EDITORIAL
Find the root causes of 'lone-wolf attacks'
The Nation

In recent weeks armed assailants have wreaked havoc in the US, Canada, France and Australia. We need to know why

BANGKOK: -- The West has seen a slew of random attacks by lone assailants in recent weeks, leaving innocent people as well as authority figures dead or wounded and emotionally scarred. The nightmare of such "lone-wolf attacks" is compounded by the fact that they are almost always impossible to predict and difficult to prevent.

Attacks have taken place in the United States, Australia, France and Canada, some of the assailants being associated with extremist or terrorist groups, others apparently acting out of raw personal anger at perceived injustices.

Following the armed siege of a Sydney café by an Iranian-born Islamist, in which two hostages were killed, governments there and in Europe and the US have warned of potentially more lone-wolf attacks by home-grown militants.

France witnessed random knife attacks on police and pedestrians over the course of three days this past week. Another 28 people were injured in two separate vehicle-ramming assaults. In yet another incident, a Muslim convert was shot dead at a police station after slashing three officers with a knife.

In the US last week, two New York police officers were shot dead "execution-style" by a gunman believed to be angry over police brutality and the refusal of some courts to indict or convict officers for killing unarmed black suspects.

In October another convert to Islam charged at four other New York policemen with a hatchet, injuring two of them before being brought down with deadly force.

That same month in Canada, still another radical Muslim ran a soldier down and shot another before being killed, while a citizen who had been denied travel to Syria murdered a soldier at the National War Memorial and then engaged security forces in a shootout inside the parliament buildings. He too died in a hail of bullets.

Speaking after the Sydney tragedy, British Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged that it's difficult for authorities to forestall such attacks. "It's one thing understanding the terror networks coming out of Pakistan or Afghanistan or Iraq and Syria, and trying to monitor what they're doing and who is going and who is returning. But people who are self-radicalised, often on the Internet, who then suddenly do appalling things, that is much more difficult to prevent."

Use of legal means and preventive measures, such as identifying and tracking suspects, is a good way for countries to stave off lone-wolf attacks. But we need to find out why more and more homegrown extremists are wreaking havoc. This is clearly a problem that must be solved at its root.

Government leaders and other authorities must examine the systems in place in their countries and determine if there is anything wrong that is directly causing people to explode in anger. If they can rectify such shortcomings, at least they might be able to prevent others among their citizenry from turning into "lone wolves", and in the process they can help ensure the safety of innocent people.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Find-the-root-causes-of-lone-wolf-attacks-30250583.html

-- The Nation 2014-12-25

The root is Islam, the attacks are seen as a religious imperative and the distinction between groups and lone wolves is artificial and unnecessary. You will get loads of differing pretexts disguising the real motive, which is jihad. As an example one of the French attackers was from somewhere like Somalia, but he said he was angry about the children in Chechnya, so he attacks people in France!

P.s Western leaders have been taking their people for idiots by studiously ignoring the religious angle, even when Allahu Akbar is shouted by the assailant they indulge in constructive nonsense to deny the role of religion.

Two words: Radical Islam

Read a good book while back: "I am Pilgrim" which deftly illustrates the origin of of Lone Wolf attacks.

"Government leaders and other authorities must examine the systems in place in their countries and determine if there is anything wrong that is directly causing people to explode in anger."

Can't imagine what in today's world could possibly cause anyone to get angry?

​Maybe ….

Ever rising taxes?

​Governments canceling pensions that people have spent 20-30 years earning?

Governments forcing citizens to buy poor quality, overpriced health insurance they don't want?

Governments spending billions a day on war in sovereign nations?

​Governments spying on their people.

Governments being overthrown by generals who refuse elections?

Governments saying it's just fine to torture and even kill its own citizens?

Governments lying to the people?

Overregulation of businesses?

Militarization of police?

Religious extremists who insist others believe what they believe?

Nope. Can't think of anything.

Edited December 24, 201411 yr by HeijoshinCool

heres a massive clue ...C I A

strange how these so called terror lone wolf blah blah blah are almost all on British or ex British Colony soil (and that inc the US)..........hint hint

The root is Islam, the attacks are seen as a religious imperative and the distinction between groups and lone wolves is artificial and unnecessary. You will get loads of differing pretexts disguising the real motive, which is jihad. As an example one of the French attackers was from somewhere like Somalia, but he said he was angry about the children in Chechnya, so he attacks people in France!

P.s Western leaders have been taking their people for idiots by studiously ignoring the religious angle, even when Allahu Akbar is shouted by the assailant they indulge in constructive nonsense to deny the role of religion.

The trunk is Islam, but the root is Western interference in the Middle East for centuries.

The modern radicalisation of some Muslims has developed from a deep anger.

