There's a problem with your theory.

As a nation of power, we will always have enemies. We had enemies before
9/11. Not all of our enemies care about our alliance with Israel, or any
other foriegn policy. Some of the enemies were born in this country. As
soon as we express a policy position, whether it is generally popular or
not, it is likely that someone will have an opposing position. And if they
are passionate enough, they will fight to the death to protect their
position.

Frankly, I think that the most practical alternative is to accept the fact
that some innocent people will be killed by terrorists every year, just as
some innocent people are killed by car accidents, and random gang
shootings, and cancer, and a thousand other things. It's an unfortunate,
harsh reality.

That's not to say that we eliminate all security. But the reality is that
by making a spectacle of all of the terrorism, by eliminating freedoms of
our people to create the facade of security, we only serve to fuel their
fire, and show them that they do have power and control - that their terror
attacks work.

Quite frankly, I think a better response by the US would have been an
increase in support for Israel as a result of the terrorist attacks, and a
demand that our allies take a stand as well - either with us or against us.
I don't say this because I am an Israel supporter myself (which I am). I
say this because of the reality of the situation - the "Islamic" Terrorist
Organizations currently hide in the forest of the Arab Nations and use
thier size and mobility to evade us. We cannot fight them effectively
because they are amorphous - they do not have their own national identity,
but the nations that support them and allow them to live and organize and
train and plan in their lands put on a front of being our allies. For
example, it is well known that the Islamic Jihad, responsible for many
terrorist activities in many lands, is based in Egypt - supposedly an ally
of both the US and Israel.

If the Arab Nations were pressured to take a stand, they would either
support the US or support the Terrorist Groups. It might lead to a war,
maybe even a World War, but it would be a war that was fought by nations
using war type tactics. Instead, we are left digging in caves for
terrorists that aren't even there. While I'm not very much of a Bush fan
overall, I think Bush was close to the mark when he demanded that the other
nations cut terrorist funding, and demanded Saudi Arabia turn over its
terrorists and intelligence.

Then he went off on his personal vendetta against Saddam Hussein and
destroyed all his credibility, both within and without. He would have been
better off attacking Saudi Arabia (not that he should have).

Anyway, the bottom line is this: If we change our foreign policy because
someone attacks us for it, what do you think will happen the next time? Any
time we have a foreign policy that someone doesn't agree with (and there's
always someone), they would just terrorize us until we changed it. When we
react to a terrorist group, it serves to show them (and others) that
terrorism works. You cannot negotiate with terrorists... Period.


Jeffrey Voight wrote in
:

There are those that would tell you that the solution to terrorism
isn't to treat the symptoms (shoebombers and boxcutters) but to treat
the disease itself. Rather than harden the cabin and examine every
bag, they would tell you, we should change our foreign policy in order
to stop being such a target.

They would tell you that the solutions you have proposed cost the
airline industry (unless you're expecting the tax-payer to foot the
bill) and don't prevent foreign carriers from experiencing terrorism in
our airspace.

These aren't necessarily my own opinion. Just putting them out there.

Jeff...


Big John wrote:
Sydney

It's stupid what we all have to go through with to fly.

1. Make the cockpit invulnerable.

2.. Prevent any explosive from getting into the cabin or baggage.

Anything else the passengers can take care of.

Have stewardesses run through a routine on terrorists in cabin prior
to each takeoff like they do with the rest of the emergency
procedures.

Also teach the Pilots to zoom and dive the aircraft to prevent
terrorists from being able to do any coordinated things in cabin.

Put three pilots in all cockpits so any two could overpower any
individual Pilot who went nuts.

Just wish I was in charge of air travel. Sure would be easier and
safer.

Big John


On 6 Feb 2004 22:04:35 -0800, (Snowbird)
wrote:


Big John wrote in message
m...

Next time if I get caught I'm just going to break the blades off the
knife and take home. No freebee for the checkers (.

I tell ya Big John if I forget to clean out my purse before
I fly commercial I'll be joining Michael on the list of
suspicious characters. Two knives, leatherman tool, two
inhalers, meds removed from their original container....
and that's not even considering my laptop bag.


They let me take my ball point pens of course which I have
demostrated to Ridge and company that they are dangerous instrumenets
and will kill someone.

One of my coworkers is a 'nam vet he points out his shoelaces
are deadly weapons which he was trained to use by the US gov'mt


In one word (pardon me ladies) CRAP.

Le mot juste

Sydney