[RushCrush]

Here's how Richard Gooding described how the anonymity of Federal Air Marshalls can be compromised. A veritable 'how-to' for would-be terrorists to board and hijack US flights:

-These plainclothes members are not allowed to use most e-ticket kiosks, instead having to go to the ticket counter and show their conspicuously large badges.

-ecause they are armed with a handgun, air marshalls must bypass metal detectors....

-Marshals have to present their IDs a third time at the gate counter.

-At least one marshal in a team boards even before first-class and 'passengers with small children or those needing assistance'

-y the time everyone else boards, the marshals are already in their seats

...these are just a few of the identifiers outlined by Gooding.

[ghostcat]

I hope the terrorists read and believe the bullet points cause I can guarantee that none of those points are useful.

[LibertarianInExile]

Actually, I found the Gooding article a pretty good one since it actually spells out what is WRONG with the Air Marshal program. If HE could find this out, why can't the government think ahead far enough to realize that so can the terrorists!?!?! The article isn't the problem--that what he writes about is reality is the problem!

That doesn't mean I approve of his conclusion, which is unsubtle (he seems to think the whole air marshal program should be ended) but it certainly is better to consider the problems with the program than put our heads in the sand and assume blithely it'll all be okay. That sort of thinking led to 9/11 in the first place.