Our government is awash with statistics on almost any topic. When it comes to guns, the FBI and CDC can tell us how many people are killed by firearms each year. The FBI even breaks the homicide data down by type of gun. But, one thing that we don't know is how many times guns are used defensively and how they are a deterrent to crime. While there may be some independent studies, they're usually, at best, only estimates.
One way we can get a taste of how guns are a deterrent, is to compare burglaries in this country---where there are more guns than there are people -- to those in England, where there are strict gun controls. To do this we will compare "hot" burglary rates. A "hot" burglary takes place when someone is at home at the time of the burglary. In this country "hot burglaries" are typically known as "home invasions".
In the United States, just 10% of burglaries are "hot". In England, 50% of all burglaries are "hot" and on the rise. Also, the biggest problem in England is that 59% of "hot" burglaries result in violence or the threat of violence. On the other hand, in the U.S., only 26% result in violence.
The simple reality is that burglars are less likely to enter a house with someone at home if there is the possibility that person may be armed. This fact was born out in a study titled Armed and Considered Dangerous: A Survey of Felons and Their Firearms that was published in 1986. It found that 40% of felons avoided committing a crime when they thought the victim might be armed. Another study said that 74% of felons said they avoided burglaries for fear of being shot. Also, it is safe to assume that the lower rates of violence (26%) are probably a result of the person at home confronting a burglar with a firearm.
Just some food for thought for Democrats who are so eager to control guns in this country. This is not to say that high-capacity weapons -- 10+ rounds or greater -- shouldn't be controlled in some fashion but, let's leave defensive weapons alone. In this way, we all benefit from guns, especially when burglars don't know if you have one or not.
References:
An Englishman's home is his dungeon: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3613417/An-Englishmans-home-is-his-dungeon.html
Burglary victims attacked in their own home once every 30 minutes: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1245417/Burglary-victims-attacked-home-30-minutes.html
Victimization During Household Burglary: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/vdhb.pdf
Crime and Guns: http://www.gunfacts.info/gun-control-myths/crime-and-guns/#note-93-7
Showing posts with label weapons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weapons. Show all posts
Friday, June 24, 2016
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Why ISIS 'Is' A Credible Threat
We keep hearing from the Obama Administration (specifically the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security) that ISIS poses no direct credible threat to the United States. My only problem with that is that it was the FBI who interviewed both the Fort Hood shooter and the Boston Marathon bomber before they committed their acts of violence and, who seemed not to think these people posed a threat either.
In my opinion, ISIS should literally scare the whatever out of every American.
First of all, they are growing in size and strength. In June, they were 10,000 strong. Now, the CIA has estimated their number to be at about 31,500. That's a growth rate of almost 7,000 fighters per month. If this continues, it could mean that, in just 10 more months, ISIS could reach 100,000. That is a force that could easily takeover much of the territory in the Middle East besides major chunks of both Syria and Iraq.
What should be more worrisome to the U.S. and the world is the fact that passport carrying Europeans and American citizens are also joining. The problem with ISIS-friendly passport holders is that they can freely enter many European countries and the U.S. without having to apply for a visa. They can simply buy an airplane ticket, say they are tourists, and land anywhere in the U.S. on a 24/7 basis with no one really questioning their purpose or intent. As a result, there is now an unprecedented access to our homeland that hasn't been seen before with any other terrorist group; including Al Qaeda.
But, the biggest threat to our safety is the huge amounts of cash that ISIS is amassing. It is now estimated that they have acquired $2 billion dollars from contributions and from looting, ransoming, and theft activities. When they took Mosul, for example, their looting of that city's bank gave them half a billion dollars in gold and cash. Beyond that, their newly found access to oil wells in Syria and Iraq is netting them an estimated $3 million a day from oil sold on the black market.
With all that cash ISIS doesn't need to hijack an aircraft in a 9/11-style terrorist attack. They could simply buy some used commercial cargo jets at a cost of less than $2 million dollars each. That cash also gives them the ability to buy shoulder-mounted rocket launchers and grenade launchers on the black market. Both weapons can be used to bring down planes in takeoff or landing or to do serious damage to land-based targets like shopping malls or railroad trains. It also means that they could buy radioactive material to build a dirty bomb or acquire highly explosive C-4 to take out bridges and other infrastructure. Smuggling these weapons into the U.S. might be as simple as paying "coyotes" to cross them over our currently porous southern border.
To say that ISIS is not a credible threat is simply irresponsible. They are a threat and they have the money, manpower, weapons, and potential access to carry out horrendous attacks on our own soil. The two video beheadings of Americans proved we are a target, with Obama's name clearly spoken in both. Further, they have already said that their goal is to fly their flag over the White House. In the late 1990's the then-President ignored Bin Laden, and the result was 9/11. Now, we seem to have another President ignoring the ISIS threat. Will we, once again, wait for the next attack before we seriously take this enemy out?
