Drudge - cancelled flight believed headed to attack Las Vegas

12/25/03 | Drudge

[salbam]

Developing

[Lurking in Kansas]

"Sorry, but this is definitely not a win in our column. The terrorists escaped to do it another day."

It was like swatting down a touchdown pass instead of intercepting it. Now we gotta keep playing defense, but at least they didn't score.

Good analogy. It doesn’t help our side that the french released the suspects. How long did they hold them?? This whole thing went down less than 24 hours ago. They didn’t have time to question them properly and they sure wouldn’t let us question them.

Stupid frogs...

[Ex-Dem]

In all seriousness, what is there in Vegas that a plane can purposely hit?

Maybe that big glass pyramid casino (I think it's the Luxor). They could potentially see it as a desecration of Arab culture.

[mitchbert]

There is plenty to hit here, all near the airport. Large hotels.

Not to mention one of your largest annual convention/shows a week after New Years. I'll be there.

[Lurking in Kansas]

Good ideal, never thought of that. Seems plausible --a payback for a "desecration".

[Las Vegas Dave]

Water level has dropped 90 feet in Lake Mead, Vegas may go to drought conditions soon!

[yooper]

Alright, I'm a Civil Engineer, so I know that the dam is mucho thick concrete, though I don't know the exact thickness. I'm not sure if a jet would penetrate the dam. Any structural types out there who can provide answers?

[PAR35]

would not be surprised if the Las Vegas Bowl which was held yesterday with 40,000 or such people

I'm not trying to Dis Vegas or its bowl, but 40,000 is not an impressive crowd, and it is not exactly a major bowl. With a couple of major Air Force facilities in the neighborhood, it can't even be considered a softer target than some of the bigger events.

[Ex-Dem]

It's 45 ft wide at the top, 660 wide at the bottom. 6.6 million tons of concrete (phew!).

[JBCiejka]

Maybe others did not show up, because that guy was leaked. It could have been a good thing, for others flying.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

HHHmmm no shows! Did someone leak information?

The French connection.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Sad to say but a hijacked airplane would not make it to the strip, if you get my drift.....(Nellis Air Force Base is in N.Las Vegas, with interceptor jets loaded with live weapons.)

[PGalt]

Good point. Forgot about Nellis. Been to Vegas many times. My Sister and parents lived there for 13 years. Just relayed your point to my son, who is flying to Vegas Sunday morning. Thanks. He is following this thread.

[Quix]

SOBERING.

[WestCoastGal]

What about New York, New York, it's right across from the MGM? The real place is pretty well protected these days and these guys might be stupid enough to think they can hit Las Vegas without being shot down first!!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

One of those who did not appear for the Christmas Eve flight apparently is a trained pilot'...

Rip his fingers off one at a time, then proceed to his balls. This puke has got to tell what he knows.

[PAR35]

Vegas may go to drought conditions soon!

Well, they did build Vegas in the middle of the desert.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Why would radical Islam want to damage their growing ties to drug criminals and corrupt governments such as Mexico's. They need Mexico.

Bill Gertz has reported that al Qaeda members are working with Mexican organized crime groups. Imelda Ortiz Abdala, formerly the Mexican consul in Lebanon, was arrested and charged with providing passports illegally. Then there is the recent discovery of a Tijuana smuggling ring that specialized in Arabs.

Attacking areas heavy with Mexican citizens would likely reduce the flow of "migrants" making it easier to spot OTMs, Other than Mexicans. Besides many Mexicans have close relatives ILLEGALLY here and would likely take sides in the war on terror if those "migrants" were threatened.

According to one site that shows the transatlantic routes for Air France, Paris to LA, it comes down from Canada and over Las Vegas. I don't know the timing but someone mentioned a bowl game in Las Vegas. Maybe that. Not likely to be many Mexicans there.

[larlaw]

We have LOTS of targets that would wreak havoc. Assuming this Washington Post story is accurate and Las Vegas was indeed the target, I worry about what might happen next week. On New Year's Eve, Las Vegas hosts the second largest New Year's Eve celebration (behind Times Square) and it is expected that 200,000 people will be in town to celebrate, with most jamming into an area on the Las Vegas strip that it no more than a square mile...

[JSteff]

"The West would be toast" Not necessarily. I think you would need to hit it very precisely to bring the dam down.

[rocksblues]

This may not be politically correct, but if you knew that say the Fox-Sioux hated you, and would kill you on sight, would you let the Fox-Sioux drive wagons into your Fort?