Why do so many terrorists have engineering degrees?

[NickD 202]

Certainly not my experience as an engineer, always "what if", worse case scenarios, product liability, proper labeling, working with attorneys for the instruction manuals. The goal of protecting the consumer was always prime, but also with cost restrains to keep the stockholders happy. A maddening job to have.

Guess I really never thought about using my skills to kill people, off the top of my hat, seems like it would be far less of a challenge. In desparate times, how is the pay? And can we dispense with all those warning labels?

Just joking of course, don't believe in killing people, and I think to do so, would have to believe in some very weirdass religion. Do you really get all dem virgins? And if so, how long do they remain a virgin? Or do they just remain a virgin and what they say is all BS? Besides being a good engineer, would also help to become a complete a$$hole and a naive one at that.

[SMR 368]

The study was done on radical islarmic terrorists, engineers being a subset of that group. I don't see how that's implying anything about non-radical muslim engineers. The connection is not being made between terrorism and engineering. The point is that one might expect engineers to be less religious, so it was surprising that of the terrorists in the study, the most common field was engineering as opposed to any other field.

Calm down, engineers. No one thinks you're more likely to be a terrorist. Unless, of course, you are also a radical muslim.

I don't think any of the engineers who have posted are worried about being suspected as terrorists. It's just as engineers, we're a little miffed as to why the obvious solution (profiling based on race, national origin, religion, gender, and age) is being ignored and people are grasping at straws (a larger than average number of the attackers were engineers).

[lostinblue 1,989]

Should there be profiling of people holding this type of a degree Say from 3rd world countries? I mean before a visa is stamped in a passport. Napolitano single out Right Wing extremists, and ex-military personnel .Why were engineers left off that "list “ According to this story they should be Number 1 that DHS would watch.

[SMR 368]

Certainly not my experience as an engineer, always "what if", worse case scenarios, product liability, proper labeling, working with attorneys for the instruction manuals. The goal of protecting the consumer was always prime, but also with cost restrains to keep the stockholders happy. A maddening job to have.

Guess I really never thought about using my skills to kill people, off the top of my hat, seems like it would be far less of a challenge. In desparate times, how is the pay? And can we dispense with all those warning labels?

Just joking of course, don't believe in killing people, and I think to do so, would have to believe in some very weirdass religion. Do you really get all dem virgins? And if so, how long do they remain a virgin? Or do they just remain a virgin and what they say is all BS? Besides being a good engineer, would also help to become a complete a$$hole and a naive one at that.

Well, if you blow up your underwear, they will remain virgins forever since you are no longer equipped. That guy was a moron. I still want to know if he qualified himself for a Darwin award.

[Jenn! 918]

I don't think any of the engineers who have posted are worried about being suspected as terrorists. It's just as engineers, we're a little miffed as to why the obvious solution (profiling based on race, national origin, religion, gender, and age) is being ignored and people are grasping at straws (a larger than average number of the attackers were engineers).

Who is grasping at straws? No one has suggested strip searching engineers at the airport. And the article clearly notes that the study was done on 400 radical isamic terrorists. So to say that it's ridiculous to note that among terrorists, engineering is a common profession is, well, ridiculous. I think more is being read into the article than was intended.

[SMR 368]

Who is grasping at straws? No one has suggested strip searching engineers at the airport. And the article clearly notes that the study was done on 400 radical isamic terrorists. So to say that it's ridiculous to note that among terrorists, engineering is a common profession is, well, ridiculous. I think more is being read into the article than was intended.

I'm not talking about the article so much as the situation in general. Why are we studying the profession of terrorists when we refuse to profile based on much more obvious and universal criteria? I don't deny that profession could be a reasonable data point used in profiling. But until we make that step and start profiling based on the obvious, it doesn't mean anything. That's all I'm saying.

Also, I didn't use the word ridiculous.

Edited January 5, 2010 by SMR

[justashooter 430]

Ridiculous. Not all these terrorist have been engineers, but they have ALL been Muslim. The extremes people will go to avoid the obvious would be funny if it weren't so serious. I am a mechanical engineer, by the way, but not a Muslim. Which do you think is more critical in profiling a potential terrorist?

