Counter Terrisoum

[Darien]

The tradgedy on tuesday has opened americas eyes to terrisoim. There are some steps to protect against a similar event:

 

1. Get the Sky Marshals back.

 

Put armed security gaurds on our planes! Disguise them as passengers. The Isralies do it, so should we.

 

2. Tighten secruity!

 

We need to screen people on planes better!

 

3. Make an international counter teriost group!

 

SAS, CIA, the german one, the isralies, all those good things.

[Guest Kurgan]

Like Rainbow of Tom Clancy fame, eh?

 

Good idea. I think that's a much better idea than the "bomb the crap out of stuff" strategy, that unfortunately has been used in the past. That kind of thing may have its place, but intelligence and smaller-scale surgical operations definately have a place in situations of this delicate nature.

 

Kurgan

[OnlyOneCanoli]

Those all seem like good ideas and I support them. However, after five years have passed and this is not on our minds 24/7, do you think people will want to go to an airport three hours before a flight to meet these guidelines? Or not walking their loved ones to their boarding terminal when they leave their state? Or wait in tremendously long lines to get screened longer and better than they currently do?

 

I, for one, would. I would gladly do this the few times I fly in a plane to save more lives.

 

But do you think the average citizen would like this? I suppose not, but they'd have to deal with it.

[Guest Kurgan]

Well that's a definite concern. For Americans like myself there is a balance between freedom and security.

 

We don't want to live in a 1984-style police state. Because though that would almost guarentee our safety from foriegn enemies, it would greatly increase the risk of abuse of authority against it's own citizens. I mean what if the government could just arrest you if they suspected you of being a terrorist, but without any evidence?

 

On the other hand, if security is too lax, then stuff like this can just happen and we won't be able to do anything about it. The best step is probably prevention.

 

More security on airlines is a definate, and yes it will be inconvenient. I don't like how my freedom of speech is limited at airports for example, or having to take everything out of my pockets and dump it in a box in front of a waiting line, etc.

 

But if it will save more lives, then a little more security is fine by me.

 

Of course one could argue that determined mad-men will find ways around our new security if they work hard enough. Which would enforce the idea that we still need to combat foreign terrorism with counter-terrorist ops.

 

The cost of liberty is eternal vigilance...

 

Kurgan

[Darien]

If somebody did get past the security, the armed gaurds would take them out if they tried to take over the plane. That should stop any copycats.

[GonkH8er]

http://www.aussnet.com/binladen

 

for those of you who are quick to blame, and want to wittle the time away.

[StormHammer]

Counter-terrorism starts at home, in the hearts and minds of everyday people. Raising awareness and increasing vigilance within communities can help to save lives.

 

Minimising the effects of terrorist attacks also needs to be carefully considered - because even with increases in security, determined fanatics can still find ways.

 

We don't just need to look at improving intelligence, revising security policies, and creating a global anti-terrorist task force - we need to look at the ways we build things too. From boats to aircraft, from trains to buildings. Human safety should be a priority in all of these areas, and sadly it is not. I'm not just talking about terrorist attacks either - but in general. How many people died in the London rail disasters because they simly could not get out? Now look at how many people have died in these collapsed buildings for the same reason.

 

It is about time that big business started to take the lives in their hands far more seriously. Yes, they must make profits - but no amount of profit can replace the loss of a single life, let alone hundreds - or thousands. Life is a priceless commodity - and it makes good business sense to preserve it.

[Darien]

Hmmmm.... Thats a good idea, we should build airplanes to protect people more. We could have steel cocpit doors that only the pilot could open. I think many other countries already have this.

 

Also theres the concern with skycrapers that has been raised on this board. The only thing i can think of for that would be some kind of escape vessel, kind of a glider many people could use, one per floor.

[Wilhuf]

DoD is claiming there was nothing they could do to stop the airplane attacks.

 

The USAF did have a fighter within range to shoot down the flight which crashed over Pennsylvania. I have this nagging suspiscion that the USAF may have shot it down. DoD denies having shot down the aircraft, so I guess I'll have to to take it at face value.