Second Day of Imfamy...

[Spinward Scout]

September 12, 2001

Dear Osama Bin Laden,

We are pleased to announce that we unequivocally accept your challenge to an old-fashioned game of whoop-ass. Now that we understand the rule that there are no rules, we look forward to playing by them for the first time.

Since this game is a winner-take-all, we unfortunately are unable to invite you to join us at the victory celebration. But rest assured that we will toast you -- LITERALLY.

While we will admit that you are off to an impressive lead, it is however now our turn at the plate.

By the way, we will be playing on your court now.

Batter up.

Sincerely,

The 270,000,000 citizens of the United States of America

<<Please post this whereever you can so the wwhole world can see...>>

By the way, how do people handle terrorism in their games?

Scout

 

[Ben W Bell]

Well my new campaign was to have terror attacks by religous fanatics in the middle of the campaign, but now I'm reconsidering.
The empire they're up against is a religious autocracy with fanatics you see.

 

[Gatsby]

Geesh, terrorism in the games? I play in the Fifth Frontier War where the players are across the way from a large amount of fundamentalist, turbin wearing, Ine Givar guerilla using, at war type enemies! Since one of the players is a Zho (sympathetic to ending the FFW), I decided to

--recognize the symbolism of stories

and

--realize the situation (Reality is one thing, the games are just games)

Luckily, a big part of the FFW, IMTU, is that the Empress Wave is driving the leadership in the Consulate to rash action. So you can be a Zhodani and not like the FFW. I know that really mirrors things, so I have to work with emotion and symbolism, balanced with respect for reality. Additionally, Stephron's psycho-historians are warning of the impending fall of the Third Imperium, which highlights the conflict within the Imperium (Norris versus Santanocheev) - a mirroring of the polarization of the two party system in the good ol' USA.

Basically, Traveller can be very political. And since stories draw from a Ref's experience, you can't help some allusions to reality's political scene.

But, again: Respect Reality and Recognize that a Game is a Game.

Mike

 

[Gatsby]

But now back to the topic:

Yeah, American Spirit is like a badger...poke at it, and it won't stop till it fixes things so you won't bother it again!

I think we've got the best in the world for 'Escalation Topper', so we can go as high and HIGHER then the next guy. If you don't want that, then fix it so no-one 'pokes at the badger', again!

Gats'

 

[MT++]

The Imperium probably has a policy of negotiation with terrorists. It is generally easier to pay off most (pay the danegeld) than to actually root out the cause.
The 21st century USA is a democracy and answerable to its citizens, the Imperium is not. In all likelihood, the Imperium's own merchants would be selling the weapons openly to the terrorists. The Imperium does allow for wars within its own borders, the USA does not.
In most cases, terrorists are bandits with a fancy name (usually liberation or freedom in there somewhere) and can be bought off
Osama is in all likelihood not bribeable and represents terrorism's second face: True Cause. These are the far more dangerous terrorists who have as an agenda not to bring about change but rather destruction. The alien race known as the Brinn are like this, as are K'Kree against any g'naak
But the worst would be your own species doing this, as the events of Sept 11 has so clearly shown.

 

[Tobias]

Originally posted by Gatsby:
Since one of the players is a Zho (sympathetic to ending the FFW)

One of your *players* is a Zhodani? So do you wear a psi helmet while refereeing to prevent him from spoiling the adventure?

Sorry, couldn´t resist

------------------

 

[Gatsby]

THAT'S why he found the secret doors so easily!

D'oh!

Gats'

 

[Uncle Bob]

Remember when they were taking hostages in Beirut, back in the 1980s? They also took a couple of Soviet diplomats. The KGB grabbed half a dozen locals, shot them, grabbed a half dozen more, and announced they wanted their people back now. They got them.

That always struck me as a very Imperial solution. Or they might pay you off and then spend ten times as much to quietly hunt down and kill you and your entire family.

In our current situation, I think we should be grateful for the WTC attacks. In another couple of years terrorists would have access to biochem or nuclear weapons. 5,000 for a wake-up call could be cheap.

[This message has been edited by Uncle Bob (edited 06 October 2001).]

 

[Gatsby]

Just to head of the crowd...

Uncle Bob! Got off cheap! How insensitive!

But, really, folks, he has a valid point about our asses needing a wake-up call...it would've been worse in ten years...if any of you are MAXIM magazine collectors, there was an issue a year or so ago that detailed a few horror stories of terrorism...and if MAXIM can look to the future, why couldn't we?

Gats'

 

[Spinward Scout]

Yeah, well, we are lucky that a nuke wasn't on any of those planes, or it would have been Bye Bye New York. If they can get away with this, they can get away with a nuke, too. Infiltrating a nuke into the middle of New York is a lot easier than hijacking a jetliner. You could just drive it in in the back of a van & no one would know. Very sobering.

Peace,

Scout

 

[MT++]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ScoutCadet469:
Infiltrating a nuke into the middle of New York is a lot easier than hijacking a jetliner. You could just drive it in in the back of a van & no one would know. Very sobering.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I saw that movie (True Lies)

Luckily, contrary to popular myth, it is REALLY hard to make a working a-bomb

Look how many nations can actually make them (USA, USSR, China, India, Pakistan, Israel (maybe), France, Britain)

There are some that could but chose not to (most of NATO)

How about Traveller's favourite terrorists Ine Givar? What is their MO?
How about that Vilani group who nuked a starport?