February 1, 2010, - 10:20 am

MUST SEE – Fed Air Marshals, TSA Movie: “Far Less Safe Since 9/11”; Tampa Air Marshals: “System a Complete Failure”; TSA Worker Tries to Make 12-Yr-Old Sex Slave; UPDATED

By Debbie Schlussel

**** UPDATE, 10:10 p.m.: Well, it’s not as I thought. Federal Air Marshals tell me the site is down, not because the government made ’em take it down, but because we sent so much traffic to their site, it crashed. It’ll be back up soon. ****

**** UPDATE, 1:15 p.m.: Earlier today, I posted the trailer to and the site for “Please Remove Your Shoes,” a documentary by former Federal Air Marshals and TSA and FAA officials. Since then, the site and the trailer have disappeared. I don’t know why, though I assume someone in the government forced them to take it down. When I get the full scoop, I’ll let you know. Waiting to hear back from my friends involved in the flick. ****

**** UPDATE, 1:26 p.m.: Found the trailer on YouTube. Posted below. ****

What we’ve got now is nothing but security theater. . . .  All of these bells and whistles that you see is only meant to make you feel safe . . . but you’re not.

pleaseremoveyourshoes

I’ve been saying it since 9/11:  we’re far less safe.  And inconveniences like the three ounce, one quart liquid restrictions and taking off our shoes are strictly that:  inconveniences.  They don’t make us safe.  They’re exercises in futility, so we can feel like something is being done, while our authorities refuse to profile Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians.

Now a group of courageous, recently-retired Federal Air Marshals and other federal agents from the TSA and FAA (some of whom are friends of mine) are releasing a movie, which says the same and gives the frightening details to which you and I don’t have access.  I can’t wait to see and review, “Please Remove Your Shoes.”  Here’s the trailer:

The movie was mostly filmed, last year, so everything in it is very recent. This stuff shouldn’t be news to regular readers of this site.  But to the rest of America, it will be, and that’s why all freedom-loving Americans need to see this movie when it comes out later this year.

To quote one agent heavily involved in making the movie, “We’re about to kick the TSA’s ass real good.”

Meanwhile, ten currently-working Federal Air Marshals say essentially the same thing and more, including that another 9/11 could easily happen. Again, not news to us, but definitely news to the vast ignorant masses of America. Kudos to Tampa 10 TV News reporter Mike Deeson for doing the stories everyone else–including national news broadcasts–neglect:

One of more than 10 federal air marshals, or FAMs as they are called, that we have been talking to for the past several weeks says the system is a complete failure. He says Congress, the White House and the public have been sold a bill of goods.

These federal agents blame the managers in the agency, who they say have a pre 9/11 mentality and mind. They say they are the ones who allowed 9/11 to happen.

The FAMs are particularly critical of managers who are retirees of the Secret Service, who make up a significant amount of management in the agency. The former Secret Service agents have a loophole that allows them to collect their pension and a salary from the TSA. That is not normally allowed in the federal government.

According to the FAMs, the double dipping Secret Service agent managers know nothing about air safety. They point to the fact they did not go through the rigorous two and half month anti-terrorist training that federal air marshals undergo.

However, the air marshals say the managers often will work an international flight, bumping off a qualified agent, in order to get a free flight to a choice destination. . . .

The FAMs say the managers are careerists who care nothing about going after terrorists, but worry only about their careers and pensions.

And the air marshals say they believe the country is vulnerable for another attack because, they say, those in charge are focused on office politics and their pensions instead of on terrorism and protecting the country.

Then, there’s Charles Bennett, the TSA worker who tried to make a 12-year-old girl his sex slave.  Can you imagine if an Islamic terrorist found this out before the government did, and blackmailed the guy into letting bombs or explosive material through airport security and onto planes?  Don’t bet against it.  One of these days, that will happen.

Like I always say:

America . . . Desperate, But NOT Serious.




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21 Responses

Amen brothers! Walk it to them!

Stay safe and watch that six.

FAM on February 1, 2010 at 10:42 am

This looks like a good movie. The funny thing is that everyone flying knows the current TSA methods are a joke. I used to fly constantly on my last job. The hilarious thing is that since my ticket was almost always bought on short notice, I was given extra screening. So, Monday morning John or Marcy would chat with me as I was wanded and patted down. Meanwhile, guys in Arab head dress would walk right by with no extra screening.