References:
FBI: No credible threats to US from Islamic State: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/22/fbi-no-credible-threats-to-us-from-islamic-state/
FBI & DHS: Islamic State Poses No Credible Threat to US: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/08/25/FBI-DHS-Islamic-State-Poses-No-Credible-Threat-to-US-Sec-Hagel-Says-Opposite
FBI interviewed dead Boston bombing suspect years ago: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-interviewed-dead-boston-bombing-suspect-years-ago/
Fort Hood Shooting: FBI Ignored Evidence Against Nidal Hasan For Political Correctness, Report Says: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/19/fort-hood-shooting-fbi-nidal-hasan-political-correctness_n_1685653.html
Number of ISIS fighters has swelled to as many as 31,500, CIA says: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/09/12/number-isis-fighters-has-swelled-to-as-many-as-31500-cia-says/
ISIS' half-a-billion-dollar bank heist makes it world's richest terror group: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10899995/ISIS-half-a-billion-dollar-bank-heist-makes-it-worlds-richest-terror-group.html
How ISIS managed to acquire $2B in assets: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101761986
Boeing 727-200 for Sale: http://www.globalplanesearch.com/jets/airliners/boeing/727_200.htm
Corruption, greed fuel black market for arms: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-08-14/news/0308140153_1_surface-to-air-missile-weapons-of-war-black-market
New ISIS Video: ‘We Will Raise Black Flag Over White House’: http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/08/08/new-isis-video-%E2%80%98we-will-raise-black-flag-over-white-house%E2%80%99
In my opinion, ISIS should literally scare the whatever out of every American.
First of all, they are growing in size and strength. In June, they were 10,000 strong. Now, the CIA has estimated their number to be at about 31,500. That's a growth rate of almost 7,000 fighters per month. If this continues, it could mean that, in just 10 more months, ISIS could reach 100,000. That is a force that could easily takeover much of the territory in the Middle East besides major chunks of both Syria and Iraq.
What should be more worrisome to the U.S. and the world is the fact that passport carrying Europeans and American citizens are also joining. The problem with ISIS-friendly passport holders is that they can freely enter many European countries and the U.S. without having to apply for a visa. They can simply buy an airplane ticket, say they are tourists, and land anywhere in the U.S. on a 24/7 basis with no one really questioning their purpose or intent. As a result, there is now an unprecedented access to our homeland that hasn't been seen before with any other terrorist group; including Al Qaeda.
But, the biggest threat to our safety is the huge amounts of cash that ISIS is amassing. It is now estimated that they have acquired $2 billion dollars from contributions and from looting, ransoming, and theft activities. When they took Mosul, for example, their looting of that city's bank gave them half a billion dollars in gold and cash. Beyond that, their newly found access to oil wells in Syria and Iraq is netting them an estimated $3 million a day from oil sold on the black market.
With all that cash ISIS doesn't need to hijack an aircraft in a 9/11-style terrorist attack. They could simply buy some used commercial cargo jets at a cost of less than $2 million dollars each. That cash also gives them the ability to buy shoulder-mounted rocket launchers and grenade launchers on the black market. Both weapons can be used to bring down planes in takeoff or landing or to do serious damage to land-based targets like shopping malls or railroad trains. It also means that they could buy radioactive material to build a dirty bomb or acquire highly explosive C-4 to take out bridges and other infrastructure. Smuggling these weapons into the U.S. might be as simple as paying "coyotes" to cross them over our currently porous southern border.
To say that ISIS is not a credible threat is simply irresponsible. They are a threat and they have the money, manpower, weapons, and potential access to carry out horrendous attacks on our own soil. The two video beheadings of Americans proved we are a target, with Obama's name clearly spoken in both. Further, they have already said that their goal is to fly their flag over the White House. In the late 1990's the then-President ignored Bin Laden, and the result was 9/11. Now, we seem to have another President ignoring the ISIS threat. Will we, once again, wait for the next attack before we seriously take this enemy out?
References:
FBI: No credible threats to US from Islamic State: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/22/fbi-no-credible-threats-to-us-from-islamic-state/
FBI & DHS: Islamic State Poses No Credible Threat to US: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/08/25/FBI-DHS-Islamic-State-Poses-No-Credible-Threat-to-US-Sec-Hagel-Says-Opposite
FBI interviewed dead Boston bombing suspect years ago: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-interviewed-dead-boston-bombing-suspect-years-ago/
Fort Hood Shooting: FBI Ignored Evidence Against Nidal Hasan For Political Correctness, Report Says: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/19/fort-hood-shooting-fbi-nidal-hasan-political-correctness_n_1685653.html
Number of ISIS fighters has swelled to as many as 31,500, CIA says: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/09/12/number-isis-fighters-has-swelled-to-as-many-as-31500-cia-says/
ISIS' half-a-billion-dollar bank heist makes it world's richest terror group: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10899995/ISIS-half-a-billion-dollar-bank-heist-makes-it-worlds-richest-terror-group.html
How ISIS managed to acquire $2B in assets: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101761986
Boeing 727-200 for Sale: http://www.globalplanesearch.com/jets/airliners/boeing/727_200.htm
Corruption, greed fuel black market for arms: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-08-14/news/0308140153_1_surface-to-air-missile-weapons-of-war-black-market
New ISIS Video: ‘We Will Raise Black Flag Over White House’: http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/08/08/new-isis-video-%E2%80%98we-will-raise-black-flag-over-white-house%E2%80%99
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