[Polybius]

The "in the box thinking" involves dropping bridges and sinking ferries. Very WWII'ish. Too much effort required for too little return. It would take 100 of them to compare to 911.

If you believe that a Wahington State Ferry only carries 40 passangers each way (40 X 100 = 4000 = greater the the 911 death toll) you have obviously never laid eyes on one of our ferries, elfman2.

It would take two (2) Walla Walla-class ferry sinkings to surpass the death toll of 911.

M/V Walla Walla

Vessel Information:
Type: Auto/Passenger Ferry
Length: 440'
Beam: 87'
Draft: 18'
Max Passengers: 2000
Max Vehicles: 206
Max Commercial Vehicles: 60
Gross Net Tonnage: 3246/1198

[Inspectorette]

My daughter lives on Orcas Island, so we're pretty familiar with the WSF, and have marvelled at the efficiency and absolutely beautiful way to travel back and forth between the mainland and the islands.

We visited her in April and took the Yakima from Anacortes, and I remarked then to my hubby the frightening possiblity that the WSF could be a potential target for terrorists.

[elfman2]

" It would take two (2) Walla Walla-class ferry sinkings to surpass the death toll of 911."

I've only ridden this ferry twice when it had maybe 300 people aboard. I think initial reports of the WTC attack mentioned 30,000 occupants. One tenth were killed. One in ten deaths of lets say 1000 passengers is no small event, especially if you know one of those 100. But 100 deaths and a downed ferry does not rock the free world, trigger and economic depression, and cause 30 billion direct damages to a community.

This is a wild guess, but I suspect that with the recourses required to assault a ferry, overpowering security and assure its destruction, a dozen car bombs could be set off at sports stadiums, parades or crowded cafes. Also, it's an all or nothing event. One thing goes wrong, and it's a US coup. I think there are better targets.