Explosions At The Boston Marathon

Will be interesting to see if it really is a terror attack or some actual motive behind it.

Those explosions were much larger and more powerful than taking out just a garage. If you want to check the Boston Globe site, they have some of the best footage shown so far. Looks to be way too big for a pipe bomb.

I personally think either CNN is over-reacting or the FBI is calling it way too early. was prolly some mentally disturbed anarchist who was brutally rejected by some chick in college who happened to be a running advocate.

I'm inclined to agree. FBI seems to be jumping the gun. Just not enough facts to properly declare this as a terrorist attack. It has all the makings of one, but i'm guessing domestic in variety.

Hmm, you're right. They are rather large. One video showed the explosion going to at least the 5-6 floor level of one of the buildings. Homemade c4 maybe?

President Obama on Boston Bombings

I like this much better than the "world is going to ***" proclamations that get thrown about after events like these.

New Footage

NPR covered this, terrorism can fall under domestic unstructured terrorism.

They already suggested that it's extremely unlikely that this is a planned attack from a structured international terrorist group, otherwise there would have been a lot more causalities.

A lone cell or a small conservative extremist group fits the profile much better.

There are domeestic terrorists. Just look at the OKC bombing. Terrorist attacks instill fear in people as well as panic. That's exactly what this did. I would say it's terrorist in nature for sure. I think you guys might just be using a prejudice term for "terrorist", no?

Everything i am about to say is pure speculation on my part based on my military training and the information i have seen/read about, do not take anything as fact. that said, here we go,

This seems way too small to be anything done by foreign properly established terrorist cells, IE Al Quida (Spelling?). The explosions "looked" big but in reality they are not. From the fact that most of the injuried had most of their pants blown off or suffered lower bodily injury, it is most likely safe to assume that the bombs were on the ground, meaning they must have been easily ignored as garbage or something un-important to passerby prior to explosion. Even so, if this was something cooked up by foriegn terrorists, something that size packed with C4 or some other higher end explosive, which they DO have access to, would wipe out everyone in the general vicinity as they are used to making IED's that wipe out tanks and APCs. In my personal oppinion, again my person thoughts not fact, we are probably looking at a small time cell or a domestic terrorist or just someone locally with an axe to grind. This is very much localized, not a NATIONAL holiday (As far as i know patriots day is a state holiday), and not a single major terrorist organization has claimed credit for it yet.

Again these are just my thoughts, and those thoughts aside i am keeping the Boston victims in my thoughts and heart as i continue to work here in my forward deployed base in Japan. I am glad there are fewer victims than i would have thought but still sad about the fact it happened.

I mourn for our loss and pray for those who yet live. God Bless America.

EDIT: Sorry for my poor spelling. Woke up about an hour and a half ago to this stuff and still aint had my coffee yet...

No, im fully aware that there are also domestic terrorists as well.

Really, you could call any crime a terror attack.

I think that's being a lil too broad. I think it "terrorist" attacks at least have to instill fear in LARGE populations of people. This did make national news, but not every shooting in every town does.

No, you couldn't. Terrorism implies certain motivations for the attack, and if those aren't present, it's not terrorism.

The Japanese News groups are covering this as well.

This is reasonable.

This was "tiddly winks" compared to what could've been done with the budgets of international terrorist groups.

Im just saying its a bit to early for "Its Terrorism!" Could've been some senseless act without any motivation whatsoever. Theres people who dont have "Terrorist" motives but can still blow up a crowd of people for shits and giggles. More than likely its a single person who was scorned by the running community in some way and decided to blow some of them away. It could very well be political in nature aswell, "Patriots Day" being a "very nice" target for those backwards *** who want to make some statement about The Assault Weapons Ban or whatnot. But until there is more than just "It seems to be a terrorist act,therefore it is" dont publicly state terrorism and incite massive panic and further chaos.

High School football coach from where I live was at the marathon with his family. His son was tagged with shrapnel and is now in surgery for his leg. Not sure the extent of the damage. I'll post more as I know more if it interests anyone.

Good defined as people not willing to engage in mass-murder.

...and when we go to War against an opposing force, which side is good?

Swedish as well

Depends on the situation really. But that's a massive derailment.

So, depending on the situation on whoever's side, mass murder via legal law is ok?

"Good" and "Bad" are too subjective.

You either commit a crime or you don't. It has nothing to do with being a "good person" or a "bad person."

Arbitrary distinctions are arbitrary.

What an explosive finish to that race...

Yup, I'm going to hell.

Sometimes war is justified, is all I'm saying.

How is it mass murder if only two people died. I feel sorry for all but calling it a mass killing is not quite right.

Quite right... leads for another great topic to be honest. Back to the topic at hand.

Is it me, or does it seem like the bombs went off prematurely? Heck, we're finding more of them unexploded...

History is written by the victors. I'd suppose if the Nazi's won WWII, the allies would be the "Bad guys".