Comments on: Search for Answers, Tighter Security After Attack
By fcb on 12-27-09
TSA and the US Government is terrible .
This Muslim was on a no fly list and worse. England had denied him entry into England.
He apparently paid cash for a one way ticket and had no checked luggage.
His dad reported him to the US Government as being a radical Muslim bent on Jihad.
By Rawhide on 12-27-09
The present administration seems to be totally ignorant about national security measures. Homeland Security secretery Janet Napolitano said today on Face the Nation “We need to figure out how he got onto a plane headed for the U.S.” That’s simple Janet. He got on in Nigeria, a third world country that doesn’t have airport security. Once on an international flight, you can fly anywhere in the world without going through additional airport security (except Israel). Our Homeland Security boss is obviously incompetent. We were very lucky, this time.
By dsrobins on 12-27-09
Apparently Rawhide has never traveled abroad.
Many third world countries have excellent airport security, Nigeria among them. They use much of the same equipment and procedures that we have here in America. In fact, America has often lagged behind other countries in many aspects of airport security.
In Frankfurt, Germany, a major European air travel hub, you would see heavily armed (machine guns) police commandoes strolling through the airport in pairs way back in the mid-1970s.
The principal difference today is that our Department of Homeland Insecurity and TSA prefers to punish legitimate air travelers after each incident instead of taking the proper security measures in advance to ensure that the terrorists and loonies do not board airplanes bound for America. We can thank the previous Bush administration for this.
By Rawhide on 12-27-09
Soldiers walking around an airport with submachine guns does not keep terrorists off airplanes. That only creates a sense of false security. Screening and searching passengers and luggage is the only effective way to protect airline travelers. A full body xray screen of every passenger would stop most terrorists from getting on airplanes. dsrobbins is right in saying the U.S. lags behind many other countries in airport security. We lack the will to get serious about security. Its just too inconvenient and annoying for many coddled Americans. As for President Bush, he kept this country safe from terrorist attacks for seven years following 9/11. Obama’s administration doesn’t seem to be doing so well after only eleven months.
By dsrobins on 12-27-09
I’ll share a little story about overseas airport security with you now.
In early January 1977, I arrived in Baghdad on a flight from London enroute to my new diplomatic assignment in Iraq. By coincidence, the main airport arrival lounge at Baghdad International Airport, later know as Saddam Hussein International Airport, had experienced a major explosion a couple of days earlier probably triggered by a suitcase bomb. At the time, the culprits were not known, but it was later suggested that pro-Khomeini Islamic fanatics from Iran were deeply involved. Three years later, Iraq and Iran went to war over very similar internal security issues.
The main airport was a shambles, so arriving passengers were processed through an adjacent hangar building. The Iraqi security guards and plainclothes cops outnumbered the arrivees by a considerable margin. Nevertheless, they treated us all with courtesy and respect. Of course, bags and hand luggage were opened and inspected, but there was no roughness, threat or abuse of anyone. Since I carried an American diplomatic passport, I was exempted from inspection and walked right through to meet my new colleagues in Baghdad.
In those days, we didn’t have full diplomatic relations with Iraq. We were known as the American Interests Section of the Belgian Embassy in Baghdad even though we had our own separate buildings and compound. We simply flew the Belgian flag on top and went about our business. The Iraqi authorities harassed us at times, but diplomatically their behavior was generally very correct. We never had any problems with ordinary Iraqi citizens, and many of our Iraqi neighbors became good friends.
The contrast between how terrorist events were handled in those days and the public and media hysteria that accompanies similar events nowadays is quite amazing in retrospect.
By fcb on 12-27-09
25 British-born Muslims are plotting to bomb Western airliners.
The fanatics, in five groups, are now training at secret terror camps in Yemen.
The British extremists in Yemen are in their early 20s .
They are due to return to the UK early in 2010 and will then await internet instructions from al-Qaeda on when to strike.
A Scotland Yard source said: “The great fear is Abdulmutallab is the first of many ready to attack planes and kill tens of thousands.
