Obama Orders Air Marshal Surge by Feb. 1: 'Race Against Time'

[RamboLiberal]

Source: ABC News

President Barack Obama has ordered a "surge" of federal air marshals to be in place by Feb.1 in what officials said was a "race against time," with other suicide bombers believed to be in the terrorist pipeline, although there is no specific imminent threat, federal officials told ABC News.

Under a preliminary plan, the officials said the already existing federal air marshal force of more than 3,200 personnel would be deployed almost exclusively to overseas flights flown by U.S. carriers.

Domestic high-risk flights will be covered by agents from other federal law enforcement agencies who were trained as air marshals in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

"The personnel we trained back then comprised a kind of reserve air marshal force and they are now going to be borrowed on orders from the President to work domestic flights," said a senior law enforcement agent briefed on the plan.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/air-marshal-surge-race-time/story?id=9493323

[FarLeftFist]

1. Air marshals should be on every flight....

Cops are on every subway train. The airline companies should welcome them on all of their flights. It could create more jobs, while making passengers feel safer and give them more incentive to fly. Which in turn would be good for the economy.

[rwheeler31]

2. I feel sorry for those guys. Flying is not fun

when you are working.

[marshall]

17. Are they all guys?

I hope they have a diverse as well as a well qualified group of people.

[yodoobo]

3. "surge"?

note the media's use of Republican memes.

[Cha]

4. Thanks Rambo..

Good on this.

[Webster Green]

5. Big fucking deal! Gives the "terrorists" just what they want.

They are bleeding us dry trying to defend ourselves against anything and everything.

No person or government can keep us "safe". There's no such thing as being totally safe. Shit happens.

There are lots of ways to fuck with people and lots of shit to blow up other than airplanes. The "terrorists" have won because most of the people in this hapless, idiotic country are fucking cowards.

[FarLeftFist]

6. Wow that was mean.

First, I believe the people that fought and died for this country are some of the bravest, un-cowardly people ever. The coward is someone that tries to blow up a plane filled with civilians, those are the equivelent to a sucker-punch, and obviously the threat is real. Second, I don't see how hiring Air marshals to protect civilians is bleeding us dry. The airlines should not only pay their salaries, but the company should also advertise the fact to attract customers. These are just common sense things that should be done, things the Bush regime would never even think of. Why not use air marshals, why not develop new technology and scanners to keep us safe. It's time for America to learn from past mistakes and move forward. I feel much safer with this president then our previous one, especially with some new ideas like this one: http://www.greentechnologydaily.com/health/582-obama-orders-postal-service-to-deliver-medicine-in-case-of-anthrax-attack

[lostnfound]

14. Air marshals ride first class "to protect the cockpit"..how does that

help against "underwear bombs"?
It's a placebo.
And airlines can pay for them out of their burgeoning profits.. :ROFL:
They are basically all losing a ton of money, and have been for most of the past 6 or 8 years.

[marshall]

18. Since they knew mid-flight this guy was a risk, an air marshal could have taken him out

Instead of having law enforcement waiting in Detroit to detain the underwear bomber, they could have contacted an on-board air marshal, told him or her exactly where the fellow was sitting, and he could have been "detained" on the plane.

[FarLeftFist]

19. How about the cockpit gets locked and their are 4 air marshals per plane.

Common sense. The placebo could throw a monkeywrench into their easy plans. Obviously threats can be stopped, hence the undie-bombers failed attempt. Marshals could carry tasers and other weapons.

[kayla9170]

7. An Opportunity to Create Jobs....

This is a good thing. I will pass the word to some people I know that are seeking employment. I would take this opportunity myself, but I hate to fly.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

11. where do you see they are hring?

I doubt that.

[Incitatus]

23. right here

http://www.tsa.gov/lawenforcement/people/fams_join.shtm

[crikkett]

22. That's what I was going to point out. Pres. Obama creates more jobs :)

And this is after Cash for Clunkers saved GM & them.

[Mithreal]

8. Bet we get ourselves another military base out of this too. Yeehaw!

[Grinchie]

9. Blah Blah Blah..

TSA was facing funding cuts... Now they are facing Funding Increases.

Merry Christmas, and screw all the idiots that fall for this bullshite...

[Mithreal]

10. I get this itchy feeling that our people created this incident

Awfully convenient considering we had already started bombing Yemen.

[Suji to Seoul]

12. Welcome to the United Police States of America. Kindly leave your

old fashioned ideas of freedom, liberty and rights at the door.

Remember, we're doing this to keep you safe.

[Ian David]

13. Predicted right-wing conspiracy theory: The air marshals are Obama's sleeper agents...

... which he will use to hijack the planes on command and fly them into churches.

[BR_Parkway]

21. Sadly, I wouldn't even be surprised to hear that

[Doctor_J]

15. Boy, there are some days

when you would swear that Smirk is still in the White House.

I realize we're a lot better off than we were for the last 8 years, but this kind of stuff is really annoying.

[CreekDog]

16. If you don't know the difference between adding air marshals and invading Iraq

then I feel sorry for you.

[Doctor_J]

20. And if you can tell the difference between adding armed marshalls

on every f'ing flight and having me take my shoes off or imposing a "color-coded alert system", I feel sorry for you. I guess the last two didn't cost me as much money as the marshalls will.

To increase your comprehension, let me remind you that in the post to which you replied, I said that I realize it's lots better now than under Smirk. But when the president undertakes a largely symbolic "anti-terror" measure, and the roll-out of that pony show includes the word "surge", I get discouraged about all of the time and money I spent in 2008 on his campaign.