CNN reporting that there is a "plan on the shelf" for increased security at transportation hubs, etc...

cue the sound of snapping latex....

I don't think so either. They won't have anymore new security procedures. Enough is enough!

So Osama is dead. Big frickin' deal. DHS will simply use this, and it seems it has already started, to increase the terrorizing of the flying public.

This may actually be a benefit for them. Let's see how it spins.

Apparently, there are armed NG guys already patrolling NYC airports and the WTC site.

The climate of fear demands that the TSA do something visible. Some things they can do very easily that don't cost a lot of money --

1. Vehicle searches at airport entrances;
2. requiring everyone to say their names, just like at SFO;
3. Friskings for nearly everybody;
4. Increased gate rapes;
5. Packs of roving clerks going around terminals conducting random searches or people, bags, and drinks.
6. Increased harassment on subways, trains, and buses, and possibly even highways. State and local governments can do this without the TSA.

And, of course, a puppy post on PV.

The TSA will welcome this, because it buys them time from the current outrage over their screening tactics. For sure, anyone speaking out will be declared to be a sympathizer or generally UnAmerican.

It's going to be a rough week to attempt to go anywhere.

On the flip side, I suspect there will be some public debate along the lines of: "OBL is dead. Why do we have to keep doing these things at airports?"

Unfortunately, you are absolutely correct.

While I hope your last observation takes hold and blossoms, the more likely outcome is whay you noted in the body of your post. I fully expect to see TSA use this as justification for continuing their war on the traveling public.

According to Ross Douthat in today's NY Times, the U.S. has " learned to stop fearing Osama bin Laden."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/op...outhat.html?hp

:confused:

Security seems much tighter today than last week. Lots of putdowns caused by increasing sensitivity of metal detectors, closer examinations of luggage, etc. I think I am done flying, after this trip for a few weeks.

I still have only one question Re: being in a post-OBL world:

Currently, both TLH and MHT are NoS-free. Will this continue to be the case in August 2011?

Exactly. The propaganda to justify escalated harassment of the traveling public started when the Administration started talking about AlQ "retaliating" for OBL's demise.

"Mission Accomplished"

My sense is that we will be able to move on
 

Of course there will be a lot of talk about terror for another few days/weeks. But that's it. The world has moved on: With the horrible incidents in Japan and the Gulf of Mexico last year (and a very visible raise in gas prices) the focus is now going to be on energy.

Similarly, none of the this terror nonsense played a role in the North Africa / Middle East events over the past months.

And maybe people will slowly start to realize that in the competition of systems, investments made in security measures have a low ROI and that maybe (just maybe) an investment into schools would have been more beneficial to the long term prosperity of this country...

That is naïve at best. It doesn't matter that you didn't mention parties. If something changes it would mean governing by a different party. Guess w hat that party is? Oh, if you can't figure that one out it's hopeless anyway. When have Republicans ever done better at not taking away our civil liberties? What makes you think that whoever comes in to replace them won't be even worse than what we presently have? Do you want the devil you do know or the devil you don't?

I'll report back later today/tomorrow after i pick up goalie-parents who are flying UA77 BOS-SFO today

The additional expenditure on resource allocation airside speaks to the lack of confidence in the TSA keeping contraband out.

My tour of NYC airports and a visit to near the WTC site is underway this hour.

There is nothing that assures that a new administration would provide a better solution than the current. Nevertheless, when Obama was elected, hopes were that he would do what the Bush administration couldn't - fix the mess that the Cheney administration had created. Instead, we got the Nappy and Pissy show.

While we could possibly do worse, to do so would require actual malice on the part of the new administration. Certainly incompetence could not result in anything worse.

As for how this will affect security, the only change that I see is that I will no longer be able to tell people, "I wouldn't care if Osama bin Ladin was sitting next to me as long as we had hardened cockpit doors, proactive passengers, and an sensible ETD system in place. Weapons and incendiaries could threaten passengers, but could do no real harm to the populace." After all, nobody wants to sit next to a corpse.

Agree 100%. I'd much rather have people who are trained and who obey orders patrolling the airports than the rent-a-cops.

How is this possible?

The "security" *ahem* experts have all told us that metal is no longer the threat. The Threat has "evolved" and is now of a non-metallic variety. If this is the case, then why are WTMDs more sensitive?

Proving once again that the entire TSA organization top down is nothing more than an elaborate collection of asshats that couldn't find a banana using a monkey.

rent-a-clowns :) cops have guns :p

That's odd. Successful hijackings in the past have involved guns or hand grenades. Metal. The Evil Muhammed Hussein Al-Jazeera Box Knives(TM)? Metal.

Plus, if I recall correctly, aren't there inherent dangers with guns being fired on in-flight aircraft?

Oh, I agree with you.

Testimony to the House Oversight Committee from TSA says otherwise...

