Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Here We Go Again! (Chasing the last terr'ist tactic)

Anyone who’s read Howard Bloom’s The Lucifer Effect, knows the inherent danger of memes as mind viruses, particularly in luring brains to fundamentalist beliefs – with radical Islamic fundamentalist beliefs amongst the most pernicious. Now, we have seen this mind virus played out again, with a seriously deluded 23-year old Nigerian zealot named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to detonate his underwear (with Semtex sewn in) and a jetliner with nearly 300 on board with it- in the hope of seeing 72 virgins in “heaven”.

This brain diseased moron evidently used the bathroom for 20 minutes in the last hour of flight, then used a blanket to try to surreptitiously detonate the mix affixed to his panties. All he succeeded in doing was setting himself on fire- perhaps thanks to the alertness of two passengers who observed what was going on and wasted no time jumping him.

What is the result of this? Air passengers on many flights (mainly coming from foreign nations into the U.S. – but also some IN the U.S.) now must remain seated in their seats the last hour of the flight. Never mind they may get a sudden bout of diarrhea, or even have benign prostate hypertrophy – which necessitates frequent bathroom visits – or kids that may need to poop in “potty”. I suppose the airlines now will tell folks to wear disposable diapers for most flights.

Meanwhile, blankets are also now banned the last hour of flight. Never mind mom and kids are snuggled up safe and secure in their seats – WHOOSH!- blankets must go! Imagine now all the suddenly disturbed infants, kids who will be whining non-stop splitting the ears of all around them and with nothing to do.

Also, there must be nothing on the lap, no laptops, no bottles of water and no BOOKS! Watch out for those books, folks! People –passengers are now expected to sit stupefied in their seats with no mental stimulation (even electronic entertainment systems on planes must be off) for the last hour. In some cases, all i-pods and walkmans are banned for the duration. This really cuts it, as anyone who’s flown knows the last hour of a flight is always the longest, perhaps rendered so by anticipation in reaching one’s destination. I have often found that it drags on interminably especially when one must land at busy airport hubs like at Atlanta, or O’Hare. The only thing that preserves sanity is being able to take one’s mind off the situation (and any weather- caused delays) by reading. Taking that away because it is wrongly believed security will be “improved” will not many happy campers….errr, passengers, make.

Is this a savvy response, or stupidity? It is stupidity, 100% - because none of these hand waving non-measures will stop a determined attacker. All they will do is end up punishing and annoying millions of passengers – who until Dec. 25th - provided airline coffers with better bottom lines, until the incident and airlines’ unwise implementation of reactionary responses. Already, airline shares across the board have started to dive as business class travelers are expected to forgo all the extra nonsense and longer delays – probably in favor of web meetings. This according to yesterday’s Wall Street Journal.

What would work, according to Douglas R. Laird – a former Northwest security consultant, are high tech screeners such as backscatter scanners- at all airports. The backscatter scanners can disclose any hidden materials – such as the Nigerian had sewn into his underwear, and also any materials stuffed into rectums – as were used in Saudi Arabia in the last year.

Short of that, the ONLY thing that can work to ensure real safety – as opposed to nonsense in flight dictums- are full body searches. You do that, then let the passengers board, and leave them alone, including their blankets and carry ons. Of course, that will not happen. If people are averse to x-ray scanning methods which leave them “naked” in images (puh-leeze, folks, get a frickin' life!) , they will certainly not agree to full body searches, so there is nothing to really deter would be nuts.

Or maybe there is. Norman Shanks, a European security consultant avers the best method to contain air terrorism is “behavioral pattern recognition” (Financial Times, p. A3, Dec. 29). In this method, trained experts spot potential terrorist behavior from how the suspects are behaving.

But both Shanks and Laird agree that the current measures being imposed on travelers amount to “nonsense”. (FT, ibid.) Singled out is the one calling for sitting in one’s seat for an hour prior to landing. Such a rule – if already enacted prior to Dec.. 25- would have deterred the passengers who effectively neutralized the would-be bomber, after all else had failed to. Total stupidity! Why impose a non- method which diminishes the arsenal of possible responses, rather than keeps all available? But reactionary, feel good hand-waving and fighting the “last tactic” seems to be the limit of the air security system’s imagination.

Shanks, for his part, also skewered the tactic of some airlines to remove the image of the flight plan from view. According to him (FT, ibid.):

Not being allowed to look at the flight plan is absolute nonsense, unless they are going to black out the windows as well”.

