Here come the air marshals – Obama orders surge (Update)
I asked the air marshal question Christmas Day after the failed terrorist attack. For some reason I figured there would be marshals on every inbound international flight, but it is not the case. President Obama has ordered all international inbound flights to have air marshals within 25 days.As noted, I questioned (Exit Question 3) the air marshal situation on Christmas Day. Today, after significant action by the Yemeni government to take a hard stand on terrorist outposts within their borders, Obama – as reported in an ABC News exclusive – has ordered a big ramp up to immediately get marshals onto flights.
But many are questioning if something more serious is happening.
… Obama has ordered a “surge” of federal air marshals to be in place by Feb.1 in what officials said was a “race against time,” with other suicide bombers believed to be in the terrorist pipeline, although there is no specific imminent threat, federal officials told ABC News.
Under a preliminary plan, the officials said the already existing federal air marshal force of more than 3,200 personnel would be deployed almost exclusively to overseas flights flown by U.S. carriers.
Domestic high-risk flights will be covered by agents from other federal law enforcement agencies who were trained as air marshals in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
…
“The rush is to get our people in place before they get theirs launched,” said the senior law enforcement official.
“We are going to try to cover every single U.S. flag carrier flight from overseas into the United States,” the official said.
AP over at Hot Air notes the use of “race against time” and “no specific imminent threat” in the same damn sentence in the first paragraph in the ABC News release.
Update: AJ over at Strata-Sphere picked up the story today.
The fact this action was publicly announced means some fear they need to do as much as possible to stop any future attacks, including letting the attackers know we are responding – probably in the hope they will suspend their activities.
If this is what is being leaked out, the soon to be released report cannot be good.
How about just training stewardesses how to use a tazer? Make every stewardess Sarah Palin. Stop allowing government to exploit terror to bloat the ranks oemployees , hussle americans out of liberty and taxes, and contract expensive widgets of technology peddled by a political lobbyist. What Obama officials own stock in the maker of those scanners destines to be ordered for every airport gate in the world? The TSA is fast becoming another government service employee union, and now a union of air marshals , another layer of beurocrats paid to sit in a chair with all kinds of cushy perks pensions and benefits.
Hopefully, this has been a wake-up call to the administration not to be so "laissez-faire" about terrorist intentions and motives. Here's a clue: EVIL CANNOT BE CONVERTED.
Obama is righteously angry with some of the terrorist agencies who didn't "connect the dots." However, he has shown such a naive attitude to terrorists and a leader is an example to those under him (the buck stops here?????). Bringing terrorist leaders to trial in the US, where they will be afforded all the legal privileges of citizens is INSANE. No wonder Michael Leiter didn't come back from his skiing vacation to take charge of his intelligece community.
As someone who flies quite often, I am disgusted with all western governements for their politically correct methods of airport security. It is young, Muslim men who have these perverted, radic,al religious beliefs that killing will bring a universal, Muslim "reign" on earth. Target and profile them. Who cares if it's politically correct or not.
You're dreaming if you believe Obama is "righteously angry", it's pure posturing. Golfing in Hawaii was more important than the "isolated incident", instead of blasting the terrorists and addressing the failed security that "worked perfectly" and the gross ineptness of Homeland Securities Janet Napolitano he stayed on vacation. The ineptness and public outcry necessitated a strong response, and lo and behold after a few days the teleprompter captured his "indignignation". BS! Silence speaks much louder than words!
He knew immediately, before any facts were in, that the police in Boston "acted stupidly" and let us know his true beliefs then, his handlers aren't going to let that happen again.
He is a dangerous weakling drawing a bulls eye on Americans, here and everywhere.
um, ok
I fly a few times a year and just returned on a long domestic flight beginning at a large international airport that receives many international flights. I also carry a medical device that the TSA inspectors refer to as the thing with a lot of wires who have Always given it a close and thorough inspection before letting me through,
That is until yesterday they never gave it a second look and for the first time I breezed through! The airport was very crowded, the inspection lines long with a few stations not open, given the recent failed attack I find that disingenuous.
So much for enhanced security. I worry, my mom worries.
Obama's big press conferance is a total failure of confidance. This much anticipated conferance was delayed not once but TWICE, and when finally delivered nobody was fired. How can we screen terrorists when we cannot even find the person who fell asleep or made a poor judgement and replace them. ….. …How can anybody do their job correctly when they must fear one complaint filed by Muslims and the supervisors don't have your back. A top official needed to be fired if only to clear the anxiety of those afraid to do their job correctly.
He was against the surge before he was for it, to paraphrase a particularly loathsome Massachusetts senator.
The only people that believe anything this guy says are Obamaroids and Ozombies, and even they are suspicious….