Call me sensible, but why would there be more chance of an Al Quaida attack now than at any other time? Did they declare a cease fire before? Isn't the organization's whole purpose to use violence? Do they really need an excuse for another attack? :confused:

OBL dead? So where's the body? So convenient that after a 10 year search the body had to immediately be thrown in the sea to be eaten by sharks. Maybe being tortured at gitmo or sunning itself in some tropical paradise after cutting a deal with the U.S. on the condition that they publish a story about his heroic death. The problem with this report is that it requires blind faith in the US government. They don't have a lot of credibility with me at the moment. They have been caught in too many lies. Also what was with all those explosions if it was just a battle involving some automatic gunfire with a few guys? Even if Obama really is dead I detect the whiff of a large amount of manure in this story. US government = pathological liar. They cannot open their mouths without lying. In the interest of national security of course.

I knew the conspiracy theories would start sooner or later. Hey, I also heard the president is a foreigner! :rolleyes:

What does having NG troops milling around with empty M-16s accomplish?


The U.S. Department of State alerts U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad to the enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counter-terrorism activity in Pakistan. Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations.

<SNIP>

Media coverage of local events may cause family and friends to become concerned for their loved ones traveling and residing abroad.

Gee, where would the newz media get the idea to scare the crap out of people. :rolleyes:



I would imagine the roll-outs will remain on schedule, that is, airports that don't have Nude-O-Scopes eventually will.


What, you want a long form death certificate? :p

Birth announcement: "Out of an Abundance of Caution™" has a baby sibling. Introducing "Threat of Retaliation™." Rolling off the lips of dozens of talking heads on TV.

Yesterday: Pistole to Congress: "We need more money, out of Fear of Osama."
Today: Pistole to Congress: "So what if Osama is shark food? TSA needs more money to protect us from that there FEAR of Threat of Retaliation™." :td:

They don't need an excuse ... but if one of the purposes of terrorism is to make a political statement, then timing an attack as a response to OBL's death is a convenient way to do that.

If OBL isn't dead, it's easy enough for him to prove. He can issue one of his numerous video reports, with enough contemporary information in it to verify that it wasn't filmed before his purported death.

I have a message for the US Government I am still going to Europe Later this month and the US Government can kiss my rear if they don't want me too. This means we have let the morons win.....

+100

And I still plan on two trips to Brazil in June. Similar the shooting in Frankfurt, and subsequent warning, I still went to Frankfurt ^

This is our post-OBL future, and it looks good!
http://chainsawsuit.com/comics/20110502.png

We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.

And water.
And shoes.
And panties.
And ourselves.

There are tons of comments following the OBL articles saying that we no longer need DHS/TSA. This includes so pretty strong posts on Michael Moore's blog that Drudge has linked.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/

It looks like with OBL gone lots of folks are really questioning the need to keep these agencies and the Patriot Act. There is a bunch of anti-Patriot Act commentary, so if that goes so does DHS/TSA.

expect tighter airport security this week
 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/busines...s-week/1167294
Not good boys and girls!

I think there is a legitimate concern about an immediate retaliatory strike by OBL supporters (whether it's the Taliban, al Qai'da or some other group doesn't matter at this point). However, I don't believe the bad guys have a plan on the shelf for an immediate strike against commercial aviation. Doesn't make operational sense to have a plan and not execute it immediately. Instead, I think they'll go after a much easier target, most likely something not related to commercial aviation, and claim some sort of victory in the name of OBL. Otherwise, the threat against commercial aviation is no less than it was before OBL became shark bait.

Should TSA review its policies and make changes? Absolutely. Will it? Highly doubtful. The bureaucratic path of least resistance is to maintain the status quo in the name of security.

It adds another layer of TSA Kabuki Theater, nothing more.

So why the increased measures immediately following OBL's death?



I think you meant to say "The bureaucratic path of TSA is to take every opportunity to scare the country into believing that we face an imminent threat and that unless Congress and the Courts let TSA continue their reign of terror inside airport terminals, our cushy government jobs will be at risk."

Right? ;)

Flew home from BRU yesterday morning, 4 fit guys, 2 black and 2 white were on the same hotel shuttle with us. I made a comment that I was getting to the airport earlier than normal as there might be some extra security, one the guys says "Oh there is"
The 4 guys ended up on my flight and I'm 95% sure that they were FAMs due to a number of factors. 2 were spread out in Business, one of them across the aisle from me. The other 2 were were spread out in coach.

I'm wondering if it's normal to have 4 on a TATL or were they able to up security that fast?

FWIW, did not notice any increased scrutiny at TSA checkpoints yesterday at LAX and PHX and this morning out of MIA. No extra police presence and certainly no military at least at those airports.

I doubt TSA is going to go away. It's so established and it's big. You need to be able to find jobs for all these people if TSA and DHS are dissolved, and with the economy like this I doubt it would be easy. Perhaps when the economy is doing well.

It's happened often enough before.

FAMs being moved around so as to ramp up positioning for flights taking off from Europe and heading to the US again shouldn't be a shock.

More travel expenses to be paid.

I detect a deather. You also don't believe a man landed on the moon do you? Please adjust your tin foil hat accordingly.

Why?

Let them find their own jobs - if they are capable.