I personally think that the TSA should be disbanded and security taken over by a new Quasi-Military group that uses real security including profiling and the latest technology to stop these people. It’ll never happen, but I can dream…….

jimmyPx on February 1, 2010 at 11:12 am

Bravo for your coverage of this movie, Debbie. Four cheers for the FAMS who are speaking truth to power.

skzion on February 1, 2010 at 11:19 am

Yes, and the laughable security “rules” on board the plane are not even enforced. I was flying internationally, arriving in Chicago a while back. While I was told that one could not leave one’s seat starting 60 minutes before arrival, this wasn’t enforced. When I finally got out of the plane, some of Chicago’s finest met the flight. So far as I know, nothing was said of this anywhere.

I joked before the flight (ooh! did I violate the law?!) that this new “pants on the seat” procedure would of course be useless, but I expected the ritual at least to be enforced.

skzion on February 1, 2010 at 11:26 am

    The “pants in the seat” rule lasted for, oh, about 24 hours. The airline employees knew this was just another stupid, knee-jerk, political reaction to the UndyBomber and an effort to enhance the “security theatre” that is the TSA. If they don’t enforce a rule, it may as well not exist, which is what happened.

    DG in GA on February 2, 2010 at 12:52 pm

Greetings DS-as a Tampa resident- I caught this story last night and no sooner did I pick up my jaw up off the floor- I wondered if I should post a link to you – Of course knowing it was so new news to you- I thought I would send your way non-the less- So when I logged in here I saw that you already had it. I always felt that Homeland Security and The TSA were a waste and that all this should be handled by NATIONAL GUARD components. WHat to stay on top of it all.

Your fan, friend and fellow infidel
W

ward on February 1, 2010 at 11:27 am

The entire Department of Homeland Security is a boondoggle and the biggest waste of taxpayer money you can imagine. The agency is all about politics and political correctness. I worked as a federal criminal investigator for 30 years and I can say with 100% certainty that the country is less safe with DHS. U.S. created a shell corporation with DHS. Government pours billions of dollars into DHS to make the country feel safe and the world think we are serious about protecting the homeland.

Bonzer Wolf on February 1, 2010 at 11:57 am

Excellent point about the potential blackmail. Between you, me, and your zillions of readers, I suspect that may have played a role in Scott Ritter’s amazing 180 on the issue of WMDs in Iraq. Now that his multiple arrests in underage sex stings are well documented, has it occurred to anyone that he may not have placed his predilections on hold when he went overseas? And maybe someone caught him on tape, and used that as blackmail? All speculation, of course, but not beyond the realm of reason.

K: Great minds think alike, and it’s like you have ESP. Just the other day when the latest Scott Ritter scandal struck–he exposed himself on-screen to what he thought was a teen girl–a friend and I were saying we think this is why he did the 180 on WMDs and helped shill for Iran. DS

Kelly on February 1, 2010 at 12:31 pm

    about 10 years ago scott ritter was caught in a hotel room with a child a 12 year old girl. he’s a real waist of flesh and lucky it wasn’t my daughter.

    Sic Semper Tyrannus on February 1, 2010 at 3:09 pm

Well you think that’s something, try this bit of blackmail…WE SCAN YOUR PRIVATES SO OUR WORKERS ALL JACKED UP ON PORN GET A THRILL, OR YOU DON’T FLY!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8490860.stm

“It is now compulsory for people selected for a scan to take part, or they will not be allowed to fly.

The new security rules have been introduced following the attempt to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day.

There have been concerns the scanners breach passengers’ rights to privacy.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said in the immediate future only a small proportion of airline passengers would be selected for scanning.

In a written statement to the House of Commons, he said: “If a passenger is selected for scanning, and declines, they will not be permitted to fly.”

The scanners were introduced at the two airports on Monday and will be installed at Birmingham later in the month.”

Bob Porrazzo on February 1, 2010 at 1:16 pm

I’m sure there are plenty of US veterans returing from Iraq and Afghanistan who would be great in security roles at airports and on the planes themselves. These guys and gals probably know more about who to be suspicious of, have guts, have made tough decisions before, and– as opposed to many of the people at actually have a credible purpose in life

Not Ovenready on February 1, 2010 at 2:05 pm

CORRECTION – Addition to previous : “as opposed to many of the people at TSA and DHS” – actually have a credible purpose in life.

Not Ovenready on February 1, 2010 at 2:08 pm

Here’s an easy way to get things changed for security during air travel. Have all politicians fly commercial and see how they react. I’m sure they would change things in a heartbeat. This kind of goes along the lines of making all of our political weasels go through the gov’t imposed health care system before the general public is subjected to it.

