Bad news on airport security

[elwoodblues]

Disturbing report on airport security ---

Tests by Homeland Security found poor results with screeners. Ivestigators were able to sneak weapons and explosives by screeners in 15 airports. Scary stuff.
Article (http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-09-22-weapons_x.htm)

[Cyrus]

...They deported Cat Stevens from the United States.

The reasoning was that they had "reliable information" he was giving money to terrorist-affiliated organisations. Or something wild like that.

By the way, security honcho Ridge sheepishly acknowledged to enquiring journalists that, yes, Cat Stevens is among his favorite musicians. /images/graemlins/cool.gif


Willd World (http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/23/cat.stevens.resurfaces.ap/index.html)

[adios]

Reading the 9/11 Comnission report regarding how easy it was for the hijackers to get on the planes was depressing. Doesn't look like much has changed. Airlines are also vulnerable from the threat of insiders although there's no need to go that far if it's easy to get through passenger security with a weapon.

[Utah]

This highlights one of the biggest problems I have with Bush about security. If you are going to be serious about security them be serious about it.

Dont attack another country in the name of security but them fail to do simple things to protect our airports and our borders because you are pandering to certain groups for votes.

Drives me nuts

[vulturesrow]

I have to agree with you. As someone said on a local radio show I listen to "We got Cat Stephens, but in the meantime 4000 people crossed American borders illegally".

[Utah]

That is why I think the whole "Moral Clarity" of Bush on security thing is just PR spin.

I want him to say something like "I am sealing the borders because it is vital to our securty. If it costs me votes and elections then so be it. Its the right thing to do".

He did that and I would say he was truly serious about security.

Also, Jon Stewart had a great comment on Cat Stevens. He said, "um... arent they supposed to get the terrorists before they get on the plane?". It shows that the watch list sucks as well.

[vulturesrow]

On a related note, one of coworkers here got hassled at airport security because he was carrying his bag of flightgear and they wanted him to open up the LPU which would totally ruin it. The guy has a military ID and he is carrying military flight gear (torso harness etc). But hey, we got Cat Stevens, right? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Boris]

It is impossible to have great airline security in a country the size of the USA. A much better solution would be extensive profiling and allowing passengers to carry knives, stun guns and pepper spray.

[kak17]

An even better solution would be to have the airlines provide their own security.

[elwoodblues]

If you say so...I guess the idea is that the marketplace will have more secure airlines be more profitable. The problem with that is that it would only take 1 with poor security to have another 9/11. The ramifications of poorer security aren't just felt by those who choose the airline with poor security.

[nothumb]

My question is, if he's undeniably falling flat on his keystone issue, mismanaging it in potentially catastrophic ways, why are you guys voting for him again?

I think the prevailing opinion is that Kerry will somehow do an even worse job at every single aspect of security. Truthfully, it's hard to imagine a worse job in many of these areas.

NT

[elwoodblues]

I think that's a fair question.

Many believe that terrorism/national security is the number 1 issue this election. If it's the number 1 issue and Iraq (which if we take the President at his word is part of the war on terrorism) is not going well and domestic security has some major flaws, why choose more of the same?

I suspect the answer is a belief that Kerry would be worse and that Bush has a better "macrovision" of the issue even though the implementation hasn't been stellar.

[Utah]

My question is, if he's undeniably falling flat on his keystone issue, mismanaging it in potentially catastrophic ways, why are you guys voting for him again?

Who said I am voting for him? However, I dont here Kerry offering solution to these issues.

I believe there is a dual strategy here - offensive and defensive. On the offensive side, Bush has been okay. However, I dont think he has been nearly aggressive enough. (i.e., I believe we should be threatening Iran right now). On the defensive strategy, Bush has been dismal. I like the partiot Act, but the color coded warning system is a joke. Homeland security is a joke as well.

[vulturesrow]

I surely didnt mean to imply that Bush has fallen flat. I am referring specifically to airport and border security. The mechanism has been put in place, but we need to figure out how to improve it. Its a very delicate balance between security and privacy rights. I doubt very much it was going to work perfectly right away. But there have been successes too.

Contrary to what many here might think, I am not a Bush Kool-Aid drinker. That being said, I feel that as a whole he is going to be a better President for the USA. Im not one-issue voter, except perhaps on abortion. So that is the short answer on why I will vote for Bush instead of Kerry.

