Search Results: 4 documents found

The new administration | Will Obama reassess the threat posed by al Qaeda?
ASK THIS | February 02, 2009
Terrorism skeptic John Mueller wonders if Obama has considered the possibility that the al Qaeda threat has been overhyped – and he wonders how Obama's foreign policy team fares on a key litmus test.

Evaluating alarmism | Ten questions about homeland security
ASK THIS | February 16, 2007
John Mueller asks: Why are airports on Orange alert now? How much do Orange alerts cost and who pays? Airport delays cause people to drive instead of fly on short trips; since driving is more dangerous, isn’t it likely that these delays result in more deaths? And other questions for reporters on any sized news organization to pursue.

Evaluating alarmism | Why not cool down the terrorism rhetoric a little?
ASK THIS | September 23, 2005
Excluding the year 2001, fewer people have died in America from terrorism than have drowned in bathtubs. John Mueller argues that risk and comparative probability should be guidelines in coverage of terrorism.

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John Mueller is professor of political science at Ohio State University. His most recent book is "Overblown: How Politicians and the Terrorism Industry Inflate National Security Threats, and Why We Believe Them". His next book, "Atomic Obsession", will be published in fall 2009.