All these canceled flights---A question.

[DiverDave]

Why hasn't anybody been detained/arrested? Why haven't they found devices?

This doesn't even come close to passing the smell test.
I will present a corollary:

Lets say I stop a random number of cars from going past my house.
I "saved" my family and neighbors from possible disaster because....well, you never know what can happen.
So am I a big hero? or a paranoid ass that just wants to keep my neighbors scared so they worship me?

But Joe six-pack feels safer, I guess.

Dave.

[sugargoose]

1. I hear you on that

It all started with raising the terror alert to high.

Don't worry, I won't forget I owe my very life to the security provided by the big tough cowboy in charge.

*barf*

[Bok_Tukalo]

2. I suspect they are feints

Mere probing of our intelligence capabilities by our enemies. Not real.

[Dookus]

3. because there's no one to arrest....

They can just keep reporting that flights were canceled and everybody will THINK they're doing something. "They canceled flights, and nothing bad happened! See? It works!"

They don't care that a flight's canceled because an insurance actuary from Pigsblood-by-the-Marsh had a similar last name to a guy who used to live next door to a moslem.

[Rex]

4. Fear factor

911 was a godsend for the GOP. Knowing how apolitical most Americans are, the BFEE will be able to play the terror card and nobody will ask questions or demand answers, EVER.

[Beaker]

5. It's downright embarrassing...

Does anyone really believe that terrorists will try to pull another 9-11 anytime soon? It's a long way from "having a terrorist onboard" to wresting control of the plane from the flight crew and crashing it into a building. I doubt that there are too many passengers who would sit quietly and allow it to happen, for starters...more heavily reinforced cockpit doors...pilots who are more aware and resistant to such an attempted attack- (there are a lot of things they can do with pitching and rolling the plane to thwart would-be hijackers, including de-pressurizing the cabin) and will put the plane down in a heartbeat at the closest available airstrip if need be.
Unless the entire first class cabin and half the flight crew are terrorists with Uzi's hidden up their asses, there's not much to worry about, commercial air-trafficwise.
If anything, all of these 'supposed threats' are a dis-information campaign by Al-queda to identify informants in their midst.

[KFC]

6. Ever heard of a bomb?

Them things that blow up? Not good in airplanes.

[DiverDave]

7. Umm,

and your point is?

Do you get my point?
I suspect not. If you did you wouldn't have posted this.

[Beaker]

8. a shoulder fired missile is just as likely-

if all you want to do is bring down a plane. Or putting a bomb in cargo or checked baggage.
all of these supposed 'threats' have reportedly been about hijackers trying to gain control of an airliner to use it as a weapon...an extremely unlikely scenario, post 9-11.
that's why Al-Qeada did so many of them simultaneously on the same day(there were likely several others that didn't work out)- they knew that it was an act that would not be repeatable, and probably had a good idea as to what our response would be, airline/airport security-wise.
I'm not saying that they should ease security, but all these cancellations seem downright silly- unless the entire 1st class and business-class sections were ticketed to the Yemeni Hockey League or something like that.

[Skittles]

9. because it is all BULLSHIT

absolute f***ing BULLSHIT. They just need to give the American public the appearance that they are VIGILANT about terrorism. What better way to do that than to keep them in a state of perpetual fear? I mean, come on, the color alerts were wearing a bit thin.

[Spiderm0n]

10. the problem

is that we have NO idea what is really going on regarding the intelligence coming into the CIA. I think it really is quite possible that they would try to use another plane against us.

[Unknown Known]

11. Who are "THEY"?

Take a look at this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=980585

[Skittles]

13. "they" weren't even able to complete their mission on 9/11

if anyone stands up on a plane and looks cross-eyed the passengers will attack.

[Spiderm0n]

14. 3 out of 4 and thousands killed is close enough

I have no doubts that Americans would attack someone of the plane, look at the number of people who have been killed on planes in the last 2 years just from being detained for other reasons!

But do we really know how people would behave on a foreign flight? What if the terrorists had guns?

Perhaps my proximity to NYC makes me take these warnings a little more seriously.

[foreigncorrespondent]

16. But do we really know how people would behave on a foreign flight?

Yes I do actually. Just think about it for a moment. It is called "self preservation." People know if someone tried to hijack a plane the only thing that will most likely save their life is to bring down the would be terrorist.

9/11 may have happened on American soil, but a lot countries lost their people that day. People aren't as stupid as you make them out to be.

[Beaker]

17. what if the terrorists had guns?...

first of all, they'd have to have a way to get the guns onto the plane undetected, as well as an ample supply of ammo- enough to shoot every passenger at least once, minimum.

but that still isn't going to get them into the cockpit before the pilot has done a few barrel-rolls to knock them on their asses, and then put the plane into a crash dive in order to land at the closest available podunk airport.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi Spiderm0n!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Brian_Expat]

12. You hit it on the head. . .

. . . they can claim they're "doing something" and that the silly rhetoric isn't overblown (even though it is). Meanwhile, Joe Sixpack lives in fear and continues to shiver and hopefully (to the Republicans) believe that only Dubya and Ashcroft can protect him.