Two words: Radical Islam

Correct. Radical Islam and complete losers - with nothing to live for - are a bad combination. These are the same jerks who would have joined the Manson Gang or the Symbionese Liberation Army back in the 60s. They are looking for any excuse to end their own miserable lives while destroying those of people who actually have something to live for. These worthless scum are all about HATE.

Edited December 25, 201411 yr by Ulysses G.

Two words: Radical Islam

Correct. Radical Islam and complete losers - with nothing to live for - are a bad combination. These are the same jerks who would have joined the Manson Gang or the Symbionese Liberation Army back in the 60s. They are looking for any excuse to end their own miserable lives while destroying those of people who actually have something to live for. These worthless scum are all about HATE.

Good points there, Ulysses G.

You only have to look at one of the latest examples of a totally bankrupt ideology where in Pakistan some 120 school kids were mowed down simply because they were going to school. What kind of 'religion' generates that I might ask?

Don't forget throwing acid in schoolgirls faces - and making them monsters for life - just for wanting to educate themselves. How could any religion condone that?

Edited December 25, 201411 yr by Ulysses G.

Another piece of rambling BS from the Nation editorial staff. All in the western countries ignoring the horrific incident in Pakistan or those conducted in the south of Thailand. The writer identifies a problem but offers no solution.

heres a massive clue ...C I A

strange how these so called terror lone wolf blah blah blah are almost all on British or ex British Colony soil (and that inc the US)..........hint hint

Despite efferts by the French after WWII. It's been a long time since any part of France belonged to a king or queen of England, Round about the events of the war of the roses.

Edited December 25, 201411 yr by Mosha

...considering what is going on in the south here.....I really don't see a point to your 'great reflection' about what is going on elsewhere....

The root cause is a book that claims to be the word of God and instructs all followers to commit attrocities against non-believers.

Let's say Islam would become the one and only world religion. Would that really stop religious insanity?

This is among the most ignorant and insensible products I have ever seen pass as editorial, commentary, fact, story telling, or even fiction; this is utter rubbish. Is it actually possible in 2014 that the author does not find the common thread throughout these stories; even exempting the token black gunman story, the author really expects his readers do not know the common theme or will join him in ignoring the common theme-Islam?

The notion that there is some mysterious mechanism that transcends borders, could motivate an isolated individual to more or less act out the same horror and manner of conduct, and not include in debate the Koran which is by and large near 70% hate speech is mind numbing. Really? You need to find the root of the problem. Dissemblers like this are also the same ilk that make every monster a victim and every aggrieved party complicit. People like this author turn clear water into mud.

http://www.meforum.org/3545/islam-hatred-non-muslim

There are many sites that suggest where the Hate comes from.

Oddly, this one site has a peculiar take; it is thought provoking but only that: http://www.utne.com/mind-and-body/comparing-bible-koran-word-by-word.aspx A simple computer matrix may seem to spit out thought provoking results but it is only programed and context is absent.

In 2014/15 if a human being, especially one who gets paid to have the pulse of the populace, does not know the common glue that binds lone wolf animals then there is dishonesty involved. If it also hardly possible to any longer continue the fantasy that these lone wolfs or jihadis represent "extremists;" that absurdity never had a chance with historians who know they are not extremist. And now, with time passing, everyone else will also realize what you call extreme is mainstream and what you call moderate is by Islam's reckoning, extreme.

I know this will be an unpopular reply, and most will consider me crazy, but...

As the article points out, these attackers and their attacks are not predictable, and thus, not preventable. Having more good, honest citizens, who are properly vetted and trained, packing concealed weapons will provide some hope in these situations. In a perfect world, there would be no guns available to these attackers. In the real world, it seems naive and counterproductive to disarm those who could possibly deal with them.

... "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition" ...

The root cause is a book that claims to be the word of God and instructs all followers to commit attrocities against non-believers.

Don't blame the book, blame the interpretation of the book by some politically motivated manipulators.

It's caused by the marginalisation of men in western society.

No access to women, no work, no future, drives them crazy.

Islam is a red herring, men on the outside seek refuge in it, it isn't the root cause.

Spree killers and serial killers, all part of the same problem.

Edited December 25, 201411 yr by AnotherOneAmerican

It's caused by the marginalisation of men in western society.

No access to women, no work, no future, drives them crazy.

Actually I agree that this has some validity, but radical Islam gives some losers an excuse to strike at society.

It's caused by the marginalisation of men in western society.

No access to women, no work, no future, drives them crazy.

Actually I agree that this has some validity, but radical Islam gives some losers an excuse to strike at society.

Sure, but if radical Islam didn't exist, they would do it in the name of black power, aryan purity or some other nutty reason.

Not having access to sex or purpose, drives them down violent paths.

