From: Frederick Burroughs <riburr@shentel.net>
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 14:12:35 +0800
To: Cypherpunks <cypherpunks@ns.minder.net>
Subject: Preemptive, proactivism
Message-ID: <367B3EAA.2F870154@shentel.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Preemptive ;-)

Sources within the US government and military counterterrorism offices
have confirmed that the timing of "Desert Fox" was carefully planned and
coordinated. Counterterrorism planners are anticipating terrorists will
be incited into action as a result of US military action so close to the
Muslim holy period of Ramadan. Terrorists with middle eastern ties may
decide that the religious holiday observance of Christmas would be a
good time to retaliate against western targets. "There's a proactive
element involved in conducting military operations near Ramadan", one
source said, "We won't be opening presents this Christmas, we'll be on
our posts alert and watching."

Another source said that the House impeachment vote was a serendipitous
occurrence. "It actually helps with our activities. The bad guys think
we're distracted, that there's no leadership. Actually, we've never been
more focused, we're hyped. Our operations have been in high gear since
the Africa (embassy) bombings, Desert Fox is an outgrowth of that. We
know what these guys are going to do before they do."

The recent cacophony of events in Washington D.C. may soon take on an
aura of japanese surrealism. The secret service is weighing the
necessity of having White House visitors and press conference attendees
remove their shoes. The ability to disperse anthrax toxin from the
hollowed-out heels of shoes is something that cannot be ignored. Sources
said that such an incident, occurring in areas of pedestrian traffic,
would disperse a toxin with tragic effectiveness. "It doesn't take much
imagination to see the consequences of spilling a powder on the rug in a
White House press briefing, lots of shuffling around in a closed
environment, lots of inhaled toxin."

What's scary is that someone could disperse a toxin unwittingly. "Do you
know where your shoes are 24 hours a day?" an agent said. "This is
something we have to think about, but short of an actual scare, I don't
think we'll be asking you to take off your shoes. Not just yet."