Marines killed in Chattanooga, TN: "Domestic Terrorism" or "criminal act"?

Sgt Melinda Enfinger — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 17:32:29 -0400

US Attorney calls the act "domestic terrorism" and then some FBI Special Agent backpedals and says it may be a "criminal act"... What would make it merely a criminal act in your opinion? Is it a PC precaution because the shooter's name is Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez?

Gunman identified in shooting deaths of 4 Marines at Tennessee Navy facility

BREAKING NEWS: A police officer was reportedly shot Thursday at an Army recruiting center near Tennessee Riverpark, prompting a lockdown at nearby Chattanooga State Community College.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2015 5:35 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 17:35:29 -0400

I read this too. Its hard to be objective when 4 of my brothers are dead. My gut tells me that this was an act of terrorism. For it to be criminal I would think that the Marines would have been chosen at random which doesn't seem to be the case. No other recruiting office had bullet holes in it to my knowledge.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Jul 16 at 2015 6:10 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:10:39 -0400

It's a matter of definitions, not "PC precaution." Until we know more, law enforcement has to be neutral. Someone did something terrible, the "why" will be what determines whether it was terrorism or "just" a criminal act. Everything to now is pretty much rumor.

That said, I'm taking "domestic terrorist" for $1000, Alex.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 16 at 2015 6:25 PM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:25:09 -0400

Sgt Melinda Enfinger Whatever this is, it is very disturbing and sad that we have lost (4) members of our military in locations that should be safe for everyone to come in and ask questions or check on enlisting in the military. I want to really understand the facts before I comment on whether or not we should take further precautions in light of this event. We have had so many random acts of violence and events in this country with the South Carolina incident and so on and so forth, the lines start getting blurred. If this in fact is an act of Terrorism, whether it be domestic or Foreign, arming these soldiers would have still resulted in some of these individuals getting killed because the individual sprayed the facility with gun fire according to the report. Arming them for the future may dissuade further attempts in the future.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jul 16 at 2015 6:33 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:33:18 -0400

Maybe we should arm the armed forces.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/arm-the-armed-forces

Response by SGT Kristjan Rahe made Jul 16 at 2015 6:41 PM

SGT Kristjan Rahe — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:41:19 -0400

The perpetrator is a Kuwaiti national so Domestic is a bit of an overstatement. ISIS has been telling persons to attack military and there has been instruction and support from abroad so the "lone Wolf" concept is overused. In the interest of force protection, with the knowledge that recruiting stations are a target (Little Rock, Times Square, Chattanooga) why are we not arming our soldiers, sailors and marines? Political Correctness has gone awry in this country and is putting our citizens and soldiers at risk.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2015 6:41 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:41:32 -0400

Terrorism is the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. It's a developing story so it's possible there's information I've missed, but so far we don't know why the shooter did what he did. If there was no political agenda behind the shootings then it defaults to criminal act. Right now there's not enough information to determine what it is, though I would be surprised if it did not end up meeting the criteria of terrorism.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jul 16 at 2015 7:10 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:10:00 -0400

'Or'? Why can't it be both? Not sure how or why the media seems to need to insert 'domestic' either?

Response by SFC William Farrell made Jul 16 at 2015 10:43 PM

SFC William Farrell — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 22:43:47 -0400

What do you think Sgt Enfinger? With a name like his, I don't really give a rat's ass about political correctness, it is terrorism. It takes a coward to shoot unarmed people, whether they are service men or women or just simply civilians. They are cowards.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2015 11:25 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:25:34 -0400

Terrorism, without a doubt! The main-stream-media and federal response is pure PC bullsh..

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 16 at 2015 11:26 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:26:54 -0400

Terrorism. Plain and simple

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 16 at 2015 11:59 PM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:59:15 -0400

TERRORISM.... By US Military (DOD) and other agency definitions, this is terrorism. It is not about who or where, it is about their intent.... To cause terror... Terrorists come in generally three types... Crusaders, Criminals, and Crazies... Sometimes they can be more than one, or all three. This idiot was driven by ideology (crusader), but the was likely also crazy, and he is clearly a criminal.

Response by Sgt Adam Jennings made Jul 19 at 2015 2:14 PM

Sgt Adam Jennings — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 14:14:15 -0400

I live just south of Chattanooga, TN, literally a thirty minute drive from where the shootings occurred. Those moronic beureaucrats can call it a "criminal act" all they want to save face for PC. But the rest of us down here where it hits home are calling it what it is, an act of terrorism.

Response by Sgt Mark York made Jul 19 at 2015 2:15 PM

Sgt Mark York — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 14:15:12 -0400

Definitely PC.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jul 20 at 2015 9:14 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 21:14:43 -0400

Obama administration - lone gunman
FBI - criminal act
Red blooded Americans - DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Response by Sgt Patrick Layfield Sr made Jul 20 at 2015 9:18 PM

Sgt Patrick Layfield Sr — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 21:18:04 -0400

Terrorism, for sure. What is the problem with our leaders?

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Jul 21 at 2015 1:56 AM

SSG Trevor S. — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 01:56:38 -0400

Thesr dandilions are playing word games. Lets cut to the heart of the matter. Whatever the top is calling it, let us call it an enemy action.

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Jul 21 at 2015 8:53 AM

CMSgt Mark Schubert — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 08:53:32 -0400

Neither - this is clearly ISLAMIC TERRORISM! there is no other interpretation in my mind!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 9:01 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 09:01:59 -0400

I'm going to take the minority position here and say that it was a criminal act. And, that's NOT political correctness. It's logic and reason.

I know everyone is rushing to put this into a neat little box and call it Islamic extremism because the guy had a funny-sounding name. However, there's one odd thing here. The guy was from Kuwait!

You know, that's the country that we LIBERATED back in 1991! They're one of our staunchest allies. Our troops pretty much have free reign in their country. Our servicemembers are welcome everywhere there. We use that country as a staging point for all of our operations in the Middle East.

Sometimes, things don't make any sense. Sometimes, they don't fit into our pretty picture of the world. Sometimes, people just go postal and there is no clear target for our outrage.

If there is no clear connection to anything larger, this guy is just going to fall into the same category as Timothy McVeigh, James Holmes, and Dylann Roof. That's not a particularly satisfying situation, but it's an honest assessment. And, bear in mind that we didn't go after all of the domestic militias, shut down the movie studios, or re-invade the South when any of those other inexplicable tragedies happened.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jul 21 at 2015 9:06 AM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 09:06:02 -0400

Interesting that this is worded as an "OR".

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jul 21 at 2015 9:15 AM

SrA Edward Vong — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 09:15:46 -0400

If I want to play this by black and white and remaining neutral.

Terrorism - the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

Based on the motives of the suspect, this could be considered a clear case a terrorism.

Chattanooga Shooter Researched Religious Justification For Violence: Official

The gunman who killed five American troops in a Chattanooga shooting spree last week did online research for militant Islamist "guidance" on committing violence that he may have believed would wipe away in the afterlife his sins on earth including drug and alcohol abuse, an arrest and a lost job,...

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Jul 21 at 2015 12:24 PM

CDR Michael Goldschmidt — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:24:22 -0400

Criminal act? Of course! Domestic terrorism? Maybe. International Islamic terrorist attack? No doubt! We can't actually say that though, because it would hurt people's feelings. THe truth just isn't PC, and we KNOW PC is much more important than truth!

Response by SSgt Charles Edwards made Jul 21 at 2015 4:41 PM

SSgt Charles Edwards — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:41:40 -0400

If it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck....