Why Britain Stopped the Terror Plot

Insight Magazine via FPM ^ | 25 AUGUST 2006 | Insight Magazine

[reformedliberal]

A few days after the plot was foiled, we were buttonholed in the grocery store by an acquaintance. He and his wife had flown in from Amsterdam prior to the groundings at Heatherow, but he had to tell us that "Of course, we have to search every granny from the Midwest.....".

I just told him I was in favor of all security procedures because we had no guarantee we could decide in advance who was going to do what. He immediately turned away and stopped someone just behind me and repeated his lines, word for word.

It was all about his own relavancy to the event and he wanted everyone else to know that. He had zero interest in discussions of reality.

Maybe I should find out what his FR handle is......

[OldFriend]

Israel gives no immunity to security checks to grannies, old men or women in wheelchairs, etc. NONE.

There is no way to enter the cockpit from the cabin on any of their planes, and marshalls are usually on every flight.

True, Israel is a tiny country, but their threat is major, MAJOR.

If people here want to whine I suggest they not fly.

And I'm sick of levin and hannity off on this kick about searching old folks.

I AM ALL FOR SEARCHING EVERYONE AS THO THEY ARE A TERRORIST.

[DOGEY]

The Homeland Security Department has neither the legal nor technical tools to match the British capture of terrorist operatives before they were about to blow up passenger airliners.

And this is just pathetic.

Yes, but Americans can die knowing that there were no intecepted phone calls or profiling by national origin. Surely this is worth it.

[chilepepper]

and you know that Chertoff is a total dork running a bloated, over funded bureaucracy where quick and nimble will win the day...

[reformedliberal]

Me, too.

I am a Midwestern granny who looks Middle Eastern. My husband has a beard. The searches are not onerous, invasive or humiliating. Every TSA agent I encountered last November (6 flights) was professional, courteous and throrough. All our bags were searched, including checked ones. We found the TSA sticker on them and the little notice they put inside. And these were all domestic flights.

Hannity is just a mouthpiece for talking points. I just haven't figured out whose talking points. Buchanan's?


I also believe that our threat is major, as well.

[Churchillspirit]

Love it!!

[Churchillspirit]

I friend of mine in Belfast had his pub blown up by the IRA. Twelve people were killed, including his seventeen year old sister.

The perp. was a thirty something woman with a ten year old child in tow.

You never know.

[Truth-The Anti Spin]

What helped the British in this case is the ability to be nimble, to be fast, to be flexible, to operate based on fast-moving information,'' Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said.

Agreed. The British authorities were tipped off by a neighbor, and followed it up with solid, professional poliecework. Which as NOTHING to do with

Officials said British authorities have greater powers of surveillance and investigation, which facilitated the capture of more than 20 suspected al Qaeda plotters. In contrast, they said, Congress has been reviewing the Bush administration's warrantless eavesdropping program and military tribunals.

Maybe if the executive were focused on, oh, securing our ports or really reforming our intelligence and law enforcement(FBI) community congress wouldn't be riding them so hard.

[OldFriend]

Thank you for being understanding about the danger. I want everything to be done to see to it that my family and every one else's family arrives safely at their destination.

We all fly all the time. With hopes that we help the people in charge do their job and not hinder them.

[OldFriend]

And Chertoff has the power to fire...............hah, the TSA union workers are untouchable. The protocols in place are nearly insurmountable.

Can you imagine what would happen here if a man was shot dead on the subway in a case of mistaken identity as happened in London after the London train bombings.

[chilepepper]

Chertoff lost my respect the way the handled Katrina aid for FEMA. He bungled that badly IMHO, and the residual effects may yet cost the GOP its Congressional majority...

[OldFriend]

Here you are mouthing the MSM talking points about Katrina.

Sorry but our conversation is fini!

[chilepepper]

Here you are mouthing the MSM talking points about Katrina

the blunders of FEMA running the Katrina operation speak for themselves and require no MSM intervention.

The way Chertoff managed Katrina was an unmitigated disaster, in all aspects. The antipode of quick and nimble, and unfortunately I suspect he is running HS the same way....

[Mr. Mojo]

The left WANTS us to lose the WOT

Only while a Republican sits in the WH; their attitudes/positions would change completely if a Donkey won in '08. It's all party politics to them.

[dirtboy]

The America haters try their best to kill the Patriot Act then they screech that the DHS is not doing enough to keep America safe.

And then they point to the Brits blocking this plot as proof that a law enforcement approach to counterterrorism is better than a military approach - and then turn around and aggressively work to deny US law enforcement the same tools the Brits had for this action.

I have truly come to the conclusion that debating liberals is utterly pointless. They are not only oblivious to such contradictions, they seem to relish them. All we can do is point out their inherent idiocy so we can continue to marginalize them.