Enemy Agents!

This is coolbert:

Passing through Cloquet Minnesota, USA the other day and saw this road-side sign and knew instantly that here was a story with a military dimension to it. And there is.

The Cloquet fire of 1918. A forest fire of prodigious proportions, about four hundred square miles of land burned to the ground, the loss of life horrific, a catastrophe. And occurring during a time of war, the local populace and in all probability many others believing or having suspicions that "enemy agents" were involved. Those "enemy agents" obviously German saboteurs engaging in a form of terrorism.

"The 1918 Cloquet fire was a massive fire in northern Minnesota in October, 1918, caused by sparks on the local railroads and dry conditions. The fire left much of western Carlton County devastated . . . It was the worst natural disaster in Minnesota history in terms of the number of lives lost in a single day. In total, 453 lives were lost and 52,000 people were injured or displaced, 38 communities were destroyed, 250,000 acres (1,000 km2) were burned, and $73 million in property damage was suffered."

Instantaneous and panicky blame as attributed to "enemy agents" incorrect. More mundane reasons for the fire being:

* Dry conditions
* High winds.
* Poor forestry methods.
* Inadequate firefighting equipment.
* Sparks from a passing railroad train.

"One cause of the fire is believed to be from sparks from the railroad tracks that lit the dry timber, but the rapid progression of the fire through northern Minnesota was caused by factors such as drought conditions, high winds, and a lack of firefighting equipment."

As it was almost one hundred years ago as it is now.

In the aftermath that most recent forest fire in Arizona, USA comes this headline:

"Arizona Officials ‘Unequivocally’ Reject Palestinian Jihadist Group’s Claim of Responsibility for Wildfires"

"A Palestinian Jihadist movement is claiming responsibility for the recently contained Arizona wildfires that left 19 firefighters dead. Local fire officials however, insist the conflagration was caused by lightning, not terrorists."

Nineteen firefighters tragically dead, THE "ENEMY AGENTS" BLAMING THEMSELVES AND QUITE INCORRECTLY TOO!!

Daniel Pipes in his blog also commenting on the Arizona fire in the context what is referred to by Dr. Pipes as "Bushfire Jihad":

"Bushfire Jihad"

"As fires swept through a hot and dry Victoria State, Australia in February 2009, some observers (including myself) wondered if this might not be an Islamist attack on the country. But one stayed quiet, not having proof."

Proof not only NOT forthcoming but facts often impossible to verify!

Hysteria and exaggeration and claims of an outlandish nature always present during a time of conflict. Rumor an disinformation intentional and otherwise also part and parcel of the psychological measures as adopted by combatants as a methodology. Rational thought easily giving way to paranoia. ANYTHING SEEMS POSSIBLE!

coolbert.