Sunday, December 27, 2009

Airlines Respond To Terrorist Attack Attempt

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Northwest Flight 253 nearly became a fiery ball of destruction over Detroit, Michigan. The passengers, in heroic fashion, took action, getting out of their seats, diving over seats where necessary, and stopping the Nigerian Muslim from igniting the incendiary device, and destroying the wide body jet.

Barack Obama, on vacation, was informed about it and did nothing. George W. Bush, I have no doubt, would have been immediately on his way to Washington to deal with the situation, and address the American People about the episode.

In the absence of Presidential leadership, the airlines have taken their own actions, and in the tradition of liberal thinking, has created new rules that not only will not do much in the sense of stopping terror, but will actually impede any attempts by passengers to stop such events.

Gun control takes the position that it is the guns that causes gun violence, rather than the individuals. Simply said, if a conservative doesn't like guns, they don't buy one. If liberals don't like guns, they want to make sure no one owns one.

Terror in the skies, like in the case of gun violence, is caused by individuals determined to cause terror. The individuals most often guilty of such terror are Muslim males, of which the airlines refuse to profile at the airports. Rather than zero in on the group behind terrorism, which is more often than not Muslim males, the airlines have decided the best way to fight terror attempts on board flights is to restrict the movement of the passengers - hence, literally limiting the very abilities of the passengers to stop terrorism as they did on Flight 253.

The regulations in response to the terrorism incident on Christmas Day include new rules designed to limit on-board activities by passengers and crew in U.S. airspace. During the final hour of flight passengers must remain seated, and they won't be allowed access to carry-on baggage, or to have any items on their laps, including laptops and pillows.

The expected increase in extra security at the airports was announced by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano as well, but once again, they refuse to profile. I agree that increased security is necessary, and it would be irresponsible not to increase security in light of this latest attempt of terror against the United States, but even with the heightened security persons fitting the terrorist profile are literally walking by security, and onto the plane as these politically correct idiots frisk old women because they dare have their medication on them.

Profiling, I guess, is too predictable to them. So the airline industry, and U.S. Government, would rather look the other way as Muslim males get on board. The theory is that if the measures are designed to be unpredictable, it will keep the terrorists from recruiting average looking folks to do their dirty work.

While checking the bags of law-abiding passengers, terrorists fitting the profile walk by with material for terror strapped to their legs, or inserted in their posterior. And with rules limiting movement on the flight, the terrorists activities will actually be easier for him. Besides, like with gun control, when was the last time you saw the bad guys follow the rules. As with gun control, the new rules do not limit the terrorists. The new rules do limit the law-abiding citizen's abilities to take action against the terrorists should they see suspicious behavior.

Sure, the Flight 253 terrorist went to the bathroom to probably remove the bomb from its suppository position, and the airlines think if they can keep him from going to the bathroom that will stop terrorism. Then, with the new rules he'll do it at his seat, under a blanket, or earlier in the flight.

Take my gun away, and you are only disarming the potential victim, not the perpetrator. Take away movement on board an aircraft, you are not limiting terrorism, you are limiting the law-abiding citizen's ability to stop terrorism.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Airlines: New Rules in Place to Keep Passengers in Seats - Fox News

Flight 253 jihadist's device part of "body bomb" trend from Arabian Peninsula - Jihad Watch

Napolitano Says “The System Worked” - Sweetness and Light

No comments: