State Department Issues Worldwide Travel Alert

[Misty]

Published November 23, 2015

The State Department issued a worldwide travel alert Monday over possible risks due to increased terrorism threats.

The alert comes amid information that ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, and other terrorist groups continue to plan attacks in multiple regions by employing a “wide variety of tactics,” according to the State Department.

Authorities believe the likelihood of terror attacks will continue as members of ISIS return from Iraq and Syria, as well as the threat from “unaffiliated persons” planning attacks inspired by major terrorist organizations.

The State Department said that U.S. citizens should “exercise vigilance when in public places or using transportation” and “avoid large crowds or crowded places.”

Americans are also urged to exercise particular caution during the holiday season, and at holiday festivals or events. The worldwide travel alert expires on Feb. 24, 2016.

The alert was issued after multiple attacks in the past year in France, Nigeria, Denmark, Turkey and Mali in the past year, as well as the bombing of a Russian airliner in Egypt, for which ISIS has claimed responsibility.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ues-worldwide-travel-alert.html?intcmp=hplnws

 

[fureverywhere]

Out of morbid curiosity I check the warnings from time to time. Unfortunately if you take them to heart...

I used to have a friend who went back to Israel every summer. There had been an attack or two and civil unrest before one such trip. One day somebody asked her "Aren't you afraid to go?". She said really there's nothing to be afraid of. They took reasonable precautions at the bus stops and market. Each night you might call among family just to check in...but basically she wasn't going to live in fear. I think there's a good lesson there.

 

[imp]

Fearing the Future

Out of morbid curiosity I check the warnings from time to time. Unfortunately if you take them to heart...

I used to have a friend who went back to Israel every summer. There had been an attack or two and civil unrest before one such trip. One day somebody asked her "Aren't you afraid to go?". She said really there's nothing to be afraid of. They took reasonable precautions at the bus stops and market. Each night you might call among family just to check in...but basically she wasn't going to live in fear. I think there's a good lesson there.

Living in fear is a consequence of conditions prevalent in the modern, "civilized" world. Trouble with it is, fear of future events "shapes" folks perceptions of what they may or may not do, should or should not, stay instead at home shivering in fear. Exactly the guiding force behind terrorism. imp

 

[Butterfly]

I don't believe in living in fear, but I don't believe in walking out in front of moving trains, either. I think we need to temper our "no fear" approach with common sense. I would not travel now in or near the middle east, but I'd go to Europe if I wanted to and could afford it. The same common sense tempers what I do on an everyday basis -- for instance, there areas of town where I would not go at night, especially if unaccompanied. Not trembling in fear, but using good sense.

 

[SeaBreeze]

I agree Butterfly, makes sense. I don't believe in living in fear either, or blowing things out of proportion like the media likes to do for ratings, and politicians like to do to follow through with their agendas, whatever they may be. Common sense is the way to go in times of peace or turmoil.

 

[Ameriscot]

Back in 2007 when husband volunteered to train teachers I began looking at the US state department and UK home office warnings about all of the countries we could be going to. Every single country scared the crap out of me. The country we were offered - Uganda - said don't go to the north but that was obvious, and said stay out of the west because 9 years earlier two tourists had been murdered. Glad I didn't get scared out of going.

 

[chic]

Living in fear is a consequence of conditions prevalent in the modern, "civilized" world. Trouble with it is, fear of future events "shapes" folks perceptions of what they may or may not do, should or should not, stay instead at home shivering in fear. Exactly the guiding force behind terrorism. imp

My definition of "civilized" is a condition which promotes security not fear.

Though I will not stay inside shivering with fear, I will not be as tranquil about crowds as I used to be pre 9/11. I think it's a terrible and an unacceptable way to live when you've experienced the freedoms and joys of crowd participation from the '60s and on.

 

[Ameriscot]

Like Butterfly I don’t live in fear but won't walk in front of a moving train. We won't be spending any time in the city of Bangkok on this trip, only transferring at the airport. There were explosions in the city in August. But it's the crowds and heat that are the reasons I won't go again.

 

[WhatInThe]

Sometimes I look at all these reactions, especially in the media and if I didn't know any better I think I'm looking at resentment. Resentment of the perpetrators and resentment of the public that does not agree with them.

That being said wether a threat is terrorism, crime, weather, the environment one should always pay attention to what goes on around them. I can't stand those who overstate the captain obvious observations. Well duh.