Not really, only in the minds of Fox & Friends and maybe Mr. Bush et al.

"What happens when the culture of fear begins to inspire not terror or outrage, but laughter?"
The Raw Story | Ill-informed Fox anchors spread fears of al Qaeda link to California fires (http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Fox_advances_theory_that_CA_fires_1024.html)

I heard the same mis-reported story on a ClearChannel station.

... but will we hear the left wing media complaining about that?

No, of course not, since ClearChannel is one of their own.

You know what's sad is that
People really believe that stuff, and why shouldn't they,
It's coming from us... right? WRONG!
The real terror is the senseless BS reports and stories being thrown around...
The false ones that make people frightened... like we don't have enough to worry about.

It's worse on the blogsphere . Someone did a c/p on a CNN story about the blaze and created a bogus report that MEChA (”Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan”) claimed responsibility . Here is the bogus link

Separatists claim responsibility for California wildfires - CNN.com (http://www.cnnheadlienews.com/2007/US/10/25/fire.mecha/index.html)

Here is the real CNN link

Fire chief: 25,000-acre blaze was set - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/25/fire.arson/index.html)

If there was any truth to either of these claims (al Qaeda or MEChA) I would've been the first to post it.

But there is some plausibility to the alQaeda threat .The fact is that there was a detainee that discussed the idea of setting fires .Just because it did not go down as he described doesn't mean that a similar plan wasn't in the works.
Certainly the FBI report makes it clear that an alQaeda detainee had at least pondered the possibility. And it is a fact that there is a hunt for suspected arsonists related to this series of fires. At least one has already been shot and killed in a high speed chase. Arsonists blamed for starting California wildfires - Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2737976.ece)

Steve Doocy was not reporting it as news but brought it up as speculation in a discussion format. I wonder if Raw Story reports every time the anchors of the dinosaur media raise speculation as legitimate news ? I kind of doubt it.

I also kind of doubt that they reported that Randi Rhodes-kill speculated that Blackwater deliberately set the blazes . Audio: Randi Rhodes: Blackwater Started The Fires? : Ian Schwartz (http://ianschwartz.com/2007/10/24/audio-randi-rhodes-blackwater-started-the-fires/)

In her defense ;it could be the pain killers she is taking because of the header she took after her night of binge drinking... or it could be the DTs . I'm only speculating .

I heard Al Qaeda causes night to fall

The Raw Story | Olbermann: 'I heard Al Qaeda causes night to fall' (http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Olbermann_I_heard_Al_Qaeda_causes_1025.html)


MSNBC host Keith Olbermann says the realistic threat of terrorism is being so overstated by the Bush administration -- and in turn, by Fox News -- that it's downright funny.

"What happens when the culture of fear begins to inspire not terror or outrage, but laughter?" asked Olbermann. "Am I being too optimistic, or has giggling now passed paranoia in response to the president and these macabre parrots working at Fox?"

Olbermann cited a report yesterday carried by Fox News which suggested that Al Qaeda may be the true culprit behind the rash of recent California wildfires. Basing their coverage on an article it said ran "five days ago" in the Arizona Republic, the Fox and Friends morning program discussed an FBI memo stating that an Al Qaeda detainee had brought up the possibility of such a plan.

Calling the report "almost all wrong," the host took the network to task for grossly misreporting the age of the memo:

"The memo was reported not...five days ago, but six days ago -- plus 1,560 more days ago," said Olbermann. "The memo is from July 11, 2003. The Arizona Republic is a newspaper. Congratulations, Fox. But it has not been carrying the story...the guy who reported it doesn't even work there anymore."

Later in the program, Olbermann made up his own terror rumor about Al Qaeda's far-reaching powers:

"I heard Al Qaeda causes night to fall," he warned.

Air America radio host Rachel Maddow, a guest during the segment, said reports like Fox's helped to aid a White House that profited from fear.

"They have to come up with superhuman powers for Al Qaeda because they want to use Al Qaeda to justify a super-extreme agenda for the United States of America," said Maddow of the Bush administration.

Citing controversial intelligence techniques and possible military action against Iran she described as a "radical agenda," Maddow said the administration required a "really radical justification for it...they've had to elevate this band of death-cult fundamentalist criminals into a threat that is greater to our country than the Soviet Union ever was."

"And because it's about such serious stuff," she concluded, "I feel a little guilty thinking that it's funny."

it's worse on the blogsphere . Someone did a c/p on a CNN story about the blaze and created a bogus report that MEChA (”Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan”) claimed responsibility . Here is the bogus link

Separatists claim responsibility for California wildfires - CNN.com (http://www.cnnheadlienews.com/2007/US/10/25/fire.mecha/index.html)

Here is the real CNN link

Fire chief: 25,000-acre blaze was set - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/25/fire.arson/index.html)

If there was any truth to either of these claims (al Qaeda or MEChA) I would've been the first to post it.

