Fear itself

The question most frequently asked of me when I'm at home in Morrison, Illinois is "when are you going back (as in going back to work in the Persian Gulf) although sometimes phrased "when did you get back? The second most frequently asked question is "are you afraid (as in "are you afraid for your life" when you are over there)? My stock answer to the second question is "no, I'm not afraid." Despite what you read and hear in the news the Persian Gulf is one of the safest places I've ever worked and I find the people here to be just as warm, caring or uninformed as you'd find in Morrison, Illinois.

Having said this, this is what the U.S. government tells travelers:

Public Announcement - Worldwide Caution

The U.S. Government continues to receive credible reports that extremist individuals are planning additional terrorist actions against U.S. interests. Such actions may be imminent and include suicide operations. We have no further information on specific targets, timing or method of attack. We remind American citizens to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.

Terrorist groups do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. The March 17 attack on worshippers at the Protestant International Church in Islamabad underlines the growing possibility that as security is increased at official U.S. facilities, terrorists and their sympathizers will seek softer targets. These may include facilities where Americans are generally known to congregate or visit, such as clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools or outdoor recreation events. Americans should increase their security awareness when they are at such locations, avoid them, or switch to other locations where Americans in large numbers generally do not congregate. American citizens may be targeted for kidnapping. In late January 2002, an American journalist was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan.

U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may on occasion temporarily close or suspend public services to review their security posture and ensure its adequacy. In those instances, U.S. Embassies and Consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to American citizens. Americans are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

The Department will continue to develop information about potential threats to Americans overseas and to share with them credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents. These documents are available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, U.S. travelers may hear recorded information be calling the Department of State in Washington, D.C. at (202) 647-5225 from their touch-tone telephone, or receive information by automated telefax by dialing (202) 647-3000 from their fax machine.

This Public Announcement - Worldwide Caution supersedes the previous Worldwide Caution of February 1, 2002 to note the imminent threat of terrorist actions which may target civilians and include suicide operations. This Public Announcement - Worldwide Caution expires on August 17, 2002.

This is all good advice and, I dare say, just good common sense. Why American's are hated, or should I say, "misunderstood," is the subject of another article, but suffice it to say that no one knows you are a Yankee pig unless you tell him. Otherwise you are an innocent just like everyone else.

Folks at home are showing me their concern based on what they know from the news. What is newsworthy in the traditional media in the USA is religious conflict and our close ties with Israel, and our dependency on foreign oil. Just to put the situation into a little perspective from 1948 to 1998 3,500 people died in Israel due to the continuous conflict. On the other hand since 1982 25,000 people died in Lebanon, from 1990 in Rwanda 500,000 people died due to ethnic conflict and 1,200.000 people have died in Tibet since 1950 during occupation by China. In other words our idea of fear is not based on any real evidence of risk. Where Americans aren't targets we don't care.

What is scary to me is our willingness to accept military action against perceived evil empires and at the same time allow ethnic cleansing, hunger, aids epidemic or whatever to destroy people's lives that doesn't directly affect Americans. I fear ignorance.

(by Marc Adami, )