Posted on 09/15/2001 10:15:33 AM PDT by MadameAxe
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Rules of Engagement: Don't disarm As we're still digging bodies from the rubble, we are asked to come together as a people. We are asked to stand behind our leadership and show a united front. The Federal Aviation Administration has laid out new guidelines for airport and aircraft security. As a frequent flyer, it is obvious the FAA took no input from those with the most experience - air travelers. The knee-jerk reaction of the FAA shows a pattern of arrogance and ignorance that will make it difficult to truly bring this nation together, or make it more secure against further attacks of this nature. It is, in fact, a pattern of government policy that has placed this nation in peril today. Here are some recommendations from frequent traveler. These recommendations may not sit well with some people, but I believe it is a compromise that the government and the citizens can live with - without jeopardizing the civil liberties of the entire population. Knowing that it's doubtful we would be hit twice with the same maneuver immediately, I will also discuss other vulnerabilities here in the U.S., and how to deal with them. My qualifications to speak on these matters are listed at the end of this article. AIR TRAVEL 1) All law enforcement personnel or concealed carry permit holders having passed a certified marksman course with a specified airline (with training sponsored by the airline or law enforcement controlling authority) shall identify themselves at the ticket counter with certified identification. At that point, a security officer shall relieve them of their service or personal arms and issue a self-defense pistol and frangible ammo. These arms must be returned before leaving the destination airport. 2) Suspend carry-on luggage. This may seem like an inconvenience to many, but it has its benefits. As a frequent flyer, I've lost count of the number of times I have been hit against the head, witnessed strained shoulders, and backs, with the young and elderly having problems with placing baggage overhead. Suspending carry-on luggage would also improve boarding and de-boarding time. It might also prevent someone from coming on board saying they 'have a bomb' 3) Cell phone use. Today, Americans are lauding the fact that some of the doomed airline passengers were on cell phones reporting what was going on during their ill-fated flight. One cell-phone conversation clearly averted a worse disaster. But here's what many non-flyers do not know: Cell phone use is banned on commercial aircraft. Saving the White House required brave souls violating federal law. Solution: We are told on flights that use of electronic communication can interfere with the pilot's communications. Yet, many aircraft have phones on the back of airline seats. Get better communication for pilots, and let travelers keep cell phones on. It can save lives, and provide necessary intelligence for counter-operations during an emergency. 4) Arm all pilots. 5) Re-enforce cockpit doors 6) Insist that qualified pilots notify the airlines of their flight experience. The first three simple guidelines would have prevented what happened. The others are added protection. Frankly, all law abiding gun owners should boycott any domestic airline that prohibits light side arms on aircrafts. They can give us a hundred reasons why carrying guns on planes is a bad idea. I can give them 20,000 dead reasons why it's a good idea - period. WAR AND THE STRATEGY OF THE ENEMY Before we discuss the following subject, there are some things that must be brought into focus in order to defeat our enemy. As we mourn our losses, we must, as Americans fight off the emotion and rhetoric to understand what happened, and the true nature of our enemy. We're going to war, America - It is time to think and act like True American Warriors. The attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon were not 'cowardly acts of terrorism'. They were acts of war. Those who carried out their missions were not cowards. More over, calling it evil and barbaric is easy, since it happened on our own soil. But we must not overlook this cold fact: This was one of the most successful strategic assaults in combat history. This was clearly a tactical move to attack our financial infrastructure, and command and control facilities. To our enemy, the thousands who perished were mere 'collateral damage'. The mission as I can see was to attack both the financial and military means to for counter action. Did that last paragraph make your stomach turn? This is war. Start thinking like a warrior. Our enemy took advantage of the policy of 'centralization' and authoritarian cultural control in this country. They rightly assumed that if only the U.S. government mandated what security measures were in place, the citizens and the infrastructure would be caught off guard and unprepared when 'central targets were attacked. And they were right. Now, look at the new FAA regulations. Mandated from On High. Little decentralization. No consultation with the next potential victims. Even after knowing what happened on United Airlines Flight 93, no thought of empowering those closest to the battle with the means to defend themselves or take counter action. Instead: Ban knives. Among the initial acts this government took immediately after the attack, the move was to secure the President and Congress. I applaud the move to suspend air traffic, but that seems like the only measure done so far to protect the citizens. Plans have been in place for years for a 'continuity of government' scenario. But what about it's citizens? We reacted. We weren't prepared. As many feel the enemy we face may be still on U.S. soil, and more Americans are vulnerable to retaliation or more tactical assaults, the citizens of this country become by default - soldiers themselves. In this