The upcoming terrorist attack? I know it’s on my schedule here somewhere…

I find it interesting that this is not getting talked about. We are supposed to get attacked by al Qaeda sometime within the next two weeks, if I’m not mistaken. Is there a wide security net going up in the United States that isn’t being talked about? What’s being done to prevent it?

This is a rather complicated issue, and it is made far more difficult than usual because of the political dimensions, especially since this was used so often by Bush and his people as a political weapon. On the one hand, it seems likely: al Qaeda attacked in Spain just before a crucial election, and it is the time to attack if they want to have the maximum effect. On the other hand, the Spain election didn’t shift to the liberals because of the al Qaeda attack, but rather because the conservatives used the attack as part of their political campaign, falsifying reports to make it seem like it was the Basques. Additionally, an al Qaeda attack before the elections in the U.S. could be tricky: from all appearances, it would solidify support for Bush and win him the election, which is likely what the terrorists want–but it would be tricky, like a toss-up in basketball, where the slightest action could send the ball flying in the other direction, like it did in Spain. Bush will probably get automatic support like he did after 9/11, but he might also get blamed for letting al Qaeda get off another attack.

On the one hand, since it is the ripe time for the terrorists to attack, one would want to tighten security to the maximum to prevent it, and have the FBI, CIA, NSA, local police and every available boy scout working overtime on full alert. The problem, on the other hand, is how political homeland security has become: everyone has been painfully aware of how Ashcroft and the Bush administration have used terror alerts and color changes for maximum political effect, especially where there is no new data or real threat but there is a political event benefitting Kerry which gets derailed by said terror alert.

One thing I think is almost assured: there will be a huge terror alert, with the color code changing to orange or perhaps red, in the 3-5 days prior to the election. If Bush throws up a red alert in that time range, it will work to his favor politically. It also covers his ass in case there is a terrorist attack, making it so he can say “I was on alert and did my best.” And if Kerry criticizes him for it, Bush can always hit back with “he is interfering with your safety,” and knowing the Democrats, they will all go into their fair-minded “we support the president when it comes to security” mode. Bush has almost nothing to lose, and almost everything to gain. The only possible pitfall would be an adverse public reaction, but that is not too likely.

Still, I find it disturbing that with so little time left, so little attention is being paid to what will happen regarding an attack. This should be talked about, publicly, a great deal, so people will be aware of the situation and not taken by surprise at the last minute. Because if we don’t discuss this publicly, and we do forget about the threat, and then 2 or 3 days before election day something does hit, then it’s going to be chaos. No time for serious polling to figure out what’s happening, it will be a fog of political war with no way to discern truth from rumor from conspiracy from threat from dirty political tricks.

If there is a huge attack costing many lives, will we even be able to determine who it was? The obvious suspects would be al Qaeda, but let’s not forget that they’re not the only terrorists out there, and November 2 is a pivotal day in history for the entire world. If there is not enough time to investigate, then rumor will win the day, not truth.

Just like we prepare for earthquakes, we’ve got to prepare for this one. If Bush throws up a terror alert just before the election, then what? If the terrorists attack just before the election, then what?

Here’s one idea: if you know any undecideds, then tell them to write down their likeliest choice for president a week before the election, just in case something does happen. Then if an attack hits or a massive terror alert is put out, tell them to follow their choice from before the attack or the alert, as the way to ensure that they’re not being influenced by politicized homeland defense or by terrorist influence.

Any other ideas?