I just saw an article about the excesses of Pelosi using military jets. What a waste that beotch is. Make her fly commercial from now on and seat her between two muslims wearing muslim gear and haven’t bathed for weeks (Yeah, I know that’s normal for them).

Jarhead on February 1, 2010 at 2:25 pm

Not Ovenready writes, “I’m sure there are plenty of US veterans returing from Iraq and Afghanistan who would be great in security roles at airports and on the planes themselves.” Absolutely agree. Seriously, wouldn’t you rather have these guys and gals scanning passengers and their carry-ons than some recent (often Muslim) immigrants? There’s a reason El Al screeners are almost all ex-IDF.

I agree much of this is “security theater”. I saw this first hand in my old (Federal) office – one from which we could see the Pentagon across the river after it was hit on 9/11. For weeks afterward the security people went into overdrive, making sure we – badged employees all – passed our coffee cups and lunch bags through the scanner. A colleague – an ex-Marine – was stopped for carrying the same pen-knife he’d used for years to open shipping boxes.

As to DHS, I found the whole idea very foolish. I’d been through several reorganizations over the years, none of them easy, and none delivered the promised benefits. Yet here they were attempting to pull together 22 disparate agencies, each with their own cultures and areas of responsibility, only because ONE of those areas involved security of one type or another. Once upon a time, that would have been resolved with a working group or task force, but no. They had to create a whole new bureaucracy. It’s no wonder DHS is the most dysfunctional agency we have.

Raymond in DC on February 1, 2010 at 2:34 pm

Not Ovenready – definitely agree with you about using U.S. veterans for airline security, but aren’t these the same people that DHS is targeting as potential terrorists? You know, right wing extremists.

Jarhead on February 1, 2010 at 3:13 pm

I realize that the dhimmi British will tolerate anything rather than address the source of their Muslim problem, but scanners go too far. If Israel doesn’t need it, we don’t either.

Debbie, I asked before, but again: is there any recommended methodology (or data, if you have it) so that we can create a web site and post airline near-miss and pandering scores to the world? I am happy to volunteer to do the grunt work, and I’ll do any needed statistical analysis as well.

skzion on February 1, 2010 at 4:23 pm

Scott Ritter seems to have connections to US ex-pats in the Czech Republic:

http://kultofkal.blogspot.com/2010/01/kal-korff-aligns-himself-with-chronic.html

Nick Fury on February 1, 2010 at 4:25 pm

A ‘spin committee’ at HQ is already in place to deal with this. Our government, even after 9/11 is still blindly fixated on hiring a diverse workforce, and creating theater as one reader mentioned. FAMs are kind of like an airborne Border Patrol. A well-meaning agency, prohibited from really doing their job. The truth of the matter is that most US Citizens will talk a big line of security bullshit, but they will never accept El Al type serious measures. I refuse to fly again……

#1 Vato on February 1, 2010 at 7:40 pm

Everyone knows what a joke the screenings are at airports. PC and politics have destroyed any chance of profiling Muslims – they know it and are laughing about it. It is absolutely ridiculous. Ummm…HELLO?!…who has been attempting (and succeeded on 9/11)acts of terrorism on flights…MUSLIMS. I hope this movie does well and more and more people wake up about this huge problem. I am sure that the media won’t be all over this movie. They would rather give coverage to a Michael Moore movie full of lies than an important movie like this. If the movie doesn’t fit into the liberal world, than it will get minimum air time. Word of mouth is going to really get this going, and Debbie is starting it.

Angela04 on February 2, 2010 at 8:59 am

I agree with the observation that it’s all Security Theater. And I know bad theater when I see it. Does it occure that no one checks you from the curb to the security check points there’s usually a large group of people?.

ward on February 3, 2010 at 10:13 am

Wow… For anyone who has the time and motivation to dwell on such a subject to me, is ludicrous.TSA is an extra layer of security to at least try and prevent a number of attacks @ numerous transportation facilities, and of course air lines. But overall TSA is securing our country and the people IN IT!! For everyone who is complaining..why don’t you think back to the tragic day of September, 11th. TSA is only providing anything and everything they can to prevent that from happening again. For everyone who is oblivious to the way terrorism is a reoccurring catastrophic force, maybe one day you will actually thank TSA and the Department of Homeland Security for saving your ass.

MB on August 20, 2010 at 3:44 pm

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