This is among the most ignorant and insensible products I have ever seen pass as editorial, commentary, fact, story telling, or even fiction; this is utter rubbish. Is it actually possible in 2014 that the author does not find the common thread throughout these stories; even exempting the token black gunman story, the author really expects his readers do not know the common theme or will join him in ignoring the common theme-Islam?

The notion that there is some mysterious mechanism that transcends borders, could motivate an isolated individual to more or less act out the same horror and manner of conduct, and not include in debate the Koran which is by and large near 70% hate speech is mind numbing. Really? You need to find the root of the problem. Dissemblers like this are also the same ilk that make every monster a victim and every aggrieved party complicit. People like this author turn clear water into mud.

http://www.meforum.org/3545/islam-hatred-non-muslim

There are many sites that suggest where the Hate comes from.

Oddly, this one site has a peculiar take; it is thought provoking but only that: http://www.utne.com/mind-and-body/comparing-bible-koran-word-by-word.aspx A simple computer matrix may seem to spit out thought provoking results but it is only programed and context is absent.

In 2014/15 if a human being, especially one who gets paid to have the pulse of the populace, does not know the common glue that binds lone wolf animals then there is dishonesty involved. If it also hardly possible to any longer continue the fantasy that these lone wolfs or jihadis represent "extremists;" that absurdity never had a chance with historians who know they are not extremist. And now, with time passing, everyone else will also realize what you call extreme is mainstream and what you call moderate is by Islam's reckoning, extreme.

The reasons for putting Islam in the frame are overwhelming. Here is what a Danish psychologist had to,say on the subject

http://10news.dk/psychology-why-islam-creates-monsters/

What is of greater interest is why the current progressive liberal mind seems unable to see the elephant in the room. Is it because the implications of the realization is that frightening, or are they even more terrified of going off reservation and being ostracized by fellow liberals?

Whatever the reason it seems that the social engineering our elites subject us to from school age onwards is starting to unravel. In Germany 17,500 protested in Dresden. Perhaps it is significant that the former East Germans seem the quickest to protest in large numbers. Perhaps their former experience with communism gives them an instinct as to when news is being managed for ideological ends.

The article seems to exist in a bizarre Truman show style managed reality, written by and for the liberal mindset and not willing or able to look outside. The fact is about one percent of the population are of a psychopathic nature. Give these a Sorbonne style academy for their sociopathy and the implications are frightening.

The nightmare of such "lone-wolf attacks" is compounded by the fact that they are almost always impossible to predict

Not so sure...Khun Chalerm had an uncanny ability to predict when a terror attack would occur.

Could be an employment opportunity for him perhaps?

The root cause is a book that claims to be the word of God and instructs all followers to commit attrocities against non-believers.

Don't blame the book, blame the interpretation of the book by some politically motivated manipulators.

Guess you've never read the book. Let me summarize:

The prophet was a pedophile who killed people that didn't agree with him. Enslaved any woman he wanted. The lesson is, this is God's will. You dare disagree with this, then you infidel shall be executed and your women raped.

Seems pretty clear to anyone that has bothered to read a copy what the book requests all beleivers to do.

I personally would rather see a book burn than to see a human burn. Maybe you think otherwise?

Edited December 25, 201411 yr by Time Traveller

Bacteria are opportunistic, spread and wrec havoc when left unchecked. There is only one way to deal with bacteria. Suppress it, crush it and eradicate it.

Being nice, tolerant or all loving toward bacteria, or in this case radical Islamist living by Quran teachings, does not make bacteria change it ways. Unfortunately, all living things share a similar trait at the cellular level. Some are just more controlled by certain cellular traits. Perhaps genetics, perhaps failure to evolve, perhaps culturally driven by Quran values . . . I dunno. Peace, love and tolerance are oy viewed as opportunities by opportunistic bacteria/people.

Another brilliant article by the Nation. Where do they get their writers and even worse, do people in Thailand believe and educate themselves with this stuff.

The reasons for putting Islam in the frame are overwhelming. Here is what a Danish psychologist had to,say on the subject

http://10news.dk/psychology-why-islam-creates-monsters/

What is of greater interest is why the current progressive liberal mind seems unable to see the elephant in the room. Is it because the implications of the realization is that frightening, or are they even more terrified of going off reservation and being ostracized by fellow liberals?

Whatever the reason it seems that the social engineering our elites subject us to from school age onwards is starting to unravel. In Germany 17,500 protested in Dresden. Perhaps it is significant that the former East Germans seem the quickest to protest in large numbers. Perhaps their former experience with communism gives them an instinct as to when news is being managed for ideological ends.

