Another terror alert. Another set of 'in depth analyses' from the news, which consist of wild speculation and repeating the same facts over and over. Still, it is quite worrying that they've deployed troops.
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
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The (hypothetical) terrorists would enter the country as tourists or business travellers. They would then blow things up or set off biological weapons. I don't see how troops in airports would stop that, unless the terrorists get off their flights with signs saying "I AM A TERRORIST" hanging round their necks.
Registered: Jan 2003
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Maybe the troops are there disguised as limo drivers, holding signs with suspected terrorists' names on them?
(I'm sorry, I know this isn't really a laughing matter. I hope things turn out okay.)
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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Sounds like Blair is losing public support and needs to say "See I told you". Goes along with fusia alert or whatever the Americans are on this week.
-------------------- "and none of your usual boobery." M. Burns
Registered: Oct 2001
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troops in airports will cut down in the frothing terrorist waving a machine gun around scenareos. they wouldn't have helped on 9/11. On the other hand,a group of middle eastern men all having box knives might have gotten some attention. The would probobly have been told to put them in their carry on luggage.
I find it interesting that here in the US, when something happens abraod now, instead of being shocked, people tend to feel relieved that it was THEM and not US. That's what terrorists want, it's the first crack in our armor.
-------------------- joH'a' 'oH wIj DevwI' jIH DIchDaq Hutlh pagh (some days it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps in the morning) The Woozle!
Registered: Nov 2002
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....and there's panic on the streets of Carlisle. Panic on the streets of Bermingham...
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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Though an airport provides advantages for a terrorist, as did the airport in Rome many years ago, Heathrow is not the easiest airport to breach. This airport has a network of defences against attack.
Frankly, I think these alerts are losing their potency. I see a 'boy-who-cried-wolf-many-times-over-until-the- villagers-were-sick-of-the-boy-and-ignored-him- and-he-was-later-eaten-by-a-wolf-and-no-one- came-to-his-aid' story in these alerts. I never ever discount the stupidity of the politicians who run our country or the UK and I pray I am not in the target zone when the alert fails.
posted
Most of the troops are at the airport and under the flight path to guard against terrorists with surface to air missles trying to shoot down a plane. Of course, that fact that the deployment plans were originally intended to guard against IRA ground attacks as well might have something to do with it...
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
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I see a 'boy-who-cried-wolf-many-times-over-until-the- villagers-were-sick-of-the-boy-and-ignored-him- and-he-was-later-eaten-by-a-wolf-and-no-one- came-to-his-aid' story
Just as effective: I see a 'boy who cried wolf' story.
[ February 13, 2003, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: TSN ]
Registered: Oct 1999
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Yes, Heathrow is impenetrable. Can you imagine terrorists, like, sitting off to the side and lobbing shells onto the runways? Unthinkable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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On a slightly more amusing not, it turns out that The Dear Leader signed off on the plans without reading them, but assumed there'd just be foot patrols. So he got a bit of a surprise when the army decided to show off their nice APCs and Armoured reconnaisance vehicles .
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
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