The air marshals' mess

Townhall.com ^ | 12.15.2004 | Michelle Malkin

[FairfaxVA]

Sheesh, what a dumb policy.

[KoRn]

Typical government thought process on security.

[guitfiddlist]

Reminds me of my time in the AF - when the undercover guys wore suits - but sported strict AFR 35-10 regulation haircuts - in the early 80's. Let's see...spend millions of dollars setting up covert offices, personnel and alibis - then give it all away with a $3 haircut. Sounds about right.

But not to worry - the TSA guys routinely identify all potential terrorists before any flight, by probing grandma's and 13-year old girls who gave themselves away by buying one-way tickets less than 2 weeks before a flight.

The stupidity at DOT is absolutely criminal.

[OldFriend]

Disagree with Michelle on this.

There are business men and women on every flight I've ever been on so I don't think dressed in a sports jacket signifies 'MARSHALL' at all.

Further, I think seeing someone dressed in a suit or sports jacket sends a message of authority.

Better to discourage anything untoward than to have a situation on board.

[Reo]

Dumb to the nth. Back in the early 60's I heard of an Army Counter-Intelligence Corps unit commander who insisted all his agents wear blue serge suits. Imagine a covert surveillance team with a half-dozen guys running around in matching blue suits pretending not to know each other. Keystone cops time.

[Smittie]

This whole airport "security" process is a farce. It doesn't allow the use of profiling the most likely terrorist, but it sure protects us by strip searching grandma. I'm sure the security risks of young blond women have increased also. I can just imagine some federal screener,"excuse me maam, I need to make sure those aren't a couple of bombs under your shirt."

I'll never fly again until they get some sanity back in the process. They need to model the security measures Israel uses.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

It's all about " IMAGE " looking professional.

[RAY]

It seems simple, air marshals should be as inconspicuous as possible - in dress or otherwise.

What is complicated about this?

[RAY]

Seems all the more reason to arm the pilots!

[stuartcr]

At least they didn't have no stupid, commie, long-hair.

[phasma proeliator]

Pilots hell... let the people bear arms.

Do you really think the 9-11 attacks would have happened if 10 or 15 citizens on the plane would have been armed?

We need to be responsible and take care of ourselves - not sit around and expect somebody else to take care of us.

Of course - we have allowed laws to be passed that prevent law-abiding citizens from carrying weapons on planes. Right to keep and bear arms.

[aspiring.hillbilly]

Dumb and dumber, Why oh why does George Bush put up with this kinda crap? Sitting in planes day by day is a boring job, why piss them off unnecessarily?? Of all the people who resigned from the cabinet, I was looking for Minetta to resign, he is the worst one in the cabinet, looks like this idiot is staying on. That why I drive and wont fly anymore (except to Europe)...

[mc5cents]

It's all about " IMAGE " looking professional.

"And remember, it is better to look good than to be good. And you look MARVELOUS!" --Fernando

[rllngrk33]

I'll never fly again until they get some sanity back in the process. They need to model the security measures Israel uses.

Same here, and I work for the FAA. Last time I flew I had my ID and ticket checked 5 time just going through security.

[alloysteel]

It is called "showing the colors" - the patrol cops on beat in the neighborhood. The only problem is that there cannot possibly be these "patrol cops" on every flight. The flights where there are no air marshals are immediately identified by the absence of the "men in black" uniforms.

The old J. Edgar Hoover FBI dress code in effect.

[steve-b]

Nonsense. Even businesspeople don't routinely dress in full suits and jackets on flights -- airplane air is just too stuffy.

Quinn needs to go.

[ctdonath2]

I think seeing someone dressed in a suit or sports jacket sends a message of authority.

Why send ANY message? The point of an air marshal on board is so attackers will have NO IDEA WHO might suddenly plug them during an attack. "Sending a message" does not assert authority, it identifies who needs to be killed first - not exactly helpful to airline security.

[steve-b]

Quinn reminds me of the story about the banana republic dictator who hired a Paris fashion designer to create a new uniform. The dictator constantly interfered with the development process, insisting on ever more braid, ribbons, buttons, and miscellaneous fru-fru. The final result looked like the Major-General from The Pirates of Penzance as played by Liberace.

Gritting his teeth and forcing a smile, the designer declared, "I'm sure these uniforms will look splendid on your palace guards."

"Palace guards? These are for my secret police!"

[OldFriend]

So you are against uniformed police officers too?