Thread: TSA security measures are useless against any real terrorist.

If a security checkpoint checked backpacks, but not purses, would this be considered good security? Obviously not. The new body scanners check for things hidden on the body, while ignoring the most obvious place to hide small but deadly items -- the rectum or vagina.

Given that any person with an IQ above 85 would realize this, its pretty easy to conclude that if serious terrorists really wanted to hijack a plane, current security measures would be next to useless.

We are told that the 9/11 hijackers were part of a global, well organized, well trained, powerful terrorist group called Al Qeada. You dont have to consult with Alex Jones to understand that there is no such thing as Al Qeada.


The BBC covered it pretty well (link below). The documentary in the link is called "The power of nightmares", and essentially shows how, for the most part, the "war on terror" was (and is) fighting against the boogeyman. Obviously nutjobs exist, and obviously there is a common IDEA prevalent among islamic extremist types around the world, but there is no global, organized terror network that most people imagine.

The documentary outlines some of the supposed "terrorists" that were "caught" in the US, and the "evidence" against them, that would not pass a court of law even if Homer Simpson was the Judge, and Peter Griffin the lead juror.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...2330319789254#

Even if their conclusions about the nature of Al Qeada (political creation vs. CIA coovert ops name) are different, the implications for the average person are the same.

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Such a terrorist organization, along the nature of Al Qeada, doesnt exist, but even if it did, if they really wanted to launch terrorist attacks, there isnt really anything that can be done by the government, any more than the police can prevent someone from committing murder (save a small percentage of lucky cases).



If there was, in reality, a serious terrorist group determined to hurt the US in any way possible, it would be extremely easy to do so. A few trained commando units... a paltry expenditure, resource-wise, could wreak untold damage, and would be pretty much impossible to stop by the government, since there would be no way to anticipate their moves, unless they were stupid.


If this global, well organized, well trained, well supplied, determined, intelligent, terrorist organization called "Al Qeada", which was determined to hurt us in any way possible existed, there would be 100s of thousands of dead by now.


Lettuce be reality. Even PRIOR to 9/11, any intelligent terrorist organization would not pay much heed to commercial jets, since the chance of getting off alive is slim, and continuing to wage war against your enemy is pretty tough when youre dead.

Not to mention that continuing to myopically focus on commercial jets AFTER 9/11 would be pretty stupid. Whats funny, is that even post-9/11, the MOST LOGICAL means of smuggling weapons onto a plane (rectum and vagina) are no more prevented now than they were before.


If an organization wanted to as mass casualties as possible, a crowded mall or subway is as good as any. Nerve gas can be made in any basement lab.

If the goal was systemic terror against the US, well.... let us be rational.... a few trained commando units operating in the US would be virtually impossible to anticipate or do anything about, and after systematic (but not with any pre-planned pattern... as that would be stupid) murder in cities and towns throughout the country, including taking out a smattering city officials, etc that you could, half the country would be scared to go out of their doors.

Hijacking or stealing private jet is far better, strategically, than a commercial jet, as you can pack it with many tons of explosives, and it would be pretty easy to stay under the radar.

A semi truck is even better, as its not going to attract any attention unless you were a bumbling nutjob with half a brain.

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The bottom line is:

- Al Qeada doesnt exist, and the war on terror in the US and Afghanistan has been a war on an idea.. on shadows. Take it from the BBC.

- Believing in "the terrorists" in the way that most people do, is irrational, as if they did exists, and were even HALF as big and bad as most people think there are, the entire country would be a battlefield, and whats more, the government really couldnt do anything about it, unless one of them slipped up and was stupid.


- Statistically, the risk of getting killed by a terrorist is far lower than getting murdered by a thug. Sure, people are scared of going into a dark alleyway, but when people read about a series of homicides in LA, they hardly blink two eyes, unless it was in their neighborhood. But if people read about a series of murders, or even attempted murders by "TERRORISTZZZZZss!!!", everyone in this country tenses up a bit.


- Lets face it -- if something like al qeada existed, they are either not that malicious, or one of the stupidest and most incompetent groups of people ever to exist.


