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Just 25 Americans Died As A Result Of Terrorism Last Year
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/10/25-americans-terrorism-traffic/
Just 25 Americans Died As A Result Of Terrorism Last Year — Less Than Traffic Accidents, The Flu, Or Dog Bites
One of the most common themes in post-9/11 politics is for public figures to campaign based on the public’s fear of terrorism. Candidates from across the political spectrum regularly point to “increased threats from terrorists at home and abroad” as the reason you should elect them so they can keep you safe.
While combating terrorism is important and a crucial part of the nation’s national security strategy, the State Department’s annual Country Reports On Terrorism, which was released late last week, shows that its importance as a leading topic of public concern may be overstated. McClatchy’s Warren P. Strobel notes that the State Department report finds that only 25 American civilians were killed by terrorism worldwide last year:
There were just 25 U.S. noncombatant fatalities from terrorism worldwide. (The US government definition of terrorism excludes attacks on U.S. military personnel). While we don’t have the figures at hand, undoubtedly more American citizens died overseas from traffic accidents or intestinal illnesses than from terrorism.
Matt Yglesias compares the numbers and finds that Strobel’s hunches about traffic accidents are right. He writes, “26 Americans died in vehicle accidents in Mexico between 1 August 2009 and 1 January 2010, so it’s safe to say you’re dramatically likelier to die abroad in a traffic accident than a terrorist attack.”
But it isn’t just foreign traffic accidents that are deadlier to Americans than terrorism. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, more than 13,000 Americans died from the common seasonal flu between January and April 2009, with “no fewer than 800 flu-related deaths” occuring every single week, meaning that 32 times as many Americans died as a result of the flu in a single week during this period of 2009 than died during the entire year from terrorism.
Yet if Americans want to find a threat more dangerous to their lives than terrorism, they don’t even need to go outside and get into their car or interact with their neighbors and catch the flu. All they have to do is look to their canine companions. DogsBite.org, which compiles press reports of dog bite fatalities, recorded 32 reported incidents of dogs fatally killing humans last year.
Once again, the threat of terrorism is a serious national security concern and should be seen as such. But given its relatively low fatality rate in comparison to other threats to humanity — the State Department’s report found that 58,142 people were killed by terrorist attacks worldwide in 2009, a fraction of the three million children who died from easily preventable malnutrition and hunger a year before — a more reasoned assessment of our priorities is needed.
Just 25 Americans Died As A Result Of Terrorism Last Year — Less Than Traffic Accidents, The Flu, Or Dog Bites
One of the most common themes in post-9/11 politics is for public figures to campaign based on the public’s fear of terrorism. Candidates from across the political spectrum regularly point to “increased threats from terrorists at home and abroad” as the reason you should elect them so they can keep you safe.
While combating terrorism is important and a crucial part of the nation’s national security strategy, the State Department’s annual Country Reports On Terrorism, which was released late last week, shows that its importance as a leading topic of public concern may be overstated. McClatchy’s Warren P. Strobel notes that the State Department report finds that only 25 American civilians were killed by terrorism worldwide last year:
There were just 25 U.S. noncombatant fatalities from terrorism worldwide. (The US government definition of terrorism excludes attacks on U.S. military personnel). While we don’t have the figures at hand, undoubtedly more American citizens died overseas from traffic accidents or intestinal illnesses than from terrorism.
Matt Yglesias compares the numbers and finds that Strobel’s hunches about traffic accidents are right. He writes, “26 Americans died in vehicle accidents in Mexico between 1 August 2009 and 1 January 2010, so it’s safe to say you’re dramatically likelier to die abroad in a traffic accident than a terrorist attack.”
But it isn’t just foreign traffic accidents that are deadlier to Americans than terrorism. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, more than 13,000 Americans died from the common seasonal flu between January and April 2009, with “no fewer than 800 flu-related deaths” occuring every single week, meaning that 32 times as many Americans died as a result of the flu in a single week during this period of 2009 than died during the entire year from terrorism.
Yet if Americans want to find a threat more dangerous to their lives than terrorism, they don’t even need to go outside and get into their car or interact with their neighbors and catch the flu. All they have to do is look to their canine companions. DogsBite.org, which compiles press reports of dog bite fatalities, recorded 32 reported incidents of dogs fatally killing humans last year.
Once again, the threat of terrorism is a serious national security concern and should be seen as such. But given its relatively low fatality rate in comparison to other threats to humanity — the State Department’s report found that 58,142 people were killed by terrorist attacks worldwide in 2009, a fraction of the three million children who died from easily preventable malnutrition and hunger a year before — a more reasoned assessment of our priorities is needed.
That's why I like keeping them busy on their own turf. Leaves them little time to make mischief here. And fortunately the ones we've caught so far have been idiots. Even the "Shoe Bomber" from England seemed a couple of bricks shy of a load.
I think what I take away from this article is that our government is doing a darn good job of overseeing the safety of our country.
I cannot remember the exact number, but I understand that more people died of dog bites in the same time period.
There always have been and always will be deaths from terrorism, considering the definition of terrorism>>
terrorist - a radical who employs terror as a political weapon; usually organizes with other terrorists in small cells; often uses religion as a cover for terrorist activities
act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - 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, coercion, instilling fear or murder.
Of course governments worldwide should continue to combat terrorism, in all it's ugly forms, religious, racial, anti-gay and many others. But like the article says, there are other issues that are really threatening our safety in much larger numbers.
I wonder if the Flu bug had a face and a leader claiming it's own "Jihad" on the human race, wouldn't we be looking at them as a bigger threat to our safety? What about hunger, poverty and lack of medical care?What about the "Invasion" of illegal immigrants?
I do think the Government and media give to much voice to Bin Laden and his terrorists, in order to create fear, political manipulation and a war started on lies.
terrorist - a radical who employs terror as a political weapon; usually organizes with other terrorists in small cells; often uses religion as a cover for terrorist activities
act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - 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, coercion, instilling fear or murder.
Of course governments worldwide should continue to combat terrorism, in all it's ugly forms, religious, racial, anti-gay and many others. But like the article says, there are other issues that are really threatening our safety in much larger numbers.
I wonder if the Flu bug had a face and a leader claiming it's own "Jihad" on the human race, wouldn't we be looking at them as a bigger threat to our safety? What about hunger, poverty and lack of medical care?What about the "Invasion" of illegal immigrants?
I do think the Government and media give to much voice to Bin Laden and his terrorists, in order to create fear, political manipulation and a war started on lies.
If one of the 25 were a loved one, it would be too many. How many terrorist deaths are acceptable to you? 25? 50? 100? More? Less?
NO terrorist deaths should occur.
NO terrorist deaths should occur.
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