Is there no limit to stupidity and incompetence of the primary agency charged with our protection and security?
"Homeland Security is spending a total of $732 million this year on various explosives deterrents. It has tested several commercial liquid explosive detectors over the past few years but hasn't been satisfied enough with the results to deploy them.
For MORE THAN FOUR YEARS, officials inside Homeland Security also have debated whether to deploy smaller trace explosive detectors _ already in most American airports _ to foreign airports to help stop any bomb chemicals or devices from making it onto U.S.-destined flights. (Emphasis added)
"A 2002 Homeland Security report recommended "immediate deployment" of the trace units to key European airports, highlighting their low cost, $40,000 per unit, and their detection capabilities. The report said one such unit was able, 25 days later, to detect explosives residue inside the airplane where convicted shoe bomber Richard Reid was foiled in December 2001.
Tony Fainberg, who formerly oversaw Homeland Security's explosive and radiation detection research with the national labs, said he strongly urged deployment of the detectors overseas but was rebuffed."
"It is not that expensive," said Fainberg, who recently retired. "There was no resistance from any country that I was aware of, and yet we didn't deploy it."
WHERE IS PRESIDENT BUSH AND WHY IS HIS LEADERSHIP LEFT WANTING?
Actions speak louder than words.
That F'n, bumbling, PC, idiot, (Chertoff) is W's "boy-wonder" and that old saying "The Buck Stops Here," needs to be applied and someone needs to shake that agency up from top to bottom. IMHO.
While I'm skeptical of anything that comes from the Apropriated Press, I am bewildered and very interested in the justification for the following, if accurate:
"The administration's most recent budget request also mystified lawmakers. It asked to take $6 million from the Sciences & Technology Directorate's 2006 budget that was supposed to be used to develop explosives detection technology and divert it to cover a budget shortfall in the Federal Protective Service, which provides security around government buildings.
If this were any other issue we'd be saying unspent money merely means specific projects didn't need it, and that it's GOOD that they weren't just tossing money around on useless stuff and instead were waiting until the funds were needed specifically.
But some folks take AP stories at face-value and help the MSM with their "Bush isn't doing enough against terrorism" propaganda.
”Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result." -- Albert Einstein
Indeed. Like believing AP stories and their obvious political slant over, and over.
Funny how the LOUDEST of squealers about Federal Spending mindlessly regurgitates the propaganda put out by pork barreling politicians who are lobbying for big fat Fed Government Checks to be sent to their home town fat cat corporate lobby groups to do this "Research".
But then for the Freeper DNC Virtual Campaigners posturing as "Betrayed Conservatives" it not about FACT, it about finding the latest thing to scream their hate and bile at the Bush Administration over.
Remember, you cannot just kill an agency in Washington. You must starve it to death through the budget.
They are taking the money away from an incompetent research group and putting it elsewhere so they can create a new research group in the future.
Remember, liquid component detection is not possible if they are placed inside a sealed container with no external contamination...there is nothing to detect by automated means.
Hand searches of people and baggage will become necessary.
The method to sneak explosive components onto a plane right now is known....even with today's hightened security.....by normal boarding. I won't get into the method details, but those bombs can still go off any moment.
Translation: "We here at AP have found a way to blame Bush for the UK plot."
Hawley said Homeland Security is now going to test the detector in six American airports. "It is very promising technology, and we are extremely interested in it to help us operationally in the next several years," he said. Japan has been using the liquid explosive detectors in its Narita International Airport in Tokyo and demonstrated the technology to U.S. officials at a conference in January, the Japanese Embassy in Washington said. Homeland Security is spending a total of $732 million this year on various explosives deterrents. It has tested several commercial liquid explosive detectors over the past few years but hasn't been satisfied enough with the results to deploy them.
Please explain what exactly in that shows anything like the claims made by you or the opening of the article.
Perhaps in the future instead of just regurgitating your mindless bigotry and hate for President Bush you MIGHT actually try READING the story. Notice the line above? Be incredibly stupid to waste billions setting up substandard detectors at every US Airport. In case you missed it, We have quite a few more Airports then either Great Britain or Japan and would be making a much much greater capital investment.
I see don't bother you with the facts on this, you would rather cling to your ignorace and knee jerk hate then have to confront the uncomforatable truth.
Yes, you're very "Seasoned" ....... since Jun 2006..... right.
When we create a massive new bureaucracy to pacify a panel of scam artists, what do you expect?