One hopes that as some time - and the immediate fear and hysteria passes- airlines and Homeland Security will understand that more intelligent, and specfic methods to stop attackers are needed – not dumb, broad spectrum reactive ones that only serve to antagonize the flying public, while blowing another hole in airlines’ finances . A public, who despite their robotic claims of acceptance “for our safety”- will not be so happy weeks from now if the totally exasperating, annoying, hand-waving pseudo-measures continue.

In the meantime, the systemic security lapses that allowed this radicalized, Nigerian religious freak to board a plane in Amsterdam, when he ought to have had his U.S. visa revoked and been on a ‘No fly’ list, can never happen again. Eight years and change after 9/11 there can no longer be any excuses for such ineptitude, showing the security failures and lack of communications that incepted September 11th were never learned in the first place.

We have to be smarter than that!

9 comments:

Mike said...

Phil ;

The American people don't want to see "softness" on terrorism. All of the terror acts that happened on Clinton watch even though some were on our soil the people just couldn't really feel the effect - until 9/11. Since there hasn't been a terror act on our soil since 9/11 people became comfortable in the government keeping them safe. Now the government isn't keeping them safe and it should be brought up by the republicans every chance they get - over and over in how weak obama has made this Nation in the eyes of the terrorist. American people don't want terrorism dealt with soft hands - they want strong hands. Clinton was viewed as a talker - never acted. Well, we have another talker except this talker has underlying reasons not to act because he is a muslim. People say oh he is a Christian...that was for looks only because no one in this country would have voted a muslim into the white house if they knew....no one. obama is going down in history as the worst person to occupy the white house not because of his blunders on the economy...but on National Security....

He also continues to blame the Bush admin. for all the country's woes. Well,when is this parasite that is called "president" going to assume command ? All I can say is , hey , y'all liberals wanted him - NOW YA GOT HIM !! So , quit griping about HIS "police state."

Copernicus said...

Mike wrote: "All I can say is , hey , y'all liberals wanted him - NOW YA GOT HIM !! So , quit griping about HIS "police state."


Actually, it's not a "police state" - merely stupid, ineffectual mathods to deal with a problem that could easily be solved with full body scanners. It's not a "police state" because the methods are applied on *airlines* not across the land. (And let's bear in mind here Obama has stopped some of the worst true POLICE STATE tactics introduced by Bush including blag bag searches, where feds enter your domecile while your away and search your place, including computer - and don't need a warrant to do it. Violating the 4th Amendment)

So no, he is nowhere as bad as the fascist Bush.

As for liberals, I hate to say that I am not a "liberal" but libertarian progressive. There IS a difference! Most liberals, for example, are horrified (on privacy bases) by full body scans. I say 'do it'. If it means I don't have to put up with crap and nuisances while flying - like not being able to play my walkman, or drink water, or take a dump the last hour if nature calls.

As for voting for Obama, I will confess right now he was NOT my first choice, HRC was. I felt he lacked the experience and was too good at rhetoric. However, in the debates I found him the lesser of two evils- to McCain, "Insane McCain".

And I sure as hell didn't want that bimbo Palin anywhere near the "football" if McCain happened to shuffle off his mortal coil. Not that empty headed Xtian zealot.

But as usual, we agree to differ.

Copernicus said...

Mike wrote: "and it should be brought up by the republicans every chance they get - over and over in how weak obama has made this Nation in the eyes of the terrorist"

That's also kind of laughable, bearing in mind it is the Repugs (namely Jim DeMint) who have held up Obama's TSA head for months now.

You can't have your cake and eat it too! If you're going to call the D-side on "weakness" or whatever to terror, you have to call out your side on the obstruction of the appointment of the guy who basically heads airline security- and is charged with deploying key methods to counter it.

But again, this is a blind spot for most Goopers.

Copernicus said...

"Obama has stopped some of the worst true POLICE STATE tactics introduced by Bush including blag bag searches"

That should read BLACK BAG searches, which were introduced under one section of the Patriot Act. Clearly, a vicious violation of the 4th amendment since they are done without warrants.

Caleb Shay said...

Hey! Another point you forgot! If Obama had a real police state that airline fiasco never would have happened. A police state has eyes and ears everywhere and all agnecies are instantly connected.

Personally, my theory is the CIA deliberately dropped the ball on this- since they had the info on Abdulmuktallab, in order to embarrass Obama and make him appear politically vulnerable.

They did it because Obama did not stop his AG, Eric Holder, from investigating aspects of the CIA torturing suspects. This was their way of getting revenge.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out and whether Obama can regain control of that agency. They'be been uppity since Kennedy threatened to smash them into "a thousand pieces" after the Bay of Pigs (where they fed JFK all lies and misinformation) and later offed him for it.

