MSNBC: "Power outage could serve as terrorism ‘dry run’ scenario"

[Minstrel Boy]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 — Industry and federal officials moved swiftly Thursday to rule out terrorism as a cause of the massive power outage that crippled several states. But the events, images and unanswered questions flowing from the blackout further show how vulnerable the U.S. power grid is, experts say, and provide a kind of “dry run” look at what could have happened had the darker angels of terrorism been unchained that day.

WHILE U.S. AND Canadian officials scrambled to maintain order and grasped for explanations to thousands of questions flowing from the blackout, which cut off power to an estimated 50 million people, counter-terrorism officials replayed the nightmare scenarios tucked away on computer hard drives in the form of electronic what-if models and “sweated bullets” well into the night, as one government counterintelligence source who requested anonymity told MSNBC.com.

more:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/952913.asp?0cv=CB10

[AntiCoup2K4]

1. Be warned, Canadians!

The Bush Criminal Empire is bringing their fear campaign to you. After Michael Moore made it obvious in Bowling for Columbine that the perpetual state of fear was a creation of the US corporate media, and did not exist north of the border, the PNAC brigade realized their errors. Think about it.... didn't the SARS panic begin within weeks of the Oscars??

And now the Canadian power grid is a target of "terraism".

BTW, does Murdoch or some other piece of shit own the CTV network?? On my recent visit up north, I was noticing a FAUXian trend to their news coverage. Not quite as blatant as the corporate media here, but definitely far more pro-BCE than the CBC news.

[molok555]

2. CTV?

I'm not sure anymore...could be part of the former Balck Empire, but I doubt it.

Co worker and I were talking about this today-if the choas this caused doesn't give the terrorists a shot in the arm, they just ain't trying! Shit, time this with some other more conventtional attack and whoa daddy!

[TeeYiYi]

3. EXACTLY! . . .

"if the chaos this caused doesn't give the terrorists a shot in the arm, they just ain't trying!"

Spooks around every corner my ass. What a bunch of bumble butts we have running this country. I suspect this has more to do with money than terra'. Did you hear that New York is now being subjected to rolling blackouts? This has corporate mischief written all over it.

TYY

[aquart]

5. What chaos?

If a terrorist gets his rocks off by causing me to clean out my refrigerator, well, he's too meek and mild to be a terrorist.

I am considering placing the blame with the guys who have really shown they place no value on American life: Bushco.

This feels too Enronesque to me.

I'm sorry, George, if we were supposed to freak and go screaming in the night. We're kinda getting used to you.

[pink_poodle]

7. ha ha ha Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I finally got mine de-frosted and.......

cleaned, plus went on a mini house cleaning binge since there was no TV to watch or Playstation or computers to waste my time on. No one here seemed the slightest bit alarmed in Canada - more like super pissed off by the time Friday evening rolled around and we were still without power - pissed at the government's mishandling of our electrical resources after they have been nailing us for astronomically high power bills the past year. The gov't. better get their acts together! Ontario is angry at the provincial gov't. here.

As for terrorists, it was pretty well the last thing on anyone's minds and we are not buying into the Bush tactics of keeping the fear up. In fact, most of us just roll our eyes every time we hear the words anymore.

[Maple]

4. Then it's been a very long 'dry run'

since this happened in '65 and again in '77. :D

[study_war_no_more]

6. terrorists needn't actually be responsible

to be blamed, look at Iraq. GOP- winning hearts and minds.

[robbedvoter]

8. Ha!ha! Terrorists caused some great parties on my roof and

our community gardens! We ate the content of refrigetators on day 1, freezers on day 2. It was delicious and we played music, danced and told stories (not all of them about bushco and deregulation). Nice try MSNBC and BFEE !

[Old and In the Way]

9. If you define Terrorism as a systematic looting of our utilities

by deregulation, allowing private corporations to short reinvestment and pocket millions at the expense of the American people, then we did experience an act of terror.

I beleive that Bush vetoed a bill last year that tried to get funding for upgarding the NE power grid....I hope this comes back to haunt him.

I fully expect to see more of this stuff in the fuure.

[0007]

10. Turn out the lights the party' s over

Good Night Irene Good night

'This all over now junior boy -