When we stop writing nonsensical pap and focus on who would-be terrorists are, then we will take steps to providing for our safety.

i'm a manufacturing engineer by trade, and i'm not a terrorist. but then, i'm not muslim, either.

[LaL 418]

Should there be profiling of people holding this type of a degree Say from 3rd world countries? I mean before a visa is stamped in a passport.

They already do and it covers a whole lot more than this one educational background and 3rd world countries.

Edited January 5, 2010 by LaL

[AlHayatZween 2]

When a breast-feeding mother gets questioned on breast milk she's bottled, and men with obvious records are welcomed on planes, it just floors me

Does make you wonder, doesn't it...?

[lostinblue 1,989]

i'm a manufacturing engineer by trade, and i'm not a terrorist. but then, i'm not muslim, either.

You own a few guns,are an engineer,you are on the internet disagreeing with dear leader views.Maybe you own a bible. It is a good bet DHS has noticed you.

[Scott & Lai 12]

Perhaps it's because engineers find solutions to problems instead of just sitting around and b!tching about them like the rest of us.

Terrorists are the problem. So if an engineer is a terrorist, then he should be working on ways to eliminate himself and his fellow terrorists.

[chri'stina 190]

The study was done on radical islarmic terrorists, engineers being a subset of that group. I don't see how that's implying anything about non-radical muslim engineers. The connection is not being made between terrorism and engineering. The point is that one might expect engineers to be less religious, so it was surprising that of the terrorists in the study, the most common field was engineering as opposed to any other field.

Calm down, engineers. No one thinks you're more likely to be a terrorist. Unless, of course, you are also a radical muslim.

(next part not directed at you Jenn, haha)

I do have more questions about this study. I admit I mostly just skimmed the initial post. I don't have data to prove what I am saying, so take it lightly. But in India engineering is chosen because it is one of the best opportunities for a career still...it can be used in India and worldwide. There are plenty of Hindu engineers.

But what I guess I'd like to know is the order in which decisions were made regarding the studied radical muslims and becoming engineers. Though now I do see this in the article:

"The simple explanation is that engineering happens to be an especially popular field of study in the countries that produce violent radicals."

Engineering still seems a good career choice in the world - especially in places where other opportunities might be lacking. I'm not sure how the results in the article would be shocking.

[justashooter 430]

You own a few guns,are an engineer,you are on the internet disagreeing with dear leader views.Maybe you own a bible. It is a good bet DHS has noticed you.

my file is so big it takes up 3 cabinets.

not only am i a conservative republican with an education in scripture who thinks osama is a self aggrandising idiot, but i'm also the guy who taught the entire country how to build unregistered AK47 from uncontrolled surplus parts kits and scrap sheet metal. then i had the nerve to point out that a homebuilt firearm does not need to have a serial number. then i showed people how to build subguns from paper towel rolls and duct tape. ATF is still trying to nail me for that one, but the law is the law, as it was enacted...and i'm always within it, right up to the limit of the statute.

they got my fingerprints, my DNA, my FFL records, my records of prior occupations within and without the gov't, my tax records, my medical records, my records of civil service examination, my education records, my preference in chinese cigarettes, hell, they even know how long my schwang is.

do i care? will it stop me from talking? will it make me go silently into the night? hell no.

[Nina~ 431]

But what I guess I'd like to know is the order in which decisions were made regarding the studied radical muslims and becoming engineers. Though now I do see this in the article:

"The simple explanation is that engineering happens to be an especially popular field of study in the countries that produce violent radicals."

Engineering still seems a good career choice in the world - especially in places where other opportunities might be lacking. I'm not sure how the results in the article would be shocking.

I think Sister Stina has a point here.. A lot of 3rd world countries churn out a lot of "engineers" with very little qualification.. i.e, anyone in a 3rd world country can go to a 2 year technical training school and come out with an "engineering" degree. So I am very skeptical about this article.

[LaL 418]

I think Sister Stina has a point here.. A lot of 3rd world countries churn out a lot of "engineers" with very little qualification.. i.e, anyone in a 3rd world country can go to a 2 year technical training school and come out with an "engineering" degree. So I am very skeptical about this article.

really? are you saying the majority are fraudulant degrees just because they are from a 3rd world?