war, we are in the war zone, not just watching it on television. If we are to win this war - if we are to survive, the government of the United States of America will have to recognize this fact with respect to its citizens. And the citizens must accept this reality themselves, and to each other. We are soldiers. Our military shall go on the offense. WE must be a decentralized, defense oriented society in order to protect our own people. The President has asked local and state law enforcement to protect the citizenry. While commendable, that is not nearly enough. We have to do it. And in order to do it, we have to anticipate what may be targeted next, and takes steps to prevent it. In battle, there are Rules of Engagement between the opposing forces on foreign battlefields. In order to win this war in decisive fashion, local, state and federal governments must first establish Rules of Engagement on this battlefield - called America. THE INFRASTRUCTURE Did you know the interstate highway system was built with the purpose of moving military traffic? Of course, it has become part of the American way of life. Since my wife was force to drive from the east coast (due to the air shutdown), we deliberately detoured her journey to a less traveled bridge across the Mississippi River. Why? Because we were thinking like a warrior. Major bridges and tunnels are prime infrastructure targets. Their destruction could cripple commerce, civilian and military traffic. These bridge supports should be watched. The Bush Administration recently said we were not ready to fight a war on two fronts. If we must put all our resources into this one, ending the war on drugs would free a lot of those resources domestically - think about it. This will required local and state law enforcement to change their priorities. To improve their effectiveness, I would strongly suggest the policies of pursuing suspects for violations of 'political correctness', and enforcing the suspension of rights of animals and trees, in favor of a more important duty at hand. America needs local and state law enforcement spending more time watching the Eads Bridge and the Baltimore Tunnel than a marijuana dealer or a gun collector. Any state that has any law banning firearms in vehicles should suspend this law NOW. This goes double for truckers. Truckers are the eyes, ears, and soul of the American highway system. Their talents have become even more important with the suspension of air traffic. You'll see more of them on the highway. For the first one who says they want no person (especially truckers) to be armed in their vehicles, I can respond with, "where would you like that hijacked petroleum, hazardous chemical or liquid rocket fuel truck to show up? At it's intended destination, or detonated somewhere in the vicinity of thousands of people? Truckers, arm yourselves NOW. Be on the lookout for anything strange at truck stops. Do a good walk around after every fuel stop. Fuel haulers: park away from the other trucks. All truckers should keep an eye out for fuel haulers and HazMat rigs. Something suspicious? Call the authorities, contact him on CB for identification. Use your best judgment if you don't get a response. Make sure all CB and cell phones are in working order before getting on the road. And to Local and State Law enforcement: No firearms checks in trucks or vehicles. We are not the enemy. We are defending America. ENERGY FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE This is an attack just waiting to happen. I am confident the government has taken steps to look out for major energy installations (dams, nuclear power plants, etc.). But with American dependence on electricity at this time, extra care should be given to all substations, and transmission towers. You don't need a plane, a car bomb, or a cruise missile. We're talking bolt cutters and medium range rifles. The lineman will know what to look for, and where the key points are. For security reasons, I will not go into details here. I will say this: targeting key installations mentioned above are a lot easier than defending them. This is due again, to 'centralization'. We are dependent on power companies to provide electricity. Without it, state leaders declare emergencies. Solution: The time has come to switch to self-contained power systems. Power companies can take the lead. At any time, power can go down - energy sources may become crucial anywhere, at any time. Without going into details, new businesses can be started in this country by installing 12 volt - DC bypasses on many low wattage appliances. This would allow many domestic, business and industrial systems to run on battery back ups if the need arises. This is a long-term plan, but it must be started NOW. No more politics, people. This is war. We are Americans. We are defending America. Did you enjoy the gas lines and price jumps on September 11, 2001? Think there may be a chance of fuel interruptions during this period? Let's start doing something about it. It's called 'decentralization'. Taking the side of the environmentalists, we must move to alternative fuel sources as soon as possible. Are you hearing me, Detroit? Get your engineers to work. Taking the side against the environmentalists, I would urge that all regulation banning the exploration and refining of domestic resources be suspended during this emergency. This is part of the reason we're in this mess now - and everyone knows it. We will need as much fuel as possible until the domestic changeover is made. Sharp eyes must be kept on refineries, shipping and pipelines. Again, this will require local and state law enforcement to change its priorities. Your job is to 'serve and protect'. It's time to start doing it. WATER AND SANITATION Again, this is too easy, and if preparations are not made, whole cites could be left defenseless. Home water purification systems are a must. For those on municipal water