Mike said...

Well,let's see. BESIDES our anti-Christian,anti-American,and anti-Military Prez' REFUSING to call these latest terrorists what they ARE..uh.."TERRORISTS",AND "ENEMY COMBATANTS" , for fear of him "offending" his muslim bro's and 'sistah's' ,and Obama closing Gitmo and letting the enemy combatants 'lawyer up',let's just "add up" what has happened thus far on HIS WATCH , huh ?

Misunderstander of Islam, Butcher knife on hand, Out on $100 Bail: "He was a Muslim and wanted to start a jihad, or holy war, in Memphis" 12/28/09

Abdul Mudallad Tries To Blow Up Northwest Airlines Plane, Directed by Al Qaeda: The AP says motive unclear 12/25/09

Five Missing Muslim DC Students Americans Planning Jihad in Pakistan: Like Father, like son 12/10/09

Chicago Muslim Charged In Mumbai Islamic Massacre Planned More Terror Attacks in India 12/09/09

“I said he was acting...like a terrorist,” roommate of Jihadi that Murdered Professor 12/07/09

Chicago Jihadis who Plotted to bomb Danish Cartoon Publisher at Halal Slaughterhouse Tied to Mumbai
11/24/09

Muslim Sentenced to Six-year jail term in Plot to Blow up Sears Tower: "Islamic terrorism is one of the most tremendous problem that this country now confronts ... this defendant took an oath to Al-Qaeda" 11/18/09

Fort Hood Jihad: Muslim Garbed Jihadi Nidal Hasan Screamed "Allah Akbar" as he Mowed Down US Soldiers at Fort Hood, Death Toll Rises 11/09

Going Muslim on a Photographer outside Michigan Mosque 10/30/09

Muslims of America Domestic Terror Jihad training camp videos to be released

Beltway Jihadi Sniper John Muhammad: Death to the Jihadi Tonight 11/10/09

Son of an Imam Killed in Gun Battle with the FBI in Detroit is Arrested 10/29/09

Michigan Mosque leader killed during Islamic gun battle with fed 10/28/09

Hush Hush: Huge Fed/FBI Raid on Chicago Halal Goat Meat Slaughterhouse 10/20/09

Boston Muslim Terrorist Son of MAS (Muslim American Society) Leader 10/26/09

Another Conviction of Muslims Engaged in Plotting Islamic Attacks Against American Overseas 10/22/09

NY Imam Indicted in NYC Terror Attack Plot 10/22/09

Massive Muslim Attack Averted: "plot to kill two prominent US politicians and carry out a holy war by attacking shoppers in US malls and American troops in Iraq" 10/31/09

"New York Muslim indicted for plotting to kill U.S. troops 9/25/09

FBI arrests Jordanian for downtown Dallas bomb plot... 9/26/09

NYC: Muslims Protest "RACIAL PROFILING" in wake of arrests in major jihad terror plot 10/00/09

Illinois man charged in plot to bomb federal offices... 9/24/09

Terror suspects accused of targeting Marine base in Quantico... 9/24/09

Men vanish after taking photos of Philly subway system... 9/24/09

Muslim Bomber Targeted Republican Representative Aaron Schock in Illinois 9/26/09

Mike said...

COMMENTS CONT'D :

NYC: Muslims Protest "RACIAL PROFILING" in wake of arrests in major jihad terror plot 10/00/09

Illinois man charged in plot to bomb federal offices... 9/24/09

Terror suspects accused of targeting Marine base in Quantico... 9/24/09

Men vanish after taking photos of Philly subway system... 9/24/09

Muslim Bomber Targeted Republican Representative Aaron Schock in Illinois 9/26/09

New York Muslim indicted for plotting to kill U.S. troops 9/25/09

Another Muslim Bomber: Hosam Maher Husein Smadi Arrested in Dallas Bomb Plot 9/25/09

New York City on High Alert for Islamic Bomb Attacks: Scouring Stadiums, Mass Transit, Hotels, Entertainment Complexes UPDATE: "Especially Troubling" Revelations on Muslim Suspects, 9 More BEING SOUGHT 9/22/09

Terror Bust in NC: "This was a homegrown cell based in rural America. 2) It was led by a white convert to Islam named Daniel Patrick Boyd. 3) The cell had plotted against Israel, which means they could very well have targeted Jewish sites on U.S. soil" 7/28/09