In almost every case, their tickets were paid for in cash and bought less than a week before travel.
The source added: “Imams would have promised them rewards in heaven for becoming suicide bombers prepared to kill Westerners.”
By Kalispell Native on 12-27-09
Please provide links to the sources of your information, fcb.
Otherwise, you’re just another internet rumor-monger and purveyor of right-wing scare tactics.
By hotfishmt on 12-28-09
the Old Way…..of getting to the USA…....sure looks good to me. There are lots of BOATS…..traveling the high seas…..let ALL IMMIGRANTS…....take a boat here. If given the chance many millions of 3rd world people would be here tomorrow….to leave their crummy festered dump of a home land.
Why Not??? Least the peoples brain has a chance to forget the “home land” and get used to where they might end up.
Now Days….....hop a plane and be in the USA in less than 8 hours or so. There was 1,000,000 plus that immigrated to the USA last year…......that is a whole lot of people to assimilate into the culture here.
Also the additional immigrants with LOTS of help…...get on the Government Dole…..without having put a penny into the system. Food Stamps, Social Security, rental help, medical help and then once a family member becomes a national….they can bring over lots of relatives…....via an airplane an be here over night…...in a new culture that totally is out of whack with what squallor they left.
Bring back the boats for people coming here…...not over night & still wondering where the milking goats are kept.
By Rawhide on 12-28-09
dsrobbins account of a terrorist attack in Iraq back in 1977 is interesting, but not particularly relevant to todays radical Muslim terrorists. Today, the USA and Israel are the primary targets of these terrorists, not dictatorial rulers in other third world countries. No, there is no need for public hysteria, but facing reality about what’s occurring today and not living in the past would be more helpful in finding a remedy for the problem.
By JB on 12-28-09
dsrobins obviously has no clue about security measures used in international travel in the last 5 years. The only country that has tightened its measures considerably in that time is the US.
Placing the burden of security measures on passengers on international flights entering the US is irresponsible and encourages “mission creep”, an issue that DHS has been identified with ever since its inception - not to mention discouraging international travel for nonessential purposes, such as tourism. Airport security measures in other countries around the globe has not appreciably changed in the last 10 years, at least in international airports that I have frequented, most of them major airports in Europe and Asia.
By dsrobins on 12-28-09
JB again displays his ignorance. I travel abroad at least twice each year and pass through the same European airports he claims to have visited. More importantly, I proceed on to countries in the Middle East and North Africa where the real security threats are, and I can assure you there have been dramatic improvements in virtually every country. These countries have invested large amounts in personnel training, because they know they are at risk of attack from Islamic fundamentalists, and they have invested even more in high technology. You will find more advanced equipment in use there than in most American airports, but you will also find a kinder, more polite way of processing passengers than GWBush’s TSA has ever thought of. Essentially, TSA now uses searches, frisks, harassment and outright threats just as most third world countries used 20 or 30 years ago. They have made passage through American airports an awful experience rather than the start or end of a simple journey. The fear and ignorance that lies behind their motivations is evident to all but the most undiscerning.
By JB on 12-29-09
Yeah, mb, its the musty bureaucratic odor that gives it away.
By senator blutarski on 12-29-09
You’ve gotta love TSA’s solution. Now I will be prohibited from reading a book during the last hour of any flight I take. That’ll show those terrorists! TSA is a joke! Their rudeness and hubris makes flying a miserable experience.
By dsrobins on 12-29-09
There’s a great cartoon in the Washington Post today showing passengers lined up at the TSA checkpoints in American airports wearing only diapers and Pampers. As usual, the delays are endless, the TSA inspectors are rude and impolite, but one lady inspector is looking at her scanner screen and says, “Wow, now I really hate the terrorists.” One wishes the Beacon’s computer technology would permit us to share it with you.
P.S. Enjoy your next flight. You may enjoy it more if you take an empty plastic bottle along for that last hour before landing.