systems, I would urge plastic containers to keep spare water on hand, as much as possible. Paranoid? There is an unexplained mega -fish kill off the coast of Kuwait right now. Natural or man-made? Wanna be around to find out? When it comes to extra water: better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Those with wells should have backups. Government officials should back off prosecution of folks who use too much water. During the recent Klamath agreement, the issue of Farmers needing water to grow food in time of war came up. It was one of the few valid arguments that got through to federal officials. Perhaps this is a good sign. In short: have stand-by water ready. Again, it's called decentralization. COMMUNICATIONS Yeah, they can go after phone lines too, and since the Internet has not gone totally wireless, we'll need to look out for that as well. No phones, no Internet, no news, no information. If they are smart enough to take down the World Trade Center, a local phone system is small potatoes (See: The Infrastructure). All utility personnel should be on the lookout for this. In a given area, utility workers from different utilities recognize each other. Keep that in mind. Also watch for unauthorized persons around cell phone towers (in the event of covert, local operations) Most utility outfits have strict rules about their workers being armed in company vehicles. Again for national security reasons, I will not say what kind of havoc can be caused with one or two trained operatives getting hold of the right utility vehicle on any given utility system. Those who drive the vehicles and 'work the line' know. Before you write off what I just said, remember: They successfully hijacked 4 jumbo jets simultaneously, didn't they? Linemen, phone workers, cable workers - arm yourselves. The way this war may be fought, you may find yourselves as prime targets. And make sure you have backup communications. In worse case scenarios, electricity and communications may be knocked out for quite a while. Have a flashlight ready. And get a book or audio tape on Morse code. Of course you'll never have time to learn it - until there's nothing else to do. Knowing Morse code may help someone pull you out of the rubble one day. This is serious, people. You want to beat these warriors? You have to think like warriors. This is war - a war that has been proven can, and probably will, be brought to a battlefield near you. FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE The Key here is simply to keep the banks open. Banks meanwhile, should begin looking heavily into safe, online transactions, and making cash more accessible. Simultaneous car bomb attacks on several banks in a given city can shut down commerce fast. Banks should take precautions. Inconvenient for your customers and too expensive, you say? Wasn't an issue with the federal government after Oklahoma City. In the case of a bank, it doesn't even have to be a car bomb. Remember the Rome and Vienna Airports back in the 80's, and Prozac enhanced psychopaths in restaurants, schools, and other places in recent history. Lesson learned: armed people can thwart such attacks. These are just a few precautions that need to be taken. All of America is saying things will never be the same again. They are right. Things have to change. Our federal government vows to protect us. They mandate x-ray machines at all airports, and 4 planes are hijacked simultaneously. They put barricades around their buildings, while the World Trade Center is there for the taking. The want armed guards on planes and in airports, but the potential victims can't even carry knives. Go ahead. Call me crazy, Sen. Schumer and Clinton lovers. Then turn on the news and witness the results (in their own state) of doing it your way. We are at War, America. Look at New York. Look at Washington right now. Take a good look, dammit. Don't hide our children from the truth anymore. Our enemy has proven that he can and will bring this battle to our own soil. Americans will support their troops in battle in a war zone. But there are simply not enough law enforcement personnel to watch this battlefield. If Congress simply passed more laws taking the right of self-defense away from the people who will be working to support their war machine and leave us vulnerable, then don't bother sending the military anywhere. Our enemy is not stupid. They took advantage of the lack of trust between this government and its people. If this government does not take a hard, honest look at this cold fact and respect the people's right of self defense, we will be sitting ducks for the next attack. There are over 55,000 take-offs a day with commercial and cargo aircraft in the U.S. The federal government barely has that number of civilian law enforcement in arms. There is no feasible way to train that many that fast. The Airline industry on the other hand, could handle 1.3 million passengers daily. With law-abiding air travelers in arms - you do the math. The lesson of September 11, 2001: Don't disarm your soldiers on a battlefield. It can cause heavy losses. These are the new Rules of Engagement. CREDENTIALS FOR THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE: 1) 1982-1988 - telephone and cable television field service 2) 1990-1995 - electrical utility line mechanic (overhead, underground, transmission) - still holds CDL Class A License 3) 1993 -1997 Second Amendment activist while living in an urban neighborhood. During that time, thwarted criminals on three occasions with just a show of force. 4) 1995-2001 - frequent flyer miles gained two years in a row (that I'll probably never get to use), traveling to 42 of 50 states, with over 50,000 miles over the road. 5) 2000 - 32 hours of FAA basic flight training 6) FBI files: They thought *I* was a national security threat 7) Author of 'Cracking the Liberty Bell' |
A government that does not trust the people...
