A gunman opened fire on two military centers more than seven miles apart on Thursday, killing four Marines and wounding three other people in what authorities are investigating as a terrorist attack.
NO NO NO NO NO. I call bullshit. I call shenanigans. I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man.
terrorism, n. the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear
Emphasis in the foregoing is mine.
An attack on military personnel and facilities is, by definition, NOT terrorism. That news lede is the equivalent of "a burglar broke into two homes more than seven miles apart on Thursday, stealing four televisions and breaking three windows in what authorities are investigating as driving under the influence and public urination."
And the thing about this that really drives me bugfuck is that the people who insist 24/7 that "this is WAR" and "we are at WAR with Islam" and "STFU about civil liberties because WAR" are the first ones to squat and pee all over their lace-embroidered pink skivvies and start wailing about "terrorism" when US military personnel and facilities get attacked.
What's even more embarrassing is that some of the people who do the wailing these days are Marines. Back when I was in the Corps, it was well understood that if it's war there are enemies, and that if there are enemies they can be expected to attack. Buy the ticket, take the ride. Whining about it like you got cheated at cards or someone stole your beer or something is, in two words, conduct unbecoming.
Calling this something it isn't doesn't make it any less tragic for those four Marines or their families. All it does is dishonor their memory and insult the intelligence of everyone else for a little cheap political mileage.
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