In truth, I would like to vote libertarian but am far enough off on a couple key positions that I am not going to give a vote to Kerry by not voting for Bush.

[nothumb]

Kerry's got the whole campaign-website deal and he talks about homeland security. Have you read his platform? He's offering some solutions; you may not agree with them, but he's offered them.

[ QUOTE ]
I believe we should be threatening Iran right now

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a great idea. Now that we've stretched our troops thin, eradicated support from the rest of the world and spent billions of dollars invading a country that was militarily crippled, one we speculated had weapons of mass destruction, we'll just pack up and invade a country with an actual nuclear program. Sure, Iraq had a few terrorists and brutal criminals stored away, but Iran is currently run by a regime that has extensive and intimate ties to terrorism. Invade them and you'll really see some fireworks.

How are you hoping to pay for this? And I say hope because you obviously haven't planned for it.

NT

[elwoodblues]

[ QUOTE ]
Im not one-issue voter, except perhaps on abortion

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny stuff. Definitionally, you can't be a one-issue voter on more than one thing.

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
Kerry's got the whole campaign-website deal and he talks about homeland security. Have you read his platform? He's offering some solutions; you may not agree with them, but he's offered them.


[/ QUOTE ]

Kerry also says on his website he's for raising minimum wage, but tables it when the vote comes up. Hopefully there is an explanation for this.

[pokerjo22]

[ QUOTE ]
A much better solution would be extensive profiling and allowing passengers to carry knives, stun guns and pepper spray.

[/ QUOTE ]

At last someone with something sensible to say! In fact I think we should go further. We should be allowed to carry guns as well. And just like in the scene at the end of Reservoir Dogs we should be allowed to point them at one other passenger until we've all got one another covered. Just hope there's not too much turbulence.

[WDC]

But they confiscated my nail clippers at the justice center; I guess they weere worried I would manicure someone to death.

[Abednego]

What do you mean by fail to do simple things?

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
they wanted him to open up the LPU which would totally ruin it.

[/ QUOTE ] whats a LPU? You military guys use to many acronyms!

[vulturesrow]

Sorry about that. Its the Life Preservation Unit or some such like that. It has CO2 cartridges in it that fire when the device comes in contact with water and autoinflate the life preserver. The problem with being asked to unzip it is that the unit becomes unpacked and it is useless until repacked by a qualifed aircrew survival equipmentman.

[wacki]

pokerjo22 In your profile it says that you dance for a living. How do you do that? At a casino? Just wondering.

[vulturesrow]

[ QUOTE ]
Funny stuff. Definitionally, you can't be a one-issue voter on more than one thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah I worded that poorly. What I meant by that is that I actually have decided if I find abortion distasteful enough that I would automatically not consider a candidate if he supports abortion. I just dont know. Hopefully the rest of my point was clear enough /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]
By the way, security honcho Ridge sheepishly acknowledged to enquiring journalists that, yes, Cat Stevens is among his favorite musicians. /images/graemlins/cool.gif



[/ QUOTE ]

Good to see someone isn't hobbled in his job by celebrity worship.

I sometimes wonder about those cheering crowds outside of the Michael Jackson hearings.

[Boris]

pokerjo22 I appreciate your satire but Reservoir Dogs was a make believe movie. I was talking about real life. I think those poor folks on the airplanes the terrorists hijacked sure wished they had weapons to fight back against the Al-Qaeda psychos. I don't know about you but I am a fat lazy poker player so I can't depend on my physical prowess to fight against a razor blade wielding gang of loony toons. I need some sort of equalizer to have a chance.

[elwoodblues]

[ QUOTE ]
Hopefully the rest of my point was clear enough

[/ QUOTE ]

It was, I was just being a dik.

[GWB]

http://www.geeksoncaffeine.com/images/Political%20Cartoons/sb2004-09-25.jpg
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
By the way, security honcho Ridge sheepishly acknowledged to enquiring journalists that, yes, Cat Stevens is among his favorite musicians. /images/graemlins/cool.gif



[/ QUOTE ]

Good to see someone isn't hobbled in his job by celebrity worship.

I sometimes wonder about those cheering crowds outside of the Michael Jackson hearings.

[/ QUOTE ]