But there is some plausibility to the alQaeda threat .The fact is that there was a detainee that discussed the idea of setting fires .Just because it did not go down as he described doesn't mean that a simular plan wasn't in the works.
Certainly the FBI report makes it clear that an alQaeda detainee had at least pondered the possibility. And it is a fact that there is a hunt for suspected arsonists related to this series of fires. At least one has already been shot and killed in a high speed chase. Arsonists blamed for starting California wildfires - Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2737976.ece)

Steve Doocy was not reporting it as news but brought it up as speculation in a discussion format. I wonder if Raw Story reports every time the anchors of the dinosaur media raise speculation as legitimate news ? I kinda doubt it.

I also kinda doubt that they reported that Randi Rhodes-kill speculated that Blackwater deliberately set the blazes . Audio: Randi Rhodes: Blackwater Started The Fires? : Ian Schwartz (http://ianschwartz.com/2007/10/24/audio-randi-rhodes-blackwater-started-the-fires/)

In her defense ;it could be the pain killers she is taking because of the header she took after her night of binge drinking ........or it could be the DTs . I'm only speculating .
Most of these wildfires gives some nut the idea of setting another one; it seems the dry season every year we experience the same thing.

I think it telling that Keith Olberman (the real life Howard Beal) would interview an Air America personality about the Fox News speculations and not bring up the Rhandi Rhodes rant or the fact that another Air America personalityMike Malloy made the speculation that it was a member of "the Bush crime family " that started the fires. YouTube - Now Malloy Says Bush Family Set The Fires! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQFzLr9KHV4)

I think it telling that Keith Olberman (the real life Howard Beal) would interview an Air America personality about the Fox News speculations and not bring up the Rhandi Rhodes rant or the fact that another Air America personalityMike Malloy made the speculation that it was a member of "the Bush crime family " that started the fires. YouTube - Now Malloy Says Bush Family Set The Fires! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQFzLr9KHV4)
Too funny; thanks for the link; what some people won’t do. I guess it’s normal for people to speculate when confronted with something they don’t understand…but this takes the cake.

Governing by fear and uncertainty has been a policy for years.

Governing by fear and uncertainty has been a policy for years.
What is scary is the request for $88 million to modify B2 stealth bombers so that they can carry a 30,000lb bomb called the massive ordnance penetrator. The MOP is an advanced form of a "bunker buster", an air-delivered weapon with an explosive capacity to destroy targets deep underground. Explaining the request, the Administration says it is in response to an "urgent operational need from theatre commanders". What kind of emergency could that be? Well, how about to use in our war with Iran.:D

I thought they already had those for Afghanistan to ferret out that cave dweller that masterminded the twin tower attacks?

I thought they already had those for Afghanistan to ferret out that cave dweller that masterminded the twin tower attacks?
Apparently the capability is not on the B2 stealth bombers to carry them; part of the funds Bush is now asking for to continue the war would be to fit the B2. It’s a contingency measure should we want to use them against Iran; which apparently is going to be necessary sooner or later.

The 'terrorists' are the environmentalists because they will not allow them to clear out the dry dead brush with controlled burns or spray the beetles that kill the wood. So then the fire has more kindling wood to fuel a bigger fire and then the Santa Anna wind tunnel effect catches up the fire and look what happens.
They did say on the news that there was something written a few years back on terrorists
Planning to burn California, sort of like the story of how they want to blow up 13 major cities
Simultaneously. But this was a bad case of the yearly fires they get.

So are you suggesting that there was no arson involved whatsoever? That all of these fires were purely accidental? Don't be so quick to rule out that possibility. Maybe not necessarily al Qaeda but domestic terrorism is always a threat as well.

So are you suggesting that there was no arson involved whatsoever? That all of these fires were purely accidental? Don't be so quick to rule out that possibility. Maybe not necessarily al Qaeda but domestic terrorism is always a threat as well.

You are right they have already arrested someone for setting one of the fires in San Diego and they believe at least one to three more may have been arson.
But I think DC is talking about 'terrorist' plot, not some copy cat arsons that just happened to decide to add to the other fires. They said the original fire was caused by wind knocking over a pole.

Hello:

14 people attacked us. 14 people. Only 14 people... They were ALL Saudi's. Now we're at war with Iraq, Afghanistan, and looking to go into Iran.

But the terrorists are in Pakistan?? I don't get it. I thought you were either with us or against us. Wassa matter with George?? Is he a liar?? Is he chicken?? Is he confused? Is he just stupid?? Is he leading us to our DESTRUCTION??

excon

Talk about paranoia!!