By Vud on 12-30-09
Haven’t we been employing an Offensive strategy for 8 years?
That hasn’t stopped the numerous attempts since 9-11.
*Three* wars, anyone?
“Removing the problem”? Sounds like…
“Removing Bin Laden”.
By hotfishmt on 12-30-09
To me its simple…...if you are of the Muslim faith….find another country to immigrate too. One can’t change many hundred years of brain washing….the Islamic culture does to the faithful.Back in 1968 (college) I had an Professor from Iraq…...he had a MA & Ph’d from universities in the USA. One day in class I asked him what he thought of the Jewish State…..WELL…....HE BLEW UP LIKE A BOMB…...started screaming real loud and lost all control…...in front of the whole class.
Had the class members been Jewish & he had a weapon (gun) he would have killed us all…......HE TOTALLY LOST IT. He could speak better English than me and was very educated to say the least.
SO…...WAKE UP PEOPLE….....YOU CAN’T CHANGE MANY HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF BRAIN WASHING & MIND CONTROL…......Keep the Muslim faithful in their goat milking donkey cart home land…....NO VISA’S…..PERIOD.
The only change between now & then…..is more advanced weapons, more technology, more $$$ they have due to oil or gold trading, and more nuts to carry out their plans to un-seat the Christian world….....by all means at their twisted mind set.
End the endless migration to the USA…..let things settle down before we open the door so wide…...we have enough people already here…....that are hungry for a job or paycheck.
So…...you are a rich son of a banker from Nigeria…...we don’t need your money…...feed him to the White Sharks.
Nigeria is also one of the countries that “steals your ID” and or send phony you won a contest or most often…..cash the cashiers check & send me the difference….....THE SON SHOULD HAVE STAYED OFF THE PLANE…...NO MATTER HIS REASONS…....and finally…...WHO in the State Department issued him a Visa ??????? Fire the person.
By Vud on 12-30-09
Conveniences or…complications?
“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger”
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
By Russell Crowder on 12-30-09
Lets see now…Paid cash for ticket…Bought one-way ticket…No baggage…Banned from re-entering the U.K…U.S. government warned about his radical intentions…Director of Homeland Security, a political hack, saying the “system worked”...The U.S. State Department run by another political hack, issues an open ended visa to enter the U.S. at will..And a “Terrorist Denier” as President….Have a nice flight!
By Rawhide on 12-31-09
How many times have terrorists attempted an attack on the U.S. since 9-11? Dozens of times the intel people say, guardedly. Will they try again? Of course. They are at war against us, whether President Obama and some Americans realize it or not. Sooner or later the enemy will succeed in another 9-11 scale attack. Will President Obama and others wake up even then and finally declare war against these suicidal killers? I doubt it. Bush saw the reality of the war being waged against us, and responded appropriately. Obama STILL doesn’t get it! He called the recent Christmas day attack over Detroit an “isolated” attempt. His Homeland Security boss Janet Napolitano claimed our security efforts succeeded. Nothing could be further from the truth. A few alert passengers on that plane saved everyone (including many on the ground) from death, not Homeland Security. Too many Americans are living in a fantasy, hoping and believing it will all just go away. That attitude only encourages the enemy to strike again with even more determination. The 9-11 attack on the Twin Towers was not their first attempt on that target. How many more people must die before President Obama and others wake up? The last place I would want to be tonight, on New Years Eve, is Times Square, NYC.
By Roark on 12-31-09
Obama is a fool who does not posses the mettle or the fortitude to protect the USA. His philosophy is at odds with the idea’s that the USA was founded upon. He is a one termer, if he doesn’t quite before it’s over.
By Kalispell Native on 12-31-09
Keep flailing, Roark. How classy that you would express a desire for our President’s untimely demise before his first term is completed. Schmuck.
By Sawyer on 01-02-10
Ditto mooseberryinn. But then wouldn’t about anyone be an improvment? Well, maybe not Nancy.
The views expressed in the comments section do not reflect those of the Beacon.