The article seems to exist in a bizarre Truman show style managed reality, written by and for the liberal mindset and not willing or able to look outside. The fact is about one percent of the population are of a psychopathic nature. Give these a Sorbonne style academy for their sociopathy and the implications are frightening.

Great piece; of course one needn't the pedigree of an academic to see with that the common denominator is islamic ideology It is incredulous that this could be overlooked- ever! This is not simply one idea or causation striving for acceptance as an explanation of lone wolf attacks; it is simply the answer. Moreover, one can extrapolate the same causation to infect the minds of not only lone-wolves but families, clans, tribes, nations, and regions; just consider both the past 1400 years and the world today. The same infectious glue is nothing less than a road-map to live life according to the most base common denominator- the demonization of the "other."

Regarding the genuine, meaningful evolution of the spirit and intellect of Man, it can be considered true that "meat is for men and milk for babes." Therefore, it is apparent that the "meat" of more enlightened living, greater rational use of mental faculties, application of empathy in compassion and the fraternal love that comes from the realization of the sameness of us all, is absent in Islam; or if present only applicable to the "us." Indeed, as a supremacist ideology, there is nothing but constant inculcation of the differentness and specialness of "us" versus "them" and the "them" described in the Koran accounts for greater than 50% of the entire text discussing the bad things that need to happen to the "them" and how it is incumbent on the "us" to make the "them" suffer as proxies of the divine here on earth. In this context there can never be spiritual and intellectual evolution; it is simply not possible without a dialectic that proposes contrary thoughts to find synthesis. There is no synthesis in Islam, only antithesis. Everything other than the "us" is antithetical.

This above paragraph further develops my realization that in regions where jihad has spread stasis sets in; this is a stasis of the arts, entertainment, sciences, music, and about every other development that makes the human condition like an arrow, shooting from the past, across the present, and toward some infinitely greater destination past the horizon. By any measure, the pathology that motivates the lone-wolf or the jihad armies are utterly predictable and IMO preventable.

The root cause is a book that claims to be the word of God and instructs all followers to commit attrocities against non-believers.

Don't blame the book, blame the interpretation of the book by some politically motivated manipulators.

Enough apologist crap! Everyone knows the book is where the problem lies.

The root is Islam, the attacks are seen as a religious imperative and the distinction between groups and lone wolves is artificial and unnecessary. You will get loads of differing pretexts disguising the real motive, which is jihad. As an example one of the French attackers was from somewhere like Somalia, but he said he was angry about the children in Chechnya, so he attacks people in France!

P.s Western leaders have been taking their people for idiots by studiously ignoring the religious angle, even when Allahu Akbar is shouted by the assailant they indulge in constructive nonsense to deny the role of religion.

The trunk is Islam, but the root is Western interference in the Middle East for centuries.

The modern radicalisation of some Muslims has developed from a deep anger.

So what was the west's provocation in the first 300 hundred years from the start of Islam when it went on a killing and conquering spree in the middle east, north Africa and Spain killing millions?

The root is Islam, the attacks are seen as a religious imperative and the distinction between groups and lone wolves is artificial and unnecessary. You will get loads of differing pretexts disguising the real motive, which is jihad. As an example one of the French attackers was from somewhere like Somalia, but he said he was angry about the children in Chechnya, so he attacks people in France!

P.s Western leaders have been taking their people for idiots by studiously ignoring the religious angle, even when Allahu Akbar is shouted by the assailant they indulge in constructive nonsense to deny the role of religion.

The trunk is Islam, but the root is Western interference in the Middle East for centuries.

The modern radicalisation of some Muslims has developed from a deep anger.

I respect your right to an opinion, but I'm lost as to why there's no mention of what they were like and what they did for the first 3 or 4 hundred years of their existence before there was "A West."

I see the Islam-bashers are out in force again, ignoring the planks in their own eyes. The religion is so bad we armed, trained and used it in Afghanistan and for other 'regime change' collaborations, growing the terrorist problem. So bad, that ace head-choppers, Saudi Arabia, is our best friend. So bad we have allowed an influx of millions of Muslims into western nations. And so bad, Islam is now the fastest growing religion, despite the best efforts of satan's little helpers to destroy it. Yep, folks. Religion is so bad that when Russia cast off the yoke of communism, its people couldn't get to the Churches fast enough and are now bound together by it. Perhaps there's a clue there as to why our masters seek to destroy all religions. It's the only force that can unite a country. You aren't allowed to worship God, only Beyonce's Baphomet backside.

Having infiltrated and neutered larger opposition groups, the 'lone-wolf' meme seeks to demonize individuals who might threaten them and the rest of society is now being programmed to snitch on each other. There's nothing new under the sun.

satan's little helpers to destroy it.

Who are the suicide bombers? Who flys aeroplanes into tall buildings? Who mows down little school kids?

Get a grip...