02.08.11

Senile al Qaeda men threaten Wall Street, anonymoids say

Posted in Imminent Catastrophe, War On Terror at 5:02 pm by George Smith

Again proving they don’t get the news much in the hills of Yemen and the tribal lands of Pakistan, there’s this from the Telegraph, a famous UK funny paper:

Wall Street bosses have been warned that al Qaeda has targeted America’s banks and financial institutions for another 9/11.

Counter-terrorism agents fear some top banking executives may have been singled out for assassination attempts.

They have urged improved security amid fears that al Qaeda in Yemen may again try to send package bombs or potentially deadly biological or chemical materials through the post to bank chiefs.

What? They’re going to send bad things to Lloyd Blankfein and Jamie Dimon?

And why are we supposed to be scared of this?

Further:

Among the banks getting the security briefings were said to be Goldman Sachs, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase and Barclays, according to NBC.

Intelligence officials insist the threats are general and not aimed at any individual or bank.

It’s good to know Homeland Security is giving pep talks to the bankers, reassuring them that whatever happens we’ll bail them out and avenge whatever needs avenging.

The Daily Mail piece originated in the New York Daily News here.

One commenter succinctly explains al Qaeda’s (and, by extension, the US government counter-terror service’s) dilemma in the shaping of perceptions.

Essentially, the war on terror has lasted too long and had too many whoopie cushion alerts. For most people it’s a phony war. No one even expects this administration, or any other, to get Osama bin Laden.

On the other hand, many Americans saw their jobs and immediate futures go up in smoke in 2008 due to Wall Street.

So Wall Street being in the cross-hairs of anyone doesn’t roil the sympathetic fear juices like it should.

The comment:

Ooooh, no, don’t blow up Goldman Sachs! They care about all of us little people so much!

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This illustrates another reason why no one except cybersecurity beat reporters and upper class financial services creeps/nerds give a shit when the Wall Street Journal reports the NASDAQ has been hacked.

One of the larger issues, which the national security poobahs in this country have yet to visibly grapple with or discuss, are the potential consequences of economic inequality becoming so great that American business becomes even more suspect of operating only under rules of bad faith. In other words, that it will be thought deserving of anything it gets whatever the circumstances.

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