Vehicle Searches To Begin Tomorrow at A-H Intl Airport

local Atlanta news sources | tnp

[takenoprisoner]

The frontpage of the AJC says that beginning tomorrow the Atlanta PD will be stopping and searching vehicles on approach to the terminals.

[Jack Black]

Personally I plan on taking them up on the "you can't enter the airport option". Fine, let me drop my passenger off here, OK, stop traffic in that lane, I need to turn around now. Later, JBTs.

[Travis McGee]

Since targets are fungible, if the Islamikazi car bomber is prevented from going to the airport, he will simply drive to another place full of people.

[Travis McGee]

That may be a mile from the terminal!

"Well Mom, you need exercise anyway. Drag one, and put one on your shoulder, and can carry the other bag in your left hand. And I'll meet you right here Sunday at six PM."

(Just kidding.)

[babaloo999]

Just drop them off at one of the car rental locations and let them take the bus to the terminal.
Of course, that's only good if the facility is not inside one of the terminals.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Brillient! Once we get all the law-abiding people dropped at remote bus stops to avoid them driving past the terminal, the Islam-ikazis will then use their car bombs at the bus stops where the crowds are gathered!

Don't you see that surrendering liberties does not stop terrorism?

[babaloo999]

Inhale deeply. Good. Now, exhale. Repeat.
Travis was being a little sarcastic, so I thought I'd give him some unsolicited help.

Don't you see that surrendering liberties does not stop terrorism?

Yes, I'm quite familiar with the saying. You're preaching to the choir here. I'm against giving up my freedoms because of criminals(regular street variety and bureaucrats).

[Travis McGee]

There's no easy answer here. Airport terminals are more than just a collecting point for human targets, they are crucial economic targetes. Blow up the LAX and JFK terminals, and we will shut down civil aviation, crippling our economy.

I just worry that this (justifiable) measure is going to be one more step toward a checkpoint society. And I don't see any easy answer.

[Cacophonous]

Good post...thank you.

If only we had Republicans in charge. Why, they would allow such a huge abridgement of freedom as the Patriot Act (I and II). Oh, wait...Republicans are in charge...why are they better than Democrats again?

[Stat-boy]

Think about this. The apparent justification for this intrusion is because some Muslim nut might drive a car bomb up to the building. But since he has the chance to drive off with impunity if they opt to randomly search HIS car, he and his pals can keep trying until one of them gets past this gesture at security.

It won't work unless you thoroughly search EVERY car (not that I advocate this.) And even this would send car bombers to some other public space. The only thing special about airports is that the government CAN regulate them all they want.

Your analysis also applies to the air marshals on the plane. They have no significant statistical effect on a suicide attack unless a majority of planes are manned. Unfortunately, only a fraction of planes are manned because it would require a small army to protect all the planes; thus, the entire multi-billion dollar program is for show.

Let me explain. Let’s say that the chance of a successful terrorist attack by a 5-person team is 50%, and if the plan is manned by air marshals the chance of success lowers to 0%. Let’s say that we can place air marshals on 25% of all flights (the actual number is much less). Thus, the air marshal program has reduced a terrorist cell’s chance of success from 50% to (50%)(3/4) + (0%)(1/4), i.e., to 37.5%. That will not significantly deter attacks.

[Greybird]

[...] hired tens of thousands of minimum-wage Gestapo [...]

How DARE you insult these fine civil servants!

These particular Gestapo agents are being paid FAR, FAR MORE than mere minimum wage, thenk kew veddy much!

{/sarcasm OFF}

(As my wallet weeps ...)

Otherwise, your pithy summary of this tyranny is unanswerable and unarguable. Americans are sheep. Resistance by two percent of the flying public -- refusing such searches, in terminals or outside -- would stop it.