NY Muslim Convert Charged with 2008 Attack on US Base in Afghanistan and assisting in Islamic Plot to Blow Up NY Subways on Thanksgiving 7/22/09

Muslim Gangs Get Foothold in Minnesota 7/20/09

THE WAR ON AMERICAN SOIL: JIHADI WHO KILLED/SHOT US SOLDIERS said, "an act, for the sake of God, for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all the world, and also a retaliation on U.S. military” "American military personnel had desecrated copies of the Koran" 6/10/09

Muslim[s] Killer Targeted Jewish organizations, a Baptist church, a child care center, a post office and military recruiting centers 6/03/09

BUSTED: More Terror In Chicago 5/26/09

MINNEAPOLIS MUSLIM GUILTY OF AIDING AL QAEDA 5/21/09

4 NYC MUSLIM TERRORISTS ARRESTED IN PLANNED MASSIVE BOMB ATTACK ON NYC SYNAGOGUES, NATIONAL GUARD AVIATION 5/20/09

5 Convicted if Sears Tower Islamic attack plot: "I want to fight some jihad" 5/12/09

MUSLIM GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR BINGHAMTON MASSACRE 4/4/09

BREAKING: ANOTHER BROOKLYN SYNAGOGUE ATTACKED BY A JIHADI3/4/09

FBI Raids UF's Nuclear Power Institute and Iranian Nuke Professor - Director's Home 2/25/09

It's important to know, there are many many sympathizers here.

JIHAD IN USA: PRO-HAMAS DEMONSTRATIONS ACROSS THE USA
"I want you to watch as I kill your children, cover your children in their own blood!" I want you to to watch me blow your children's brains out"

Now,I can just imagine the hue and cry had even HALF of these incidents occurred on Bush's watch-yet there was not ONE SINGLE TERRORIST INCIDENT after 9-1-1.

But,alas,the 2010 mid-term elections will soon be here,and we can 'clean house' then.

Copernicus said...

Nice try, but all those incidents you enumerate easily fall under CRIMINAL acts, they don't warrant a full tilt NATIONAL WAR response - which effectively makes the robed lunatics a "super power". (Since superpower resources putatively must be arrayed to "fight them")

9/11 was always a CRIMINAL act, not an act of war which requires a NATION state. But al qaeda is not that, but rather a dispersed group of crazies. The way to have dealt with it was not to bankrupt the nation (to Chinese bankers no less) but to go after the perps like the Israeli Mossad went after the perps who committed the Munich massacre in 1972.

The bottom line is that this nation, no matter what warmongers may think, is not in any financial position to wage perpetual war. We simply don't have the resources- hell, we don't even have them to repair our base infrastructure. Our collapsing roads, bridges, rotting water mains (bursting all over the damned place) and sewer lines are a disgrace to any country that calls itself advanced. They are more apropos to a backward 3rd world nation.

Obama is essentially doing the right thing. What still has not been corrected, even after the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, is the critical communciations between intel agencies.

The CIA claims they gave the pertinents info to NCIC, but no report - based on what Abdulmuktalab's father said- was issued until Dec. 26, a day after. Thus, you can't blame Obama or the Ds for that. You CAN blame the repugs for their foot dragging on Obama's TSA nomination (see my new blog post)

Copernicus said...

Mike wrote: "Now,I can just imagine the hue and cry had even HALF of these incidents occurred on Bush's watch-yet there was not ONE SINGLE TERRORIST INCIDENT after 9-1-1. "

Well, you seem to forget that Bush - on HIS watch- let the biggest terrorist strike in U.s. histoky take place, on Sept. 11, 2001. With more than 2,900 lives gone.

With a whopper hit like that who needs any more "incidents"?!

It is kind of ridiculous for the rightwingers to insist Bush protected us, when the biggest terror strike in history occurred on his watch.

Let us also hasten to recall, it was Poppy Bush who signed the exeuctive paron that protected the biggest terrorist in the W. hemisphere before 9-11: Luis Posada.

Yeah, the same Posada who with his crony (Freddy Lugo) bombed a Cuban airliner out of the skies on Oct. 6, 1976 over Barbados - with over 70 lives lost. I was in Barbados when it occurred, saw the blast and the body parts wash up on Paradise Beach.

I do guess the apple never falls far from the treee, eh?




"But,alas,the 2010 mid-term elections will soon be here,and we can 'clean house' then."

In your dreams! I do expect your repups to pick up a few seats, but in no way will it amount to "cleaning house" - by which I mean (and I think you too) new R-majorities.

Just ain't gonna happen, when the GOP has been the party of NO and not much more!