3,192 attacks worldwide, with 28,433 people killed, wounded or kidnapped.

Iraq, with 866, had the most attacks against civilians and other non-combatants, according to the report. Under the April figures, Iraq was considered to have suffered 201 attacks in 2004.

The new tally included attacks on Iraqis by Iraqis, a category previously excluded because it was not considered international terrorism. But attacks against coalition forces were omitted, because soldiers are considered combatants. Insurgent attacks on Iraqi police, deemed non-combatants, were included.

The Bush Administration’s terrorism figures have been the subject of repeated controversies. Last year the State Department withdrew its annual report on global terrorism after claiming that terrorism incidents had been declining for three years and that 190 cases reported in 2003 represented the lowest total since 1969.

American officials trumpeted the report as evidence that the US was winning the War on Terror. But the document was found to be full of errors, and officials acknowledged that it had vastly understated the number of attacks.

More @ http://tinyurl.com/aq8hf London Times

Did you ever notice that everything must be spun so it looks bigger, better, and shiner that it really is? This is a stupid policy in this day and age of instant communication. The last time this sort spinning of bad news worked was maybe WWII. It surely did not work in V/Nam and it will never work in the WOT.

Like the intro to this blog says; "Tell the truth!" It seems it can't be done when it comes to government.

For thousands of years those in power kept the majority of people as 'mushrooms'. You know the drill, keep you in a dark place and feed you shit. And for thousands of years this sort of devious behavior worked fairly well or it least it seemed to. In reality people did know what was happening, but without reliable facts the policy served its purpose.

Note to all governments everywhere. "The age of the 'mushroom' is over and done with. Unless you want to appear a proper fool, tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may.