Random Thoughts (Political Edition)

That was the last successful one, what about thwarted attacks?
 
Morocco

BBC News - Marrakesh cafe bomb 'was set off remotely'

BBC News said:
The bomb that killed 15 people in a cafe in Marrakesh was set off by a remote-controlled device, Morroco's interior minister has said.

Taieb Cherkaoui's comments came as he briefed lawmakers on Thursday's blast at the Argana cafe.

The French interior minister says at least six of the dead were French.

British travel writer Peter Moss was also among those killed, along with two Canadians, an Israeli, one Dutch national and two Moroccans.

Morocco is a popular tourist destination for British and other European visitors, with over 300,000 Brits going there last year.

The location of this incident was right in the tourist area in a popular Cafe.

No one has claimed responsibilty for this as yet, Moroccco is usually pretty safe with the last incident back in 2003.

:|
 
The last hijacking I can find from Israel was in 1976; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_139#Hijack

There was an attempted hijacking in 2002 that was thwarted.
http://articles.cnn.com/2002-11-17/us/mideast.flight_1_el-al-airliner-hijacking?_s=PM:fyi

And before you say that the flight didn't originate from Israel, flights going to Israel go through Israeli security at the originating airport. A friend of the family flew to El Al back in the 70s, back when security was handled by the airlines, not the government (at least in the US). She had to go through a special security screening in the US that was operated by Israel; all Israel-bound passengers were kept in what we would now call a "sterile area" under guard and not allowed to leave for any reason until the flight.
 
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After reading about the Marrakesh bomb, the first thing that sprung to my mind was NCIS, beginning of Season 6 I seem to remember. I watch too much TV, it seems.
 
There was an attempted hijacking in 2002 that was thwarted.
http://articles.cnn.com/2002-11-17/us/mideast.flight_1_el-al-airliner-hijacking?_s=PM:fyi

And before you say that the flight didn't originate from Israel, flights going to Israel go through Israeli security at the originating airport. A friend of the family flew to El Al back in the 70s, back when security was handled by the airlines, not the government (at least in the US). She had to go through a special security screening in the US that was operated by Israel; all Israel-bound passengers were kept in what we would now call a "sterile area" under guard and not allowed to leave for any reason until the flight.

Well, when I traveled to Israel in 2008, I didn't.
 
EDIT: got beat to the punch.

anyways, many airports have this "sterile area" thing, but i've also been places on the way to Israel where you just go through security again at the gate. At Ben Gurion on the way out of Israel, the system appears much more relaxed, but you go through more screening which also scans your checked baggage as well as a number of psychological checks such as repetitive security questions and a security check at the gate of the airport.

also, whenever flying El Al, one is subjected to a number of questions by El Al security staff in line waiting to check your baggage. Now, I know some people find this intrusive, but, in my opinion, it's better than a molestation or x-ray, and it also creates a nice diversion when you'd be waiting anyway.
 
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How about its proven track record of actually stopping attempted attacks?

What proof? There haven't been any acts of terrorism on US soil since the TSA took over as well.
 
There haven't been any acts of terrorism on US soil since the TSA took over as well.
And there weren't any domestic hijackings for two decades before the TSA's creation. It was a knee-jerk reaction to 9/11, spurred by the borderline fascists we had in office at the time. We just don't have that many planes get hijacked. Much like the neocons other pet projects of the time; Guantanamo, the PATRIOT Act, etc, there is no reason for the intrusive, ineffective and probably unconstitutional TSA. Other than providing the appearance of security, of course. A fact people seem to be fine with until they get molested.
 
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To me the scariest thing is how the "War on Terror" has been linked to the "War on Drugs." So now TSA is looking for signs of criminal activity so they are now looking through your receipts and checkbook. All of this is inexorably connected to the private security and prison industry that has existed in the US since Reagan.
 
What proof? There haven't been any acts of terrorism on US soil since the TSA took over as well.

So glad you brought that up. If we are going to use that as a washes of success, then El Al is again superior because they have gotten similar results for a longer period of time and without body scanners or sexual assault. I also have never heard of an Israeli airport security officer being a pedophile, possessing child porn, stealing from passengers or being anything less than professional. Now maybe that's because stuff like that never gets attention internationally, or maybe it's because you need more than a pulse and a GED to work security there.
 
All of this is inexorably connected to the private security and prison industry that has existed in the US since Reagan.
Undoubtedly. But I'd say it goes back even further. What we saw under Reagan was just the unhindered growth of the military-industrial complex. It was allowed, or even encouraged, to move beyond its traditional bounds.

Here's a bit from a speech Eisenhower prepared, 3 days from the end of his last term in 1961:

Ike said:
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
 
To me the scariest thing is how the "War on Terror" has been linked to the "War on Drugs." So now TSA is looking for signs of criminal activity so they are now looking through your receipts and checkbook. All of this is inexorably connected to the private security and prison industry that has existed in the US since Reagan.

The War on Drugs was the real beginning of the slippery slope, the TSA may turn it into a cliff.
 
So glad you brought that up. If we are going to use that as a washes of success, then El Al is again superior because they have gotten similar results for a longer period of time and without body scanners or sexual assault. I also have never heard of an Israeli airport security officer being a pedophile, possessing child porn, stealing from passengers or being anything less than professional. Now maybe that's because stuff like that never gets attention internationally, or maybe it's because you need more than a pulse and a GED to work security there.

I'm not defending the TSA, I'm merely pointing out that which system is better is purely speculation.
 
Not saying you were defending TSA, I was just thinking about it after I posted and your post was the perfect way to tie it all in.
 
Apparently CNN is reporting that Osama bin Laden is *officially* dead. Sorry I don't have a link, I'm watching it on TV. Someone announced it on another forum and I was like WHAAA. So I had to see, and that's what I say. It says that the President broke the news?

Edit: And by official, I mean that they have obtained the Body.
For those who are curious, NYTimes is going to have a livecast of the statement:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/live-video-of-president-obamas-address/
 
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