The problem with US air safety is that they are still looking for things rather than terrorists. More important than whether the knives were turned over to the Feds: Was a passenger list turned over to the Feds? Do they know who was sitting in the seat(s) where the knives were found? They should be questioning anyone within reaching distance of that seat(s).

Carl in Jerusalem on November 6, 2006 at 8:20 am

Did any of the geniuses in Homeland Security ever thought about strictly and thoroughly scrutinizing the airliners’ employees starting from luggage carriers or those working at the counters to the stewards/esses and pilots, without giving them a pass?
Has anybody thought about “the enemy within”?
I don’t think so.

Independent Conservative on November 6, 2006 at 8:32 am

Independent Conservative,
I find it hard to believe that hasn’t been done. Even the Fwench banned Islamists from De Gaulle.
On the other hand, three years ago I was flying through London and El Al insisted that I reclaim and open my bags before I continued on to Tel Aviv. When I told them I thought that was ridiculous given that I had checked them in the US where TSA had scrutinized them, they told me that the Mike’s Place suicide bombing in Tel Aviv earlier that year had been carried out by Heathrow Airport employees. Doesn’t that make you feel secure?

Carl in Jerusalem on November 6, 2006 at 8:50 am

The first people who should be strictly scrutinized are the airliners’ employees (as I wrote: even the pilots) and those working at the ticket counters and luggage handlers.
These people are the ones, especially the pilots and stewards/esses, who are in direct contact with the airplane.
America is not yet smart. We have idiots running this country, starting from George W. Bush.
No other attacks on America until now, big deal!
This government is scaring the American people by telling us everyday to be prepared for the second most devastating attack!!
What kind of government is that who scares its own people and bluntly says that it will not be able to pretect its citizens?!?!

Independent Conservative on November 6, 2006 at 8:59 am

Sounds just like ours 🙂

Carl in Jerusalem on November 6, 2006 at 9:12 am

Of course, for those of you cynical, what I meant to write is that this government is BOASTING and BRAGGING about it’s so-called ability to prevent another attack on America, and yet its scares us everyday by telling us that it will come and it can’t do anything about it!!!

Independent Conservative on November 6, 2006 at 9:12 am

>>>Sounds just like ours :-)<<<
Oh really?
At least one will feel safer flying Al AL than Continental!!

Independent Conservative on November 6, 2006 at 9:15 am

El AL , sorry about that 🙂

Independent Conservative on November 6, 2006 at 9:16 am

Independent Conservative,
I was referring to the government and not to El Al (which is no longer owned by the government). The government has told the people of both the south and the north that it cannot protect them from terror attacks by Hamas and Hezbullah, respectively.
El Al is just fine, thank you, and as far as I know it remains the safest airline in the world.
I did not mean to imply otherwise.

Carl in Jerusalem on November 6, 2006 at 10:37 am

Itís pretty amazing that planes havenít been hijacked again. Rhetorically, I ask is it a problem with almost complete ineptness on our part? Is the enemy truly that capable? Have the Islamists infested our supposedly secure systems that easily? Or is it a combination of all of the above? It boggles the mind of a simple man like me.

Rocky on November 6, 2006 at 11:30 am

Three ounces? They allow 3 ounces? Does anyone here know how much damage 3 ounces of Astrolite A-15 would do to an airplane? 3 ounces of this is equivalent to 6 pounds of plastique and indistinguishable from any other clear liquid by sight. It can be made in about an hour from 3 common substances.
Herein lies the reason I will NOT fly in other than an emergency situation since I retired from the Army.

Anti-Jihad-Crusader on November 6, 2006 at 11:31 am

Anti-Jihad-Crusader,
Fly El Al. They look for terrorists, not for things.

Carl in Jerusalem on November 6, 2006 at 12:20 pm

Carl in Jerusalem,
I know you were referring to the government, I was just making the point that at least El AL replaces the government as an entity that is taking security very seriously.

Independent Conservative on November 6, 2006 at 2:39 pm

Why spend billions on TSA? Terrorists can simply walk across the border and blow up a Walmart, or throw some anthrax or plutonium in the water supply. No screening process required to just walk in. Keystone cops. Pat down every American at an airport, but leave the backdoor unlocked? Larry, Moe and Curly are in charge of national security. Wait, I take that back…The stooges would be an improvement.

jeebie on November 7, 2006 at 8:39 pm