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| Planning skills make engineers good 'field operatives' |
| 2008-04-04 |
| Engineers' personality traits make them excellent "field operatives"--that is, on--the-ground terrorists, according to an international security expert. The connection between engineering and violent extremism is well known to terrorist groups and those who work to stop them, said Raphael Perl, who heads the Action against Terrorism Unit at the 56-country Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). "Engineers ideally make excellent strategic planners, and they make excellent field operatives. They think differently from how other people think," Perl said from Vienna, Austria, where he is based. Engineers may disagree, but they would be hard put to ignore Perl's statements. OSCE, the world's largest regional security organization, promotes democracy and conflict prevention, and includes non-NATO nations such as Russia and non-European Union countries such as the United States. The organization is seen as a growing and influential vehicle for the exercise of "soft power" in the anti-terrorism field. Although not an engineer himself, Perl is a former fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a long-time terrorism expert for the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Engineers make good strategic planners because they think in terms of systems and networks. They make good operatives because they tend to be thorough and meticulous, Perl said. Another quality many engineers share is the ability to keep quiet. "It's fair to say they're not perceived as super-social animals or the life of the party," Perl said. "They're not going to talk to a lot of people and brag about any terrorist activity they may be involved in." Because of those traits, terrorist groups actively recruit engineers. That means engineers are exactly the people who need to be in on anti-terrorism efforts, Perl said. He flatly disagreed with comments made by engineers in a recent EE Times article. Those comments criticized an Oxford study, "Engineers of Jihad," which found terrorists in Islamic countries were more likely to be engineers than members of other professions. The study argued that an "engineering mindset," coupled with harsh socioeconomic conditions in certain Islamic countries, could lead to participation in terrorism. Angry engineers challenged the statistical significance of the study's small sample and labeled it sloppy science. But the reality is that engineers are overrepresented in terrorism, Perl said. Al-Qaeda is a clear example; it's widely acknowledged that a significant number of the group's top leadership had engineering backgrounds. Further, the terrorist organization works to attract engineers to its ranks, Perl said. While such groups might benefit from recruiting operatives with technical skills, the more fundamental qualities that define engineers and other tech professionals are the primary draw. "Al-Qaeda is actively recruiting from the engineering community because they like those qualities.They're increasingly recruiting engineers, scientists, chemists, people with medical degrees and people with technical backgrounds," Perl said. It's not only in Islamic countries that this is happening, he said. Al-Qaeda is increasingly recruiting scientists and engineers, especially non-Muslims, and is doing so worldwide, according to Perl. There are very strong government policy implications, he said: Engineers need to participate in anti-terrorism efforts. Networks-possibly multiple networks at once-will be the next al-Qaeda targets. That's where engineers could be a critical component of anti-terrorism work. "Just like it takes a thief to catch a thief, it takes an engineer to catch an engineer," Perl said. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #15 which found terrorists in Islamic countries were more likely to be engineers than members of other professions. As an engineer who likes to get at the "root cause" thingy, I really prefer to look at the religious side of that engineer's beliefs vis-a-vis terrorism. But that's just me, an engineer. |
| Posted by: BA 2008-04-04 22:29 |
| #14 We engineers are analytical fellows (and fellowettes). We hope for the best and plan for the worst. Because of our switchboard wiring, we can be great leaders, or we can be the most diabolically evil sons of b*tches you ever saw. So be nice to us..... Now, some levity. An engineer joke. It was during the French Revolution, and the local judiciary was lopping heads of enemies of the People with the Gillotine in wholesale quantities. The first executation of the day was a doctor. Well, they pulled the rope and the Guillotine hung up. Tried again, no joy. So they let him go. Well, they finally got the Guillotine going again. The second executation of the day was a clergyman. They pulled the rope and the Guillotine hung up. Tried again, no joy. Must be a sign from God. So they let him go. The third executation of the day was an engineer. They pulled the rope and the Guillotine hung up. Tried again, no joy. Then the engineer looked up at the release mechanism, and said, "Hey, I think I know what the problem is." |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-04-04 21:27 |
| #13 Just another P.Eng. Missed the cute gene though. Blame that on my father (another engineer). |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins5285 2008-04-04 20:05 |
| #12 Then there are those of us who do Engineering but have Architetural Tendancies. We make pretty bombs and other stuff. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2008-04-04 14:40 |
| #11 We're good at symbolic logic too. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2008-04-04 14:38 |
| #10 Bwahahahaha! |
| Posted by: Darrell, P.E. 2008-04-04 14:22 |
| #9 Our brains are mangled differently. All engineering types have mangles brains. I know I know. Pot calling the kettle black... |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-04-04 10:36 |
| #8 While engineers make good field operatives we have to remind that it is the losers coming from literary fields, the Ward Churchills, Nomam Chomskies, Michael Moores and similar who fill their heads with hateful lies and wild theories. It is surprising but time and again we have seen enginers and hrd scientits buying at face velue every marxist, green or islamist el cheapo propaganda and meekly follow gurus who have halmf their IQ. |
| Posted by: JFM 2008-04-04 10:21 |
| #7 Engineers do well whatever they turn their hand to. Valuing result over process, they make a point of mastering whatever skill set is required to reach their next goal. The less sophisticated thinkers among them tend to be stymied by the illogical human factor, which of course is where those who become terrorists go off track -- trying to force the universe to fit their logical, given their starting point, but nonetheless unreasonable rules. Oh, and they're terribly cute, every single one of them (except those who become terrorists, of course). :-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-04-04 09:34 |
| #6 Well, cannot say that I disagree, having been a spook and an engineer. Our brains are mangled differently. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-04-04 09:17 |
| #5 There's always a market for pet food, Frank. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2008-04-04 08:50 |
| #4 Yeh been trying to palm them off all day , no takers anywhere , not even in the Middle East Was worth a shot though :) |
| Posted by: Chuckles Phineger9532 2008-04-04 08:28 |
| #3 sorry, academics are like Paleos, low value, we're looking at a 50:1 swap or so.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-04-04 08:25 |
| #2 I'll trade you one engineer for 2 academics Frank , deal ? |
| Posted by: Chuckles Phineger9532 2008-04-04 07:40 |
| #1 "Just like it takes a thief to catch a thief, it takes an engineer to catch an engineer," Perl said. I've got three of them caged in my basement |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-04-04 07:30 |