MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. - Six men were arrested overnight on charges
they plotted to attack the Fort Dix Army base and "kill as many soldiers as
possible," federal authorities said Tuesday.
Let me see if I've got this straight. They were planning a terrorist attack. On an Army base. Using small arms.
This is my favorite part:
Investigators told WNBC that the group discussed a number of possible targets, including the Dover Air base, Fort Monmouth and Coast Guard stations, but that they concluded the best target was Fort Dix.
Fort Dix, which is run in part by the U.S. Army, is a reserve training center but active units also take part in training at the base, some of which is focused on counter-terrorism. It also housed refugees from Kosovo in 1999.
So, to recap... These brainiacs actually CHOSE an Army base (which are, generally speaking, known for having many heavily armed and well-trained folk dwelling within) which had active duty units who were trained in counter-terrorism measures.
This would have made Little Big Horn look like a walk in the park. I have a feeling it would have shattered all records for "shortest terrorist attack in history". I also have a feeling they'd have to identify these mental midgets by DNA analysis of the reddish-brown smears left after our boys got through with 'em...
I mean, guys, c'mon. If you want to die quickly and messily, it'd be easier to just play in traffic...
12 comments:
Gotta slightly disagree, Jay.
Stateside, military bases are sadly remiss in maintaining an effective and uploaded deterant force.
The average MP carries only an M-9 pistol and three magazines.
And while a few MP troops might have some M-16s with charged magazines, for the most part, every weapon heavier than the '16 is secured in the armory, deeply unavailable for base defense on a "no-notice" (read, terrorist attack) basis.
In short, sadly, the typical stateside military base exists much as Virginia Tech, i.e; a Gun Free Zone.
The U.S. military has historically distrusted the soldier with live ammo and/or charged magazines while in garrison. Ammo is usually only issued upon deployment, and that usually, right 'bout the time the troops are due to clamber on the trucks and roll-out.
I have long held that the martial aspect of military service is sadly underplayed in our Armed Forces, and that especially so in the non ground-pounding cultures of the USAF and USN.
Were it up to me, every active duty troop, regardless of manning a ditch or a desk, would have their issue weapon secured at or near their point-of-duty. Example; a Jet Engine Mechanic ought to have a rifle rack right over the workbench; a Company Clerk should have one right next to the copier, etc.
Of course, I'd also require bayonet drill on the dummy hanging out front of the company clerk's office, chowhall and everywhere else, just to obtain permission to enter.
If we get our REMF types to keep in mind that they're soldiers first, clerks second, we'll have all that much better an overall fighting force.
And just maybe, the next Jessica Lynch might know how to clear her jammed weapon.
Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Jim,
Interesting info.
I still stand by my original assertion, though, based on the general ineptitude shown by the rocket scientists planning this attack. Such as, bringing their VHS tape to a local video editor to have it converted to DVD - kinda like your local Chester the molester having his dirty Polaroids developed at Fotomat, dontcha think?
I have a feeling that, had these geniuses managed to secure the arms needed for their attack, they'd have gone in with magazines in backwards, Aimpoints on incorrectly, and spent the first five minutes bumping into each other like Hans Moleman and Patty's children (Simpsons fans will get the reference).
Plenty of time to issue a few M-16s for a live-fire exercise...
;)
Gotta agree with first Anonymous. Unless a unit is at the range - miles from mainside at Dix, they won't have any ammo and probably won't have weapons. Even the cops in a Reserve unit are not supposed to have their sidearms - I knew some to bury them in their packs.
If the cover all exits to a barracks, they would kill a lot of soldiers before they went down.
I have participated in Homeland Defense exercises where these issues have been pointed out to politicans and top brass who don't listen to warnings from soldiers.
What's interesting to me is the focus of their attack; usually these idiots try to find the weakest prey they can, such as schools and malls where guns are prohibited.
It may be that the terrorists chose the military base just because of the situation described. They were aware that walking into a military base armed is much like walking into a public school when it comes to the ability to repel an armed attacker.
Man wouldn't that be embarrassing. 40 soldiers killed by terrorists on a military base because they did not have any weapons to fight back with. Shooting fish in a barrel on a military base. It is almost unthinkable. The soldiers on a military base have to call the cops to put down a terrorist attack.
I had no idea.
I had no idea our bases were that vulnerable. That is not only shocking, but disgraceful...
Had this been a competent group of Tangos, this could have been a major incident.
Fortunately, in this case, we got the tangos who took the short car bomb to school...
Dix has been probed many times by foriegn nationals - I was not surprised to hear about this.
When I was in the Navy I would have gotten in severe trouble over having one of my guns with me, in my car, or in my barracks room.
Like, reduction in rank, 90 days restriction and extra duty, etc.
And to make it even more fun, if I'd planned on going shooting over the weekend, I had to notify the base armory that i wanted to check out my personally owned firearms on Thursday, picked them up on Friday and immediately removed them from the base, then on Monday notified the base armory that i wanted to check them back in, and bring them from off-base to the armory on Tuesday. Because they needed 24 hours notice. Plus i needed written permission to transport them between the gate and the armory.
Fun stuff...
I don't think I made it clear that I lived on base, in the barracks, and had nowhere off base to store the firearms...
Let's all be glad some store employee raised a red flag.
The situation could have had a much different outcome with this bunch of savages.
Amen, Rick...
Let's also hope that the Powers That Be revise their antiquated notions of base security based on this episode...
It's true that military bases are one big Gun-Free Zone, except for the Combat Arms, LE, and Security folks. Your average GI isn't the same sitting duck as a young VT student, though I'm sure facing assault rifles isn't the same as jumping a lone Korean nutball with a Glock. The Tangos would have surprise on their side and with automatic weapons and some grenades could eclipse the VT toll exponentially before the armed response showed up. The Tangos would end up dead, but they'd have achieved their objective.
Here in AZ, I can wear a loaded gun concealed or openly just about anywhere, but I can't even bring an empty gun onto the local USAF base without a lot of hassle. Of course, if they don't search me....
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