- Fearing terrorism is irrational. We are at risk of dying every day, when we step outside our door. A mugger, killer, drunk driver, car accident, gas leak, a freak explosion, a viscous dog, a work accident, any number of freak accidents. Even alone, many of these things are more risky than likelihood of a terrorist attack. Combined, they are far more likely to happen.


The government cant protect you from a "terrorist", and more than they can from a mugger a killer, or a bad driver.

- A population of ignorant people and ignorant politicians who can justify just about anything in the name of "stopping terrorists" is headed towards a dark place.

I think the government enforces all these rules and policies to appease the public. I honestly don't think that the government seriously thinks they are going to catch any terrorists in this method. They are just doing this so that scared people will just shut up :]. But yes, I agree that there are many other things that should be protected other than airports.

Originally Posted by edw

I think the government enforces all these rules and policies to appease the public. I honestly don't think that the government seriously thinks they are going to catch any terrorists in this method. They are just doing this so that scared people will just shut up :]. But yes, I agree that there are many other things that should be protected other than airports.

Do you think the government officials, born, raised, educated, conditioned, "encultured", and living among every other person is going to be any smarter or wiser than the average person?

Id highly suggest watching the BBC documentary linked to, for a display of government "expert" intelligence. Think about it. The government cannot do anything to stop "terrorist" commando units from roaming around the country killing and blowing stuff up wherever they want. A typical criminal is caught after months of investigation and tracking them down to their home (unless they are really stupid). Many criminals are never caught, or even identified, depiste what the authorities would like you to believe.

A commando unit obviously will obviously not do anything that could trace them down, and could not be stopped by the government unless they did a bunch of really stupid things. The only thing that would stop this, is armed citizens, who managed to defend themselves.

The fact that none of this has never happened, is evidence that such a thing doesnt exist, just as if you left your home obviously unprotected (and the burglar knows they can get away with it 100%), for a week, and come back to find everything fine, is evidence that there is no burglar, waiting to rob your house.

It really is enlightening (the documentary) to see the philosophical, political, and ideological background of the "war on terror".

The government cant protect you or me from terrorists. Anti-US terrorist organizations also dont exist. If they did, they are either dumber than homer simpson, or dont really want to kill anybody.

Originally Posted by edw

I think the government enforces all these rules and policies to appease the public. I honestly don't think that the government seriously thinks they are going to catch any terrorists in this method. They are just doing this so that scared people will just shut up :]. But yes, I agree that there are many other things that should be protected other than airports.

Basically, this is true. It's a lot more about the US government trying to cover their ass with their constituents rather than with any real safety. There are some measures that are certainly much more effective, like combating the funding of extremist groups, and hurting their recruiting efforts and infrastructure. But people are generally pretty stupid, and tend to favor reactionary policy as opposed to proactive policy. So scanners in the airports it is.

The BBC covered it pretty well (link below). The documentary in the link is called "The power of nightmares", and essentially shows how, for the most part, the "war on terror" was (and is) fighting against the boogeyman. Obviously nutjobs exist, and obviously there is a common IDEA prevalent among islamic extremist types around the world, but there is no global, organized terror network that most people imagine.

This.

I think the government enforces all these rules and policies to appease the public. I honestly don't think that the government seriously thinks they are going to catch any terrorists in this method. They are just doing this so that scared people will just shut up :]. But yes, I agree that there are many other things that should be protected other than airports.

This.

Yeah I live in the USA and these so called security measures are a complete joke. Nothing being done now is to catch terrorists, they are just there to fool the people into thinking they are actually doing something about the situation.

I recommend the book called "Overblown" by John Mueller. Lays out a similar argument very well, and with lots of data to back it up.

Do you know you're more likely to be struck by lightening than to be killed by a terrorist?

I agree...the security measures that have been put in place since 2001...and the drastically reduced privacy that accompanies them, signal to me that the terrorists have already won. Even though NY and DC were the only cities physically damaged, every single US citizen now suffers because of it.

When I first read 1984, I thought the world Orwell described as only taking place in areas like the USSR and China. Now it's scary how many of the same policies America has adopted.

I get the impression few airline travelers (of any country) take these measurements seriously.

Beside mtguy8787's excellent suggestion of the Power of Nightmares, I can also recommend the documentary "Please take off your shoes" which zooms in specifically on the recent history of airport "safety".