Some thoughts on the latest "terror plot"
I can't help but be skeptical of the latest "terror plot" to be foiled and the timing of its announcement. In the past, everytime that the administration needed to deflect criticism away from itself, they would announce the foiling of some "plot" to destroy the US. Does anyone remember the guys who were going to destroy the Brooklyn bridge with cutting torches? How about those crack terrorists, the Miami 6?
My point is that yesterday was a referendum on the President's policies and the public voted for a change: Out with Presidential smoocher Lieberman, in with Lamont. In response, key members of the GOP machine trotted out their talking points: Well, if you support Lamont, then you are supporting another 9/11 and various other scary rhetoric. Oh, and today? Yeah, we caught terrorists trying to blow up airplanes. Go back to sleep America, the GOP has everything under control.
On to the plot itself...
It is being reported that the British government has arrested 21 men, mostly of Pakistani origin, that had planned to detonate liquid explosives on planes headed from Britain to the US while somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. Not all of the suspects are in custody, and raids are continuing.
What? Not everyone is in custody? Then why are you telling us? Because you just told them that we are looking for them, you idiot...
Mr. Chertoff, Head of Homeland Security, offer this bit of scary genius: "This is a direct threat to the United States."
Scary and effective statement, but not entirely accurate. This plot, if real, is certainly a threat to American citizens, but not a threat to the country itself. The plan was to be executed over the ocean. Murder, yes... Threat to the homeland, no....
What measures are being taken to protect us?
All domestic European flights out of London have been cancelled, and the overseas flights have been delayed. Does this seem backwards to anyone? I thought that the plot involved overseas flights...
Passengers will not be allowed to bring beverages onboard any flight, overseas or here in the US. Huh? First, isn't the plot based in Britain? Second, is it safe to assume that our existing security protocols of requiring passengers to take a drink of any beverage that they intend to bring through security and onto a plane are no longer suffiecient to prevent an explosive from slipping through? Have the terrorists devised a non-toxic explosive? Why not ban electronic devices instead? Surely the detonators must be electronic, and by preventing cell phones from being in the passenger compartment, you certainly are preventing a remote detonation of something stashed in the luggage compartment.
Not to be a Doubting Thomas here, but this whole thing seems assinine. At the very minimum, the actions taken on behalf of our safety seem to be for appearance only...
Now, let's put this in perspective of the Bush War on Terror Doctrine. Since the suspects are of Pakistani orgin, does this mean that it is time to declare war against Pakistan? I thought that President (or is it General? I get confused when it comes to "democratically elected", coup d'etat dictators... er, leaders) Musharraf was an ally in the war on terror. How could he let this happen? Um, wait... Doesn't he have nukes? Isn't Al-Qaida hiding in Pakistan in the mountains? Isn't that country on the verge of war with India because of extremist elements that the President cannot or will not control?
No, better attack Venezuela instead. They have oil, and the adminstration can claim to be tough on Socialism while offsetting the BP pipeline shutdown (British company, btw).
My point is that yesterday was a referendum on the President's policies and the public voted for a change: Out with Presidential smoocher Lieberman, in with Lamont. In response, key members of the GOP machine trotted out their talking points: Well, if you support Lamont, then you are supporting another 9/11 and various other scary rhetoric. Oh, and today? Yeah, we caught terrorists trying to blow up airplanes. Go back to sleep America, the GOP has everything under control.
On to the plot itself...
It is being reported that the British government has arrested 21 men, mostly of Pakistani origin, that had planned to detonate liquid explosives on planes headed from Britain to the US while somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. Not all of the suspects are in custody, and raids are continuing.
What? Not everyone is in custody? Then why are you telling us? Because you just told them that we are looking for them, you idiot...
Mr. Chertoff, Head of Homeland Security, offer this bit of scary genius: "This is a direct threat to the United States."
Scary and effective statement, but not entirely accurate. This plot, if real, is certainly a threat to American citizens, but not a threat to the country itself. The plan was to be executed over the ocean. Murder, yes... Threat to the homeland, no....
What measures are being taken to protect us?
All domestic European flights out of London have been cancelled, and the overseas flights have been delayed. Does this seem backwards to anyone? I thought that the plot involved overseas flights...
Passengers will not be allowed to bring beverages onboard any flight, overseas or here in the US. Huh? First, isn't the plot based in Britain? Second, is it safe to assume that our existing security protocols of requiring passengers to take a drink of any beverage that they intend to bring through security and onto a plane are no longer suffiecient to prevent an explosive from slipping through? Have the terrorists devised a non-toxic explosive? Why not ban electronic devices instead? Surely the detonators must be electronic, and by preventing cell phones from being in the passenger compartment, you certainly are preventing a remote detonation of something stashed in the luggage compartment.
Not to be a Doubting Thomas here, but this whole thing seems assinine. At the very minimum, the actions taken on behalf of our safety seem to be for appearance only...
Now, let's put this in perspective of the Bush War on Terror Doctrine. Since the suspects are of Pakistani orgin, does this mean that it is time to declare war against Pakistan? I thought that President (or is it General? I get confused when it comes to "democratically elected", coup d'etat dictators... er, leaders) Musharraf was an ally in the war on terror. How could he let this happen? Um, wait... Doesn't he have nukes? Isn't Al-Qaida hiding in Pakistan in the mountains? Isn't that country on the verge of war with India because of extremist elements that the President cannot or will not control?
No, better attack Venezuela instead. They have oil, and the adminstration can claim to be tough on Socialism while offsetting the BP pipeline shutdown (British company, btw).
posted by rol-e at 8:36 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home