Now, it happens that the phone you see in the plane on the back of the headrest is talking to a different system -- designed like the cell phone system, but with fewer ground stations placed much farther apart, handling fewer mobiles. They're designed to talk to mobiles that can be hundreds of miles off. It's cellular on a bigger scale, more appropriate to aircraft.
You also should remember that the aircraft from which the cell calls were made were flying extremely low, because the hijackers were trying to avoid radar. The low altitude saved them from some of the terminal contention that would otherwise have occurred.
I agree with you that the cell phone suggestion is the weak point of the article. However, why does it have to be the Feds who make the rule? If the airlines didn't want to be sued by cell phone customers & companies, for causing the sort of interference you describe, it doesn't seem likely that the Fed would be needed to force them to adopt these rules.
That said, I can't seriously imagine that anyone would be procecuted under the current regulations for using a cell phone on a plane, in emergency circumstances such as those that existed Tuesday.
Cell phone use. Today, Americans are lauding the fact that some of the doomed airline passengers were on cell phones reporting what was going on ...Sorry, but of the CREDIBLE accounts I've seen so far - these people used the AIRPHONES that are provided aboard these aircraft - NOT CELL PHONES!But here's what many non-flyers do not know: Cell phone use is banned on commercial aircraft. Saving the White House required brave souls violating federal law. Solution: We are told on flights that use of electronic communication can interfere with the pilot's communications. Yet, many aircraft have phones on the back of airline seats. Get better communication for pilots, and let travelers keep cell phones on.
On the Federal issues of banning cell phonce use aboard aircraft - this man is ALSO DEAD WRONG!
The LAST thing that is needed is clogging up the airwaves from umpteen CELL PHONES at 30,000 feet that are capable of jamming all cell sites 'visible' to that phonce from it's location as 30,000 feet - AS ALL CELL PHONE SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO PHONES ON THE GROUND - NOT IN THE AIR!!!!!
THIS IDIOT says: "Yet, many aircraft have phones on the back of airline seats." - I guess this self-admitted mechanic DOES NOT REALIZE that these 'phones' are connected to equipment in an EQUIPMENT BAY somewhere in the aircraft which is THEN coupled to an externally mounted antenna!
This guy, technically speaking, is an idiot ...
The Sierra Times, lacking a FACT CHECKER and anybody with a brain who could have called the engineering office of their local cell/PCS carrier/provider COULD have checked all this out -
- but no!
Sierra Times has an ax to grind - and damn the facts!
However, why does it have to be the Feds who make the rule?... to assure uniform applicability of this rule across the US ...
The laws of physics don't change whether you're in Delaware or Arizona ...
Any comments on anything else he said?
BTW, have you seen this: CAPITALISM AT ITS FINEST... A Modest Proposal for Citizen's War. I like this idea, a lot.
Are you saying you think it's impossible to for people or companies to adopt uniform standards without government legislation? IEEE and other standards organizations might beg to differ.
I can't seriously imagine that anyone would be procecuted under the current regulations for using a cell phone on a plane,LET ALONE if it can even be done (make a call from an airplane at altitude) ... (I've never tried making a call. I have tried my GPS receiver, though, and it *never* acquired an initial 'lock' while travelling at crusising speed/altitude ...)
I do remember stories about a customer who used to use his phone *regularly* from a tall builing in downtown - he would originate a call on a somewhat distance (but still line of sight to where he was) cell site - and then his call would end up 'bouncing around the system and usually end up dropping'. See, a cell system 'hands-off' a call from cell site to cell site when conditions indicate that the signal is getting weak - and *only* the adjacent cells are ever entered in what's called the 'neighbor cell list'. A hand-off CANNOT occur across the system. It must proceed from adjacent cell to adjacent cell ...
The same would happen from a call originated from an aircraft - *if* the phone could find a clean control channel (at 30,000 ft, it's going to be receiving *several* at the same time you see!) to monitor then set up a call on! The call would then be subject to a series of hand-off requests by the system (the 'switch' at the MTSO) as the signal got weaker - eventually the call will drop for the reason of a failed hand-off - or one of several other reasons ...
That's an alternative, although I think passengers on trains might be more vulnerable to attacks than people in cars. Buses?
It has been a long time since I have flown anywhere; I prefer to drive -- makes me feel more in control of my own destiny. And, I can stop and take pictures of stuff if I want.
Are you saying you think it's impossible to for people or companies to adopt uniform standards without government legislation?... besides - the FAA and FCC both have dominion in these areas ...
Your original name was 'Eve' - wasn't it?
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