From
ABC News today:
Exclusive: After Westgate, Interpol Chief Ponders 'Armed Citizenry'
Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said today the U.S. and the rest of the democratic world is at a security crossroads in the wake of last month's deadly al-Shabab attack at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya – and suggested an answer could be in arming civilians.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Noble said there are really only two choices for protecting open societies from attacks like the one on Westgate mall where so-called "soft targets" are hit: either create secure perimeters around the locations or allow civilians to carry their own guns to protect themselves.
...
"Ask yourself: If that was Denver, Col., if that was Texas, would those guys have been able to spend hours, days, shooting people randomly?" Noble said, referring to states with pro-gun traditions. "What I'm saying is it makes police around the world question their views on gun control. It makes citizens question their views on gun control. You have to ask yourself, 'Is an armed citizenry more necessary now than it was in the past with an evolving threat of terrorism?' This is something that has to be discussed."
Read the whole thing, and give it some thought.
Stephen Hunter already wrote the book "Soft Target" (2011) on a giant mall terror attack in America.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Soft-Target-A-Thriller-ebook/dp/B004T4KXTQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1382457281&sr=8-4&keywords=stephen+hunter
As prophetic as Tom Clancy's "Debt of Honor" (1995) that fortold using a jumbo jet as a WMD. http://www.amazon.com/Debt-Honor-Jack-Ryan-ebook/dp/B001QEAQPS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382457380&sr=8-2&keywords=debt+of+honor
RSR
Clancy wrote about a coordinated attack on multiple malls in multiple locations in "Teeth Of The Tiger" back in 2003
ReplyDeleteOke Tanks To Info.....
ReplyDeleteOK...so people write about it. What do you do about it? Do you carry EVERYWHERE you legally can? Every time? Do you modify your carry to match the treat level or do you just shove that PM9 in your pocket and go?
ReplyDeleteIf you go to the mall today and Nairobi happens, what will you be fighting with?
Might be a good TBD script here Michael.
Mike how do the police know who are the good guys (with guns) vs. the bad guys with guns?
ReplyDelete@George - Irrelevant. To the cops everyone is a bad guy. Manage your affairs accordingly.
ReplyDeleteFirst I don't think this interview will be allowed to go main stream. Period.
ReplyDeleteBloomberg wouldn't let the national guard carry in New York City! Only his city cops. He would rather see people dead than admit he was wrong and let people carry.
We are still fighting the "safe act" here in new york
If there's a Mumbai / Nairobi attack in the US it will be in New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, etc. it won't be in Texas or Arizona. I don't think it will be at Mall of America, even though it's posted. In Minnesota that's only a trespass, and plenty of us conceal and STFU.
ReplyDeleteALSO:
ReplyDeletego to the Washington TIMES and read Miller's report of a guy arrested in his home for shell casing! Its a must read! the DC police and chief lanier are at it again!!
In DC cartridge casing are WMDs :-(
ReplyDeleteRSR
I travel all the time. I ignore the signs. Those are meant for sheep not honest citizens. Yes, it's often against the law, so is shooting my happy ass.
ReplyDeleteI often find myself in DC. I carry in DC as well. The cops in DC can't identify criminals and thugs with guns. My view is that it's my duty and their short-sighted policy is not my problem, but my life and well-being is my problem. As the man said; carry and STFU. You will never know unless the world knowing is my only choice. And then, frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.
Credit to Clancy and Hunter for writing about these soft target attacks. BUT...I have to say that I listened to a fabulous writer from the WWII generation back in the 1960's talking about what he could do with a handful of trained guys in any urban area. He was Dan Brigham who wrote for the old Journal American in NYC. He had covered all sorts of wars from the big one to uprisings in Africa. Good memories...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/14/obituaries/daniel-t-brigham-foreign-correspondent-81.html
George @ 4:53,
ReplyDeleteThat seems like a reasonable question but it never seems to actually happen (as in with any statistical significance) to lawful carriers. About the only "common" blue-on-blue situations are cops and undercover cops.
In a mall attack, the guy shooting people who are running away and engaging responding police, as opposed to only shooting at other armed people and actually obeying the commands of eventually responding police, is probably the "good guy."
Same rules as anywhere, when the cops show up you get to cover and make yourself look harmless. Let them take over the fight unless it goes sideways or they ask for help.