That's not paranoia Skell. That is the truth. Did you see that photo of bush holding the hand of King Fahd? The day after the towers came down, all of Osama Bin Laudins relatives were allowed to fly out of the US.

First of all, there is NO evidence to link Al Qaeda to the forest fires in CA.

There is information that was passed to our intelligence agencies from Israeli intelligence that there were terrorists who had been planning to use forest fires to weaken our infrastructure, force us to use resources, and generally weaken us for some other form of attack. That does not mean that these fires constitute such an attack by any terrorist group, just that someone along the line had such an idea.

There is evidence that at least 5 of the fires wetre a result of arson. But there is nothing that connects that arson to terrorism or any terrorist group.

Finally, most terrorist groups like to claim responsibility for their attacks because they want people to be afraid of them and to think that they could attack anywhere, at any time with impunity. Nobody has taken any credit for these fires. When terrorist groups have set forrest fires in Israel (not an uncommon form of attack in that part of the world), they generally take credit for the attacks. There is no reason to believe that they would not do so in California. Since nobody has taken such credit, it is hard to believe that the California fires have any connection to terrorism.

Barring any new in evidence, my opinion is that the CA fires are not terrorism-related. Any attempt to make such a link would be premature.

Elliot

That's not paranoia Skell. That is the truth. Did you see that photo of bush holding the hand of King Fahd? The day after the towers came down, all of Osama Bin Laudins relatives were allowed to fly out of the US.

Maybe that's why down under here we call them Bush fires... Hmmmm...

I think you call them forest fires... Perhaps our terminology is more relevant!! ;)

And now for the real reason that there are so many large forest fires raging out of control.

Liberals.

Liberals who keep us from cutting down trees and clearing away dry brush in the name of "ecology". The fact is that forests need to be cut and trimmed and logged in order to keep them from becoming overgrown and dried out. Dry dead trees and brush are fire hazards. Forests that are regularly logged and cleared do not have huge, 900-acre fires.

Ergo, the tree-hugging liberals that protest loggers and demand that every little leaf and branch in the forest remain untouched "for the good of the environment" are the real reason that the fires have raged out of control.

That's not to say that the arsonists who started the fires aren't to blame. They are, and if caught, they should be jailed and shot and drawn and quartered. (You decide on the order of the punishments.) However, the fires would not have been as bad if loggers who regularly clear away the brush and cut down the dead trees weren't kept from doing their jobs by liberal protestors.

Elliot

You're a very sick man Elliot. Funny, but sick. :)

Here is a link to an American Thinker article that echoes Elliot's point .

American Thinker: The Environmentalist Fires (http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/10/the_environmentalist_fires.html)

So instead of venting his hatred towards a few ecologists he chose his favorite subject: all liberals. That, my friend, is bigotry.

Yeah... it's always bigotry when someone points out the facts about liberals, Karma.

When I point out that the actions of liberals are hurting America, that's 'bigotry'. But when you call Bush and Neocons a bunch of murderers, thieves and megalomaniacs, that's just 'criticism'.

If you are feeling insulted, Karma, perhaps its because I touched a nerve.

Or as my sensei used to say, "Get over it."

Elliot

Or as my sensei used to say, "Get over it."
See that's the hypocrisy right there. You tell me to get over it but you spend all day on an internet discussion board spewing hatred about liberals. You don't like my odd post here? Get over it! LOL.

I don't hate liberals, I just hate what they do to my country. And I pity their naïveté.

No do I have a problem with your posting any opinion that you wish to post. Everyone has the right to be wrong, and you do it so well.

My problem is when you call my posts bigotry, while spouting anti-Bush, anti-neocon diatribes. It's a bit of the pot calling the kettle African-American. My response to that is if you don't like the "bigotry" of my post, get over it.

Elliot

The California fires are nothing new. Fires in that part of the country have been going on for decades. In fact my sister and her husband have a home in the Redlands/Highland Park area. Three years ago they had a mandatory evacuation as the fire came within a mile of the backyard. This year they had a voluntary evacuation for one day and the fire is several miles away. Although arson has been the culprit for some of the fires, terrorism need not apply, since the majority of the California fires are nature sourced.


Bobby

Terrorism no, and yes environmental wackos have contributed to the problem, but at least it surely can't be global warming. Roughly 809 square miles have been scorched in these fires, 441 less than the fires of 1936:


If there was a "worst fire season (http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN15310243)" in the last century or so, Berlant said, it would probably be 1936 -- when flames swept across more than 1,250 square miles (3,235 square km) of California, an area roughly the size of Rhode Island.

People who live in trees should not complain when a bush fire burns down there home! They chose to live in the bush!