Surface to Air Missles Deployed in DC

[John S. Veteran]

Source  Security raised in cities, airports, trains

Ridge: Planes are still terrorists' weapons of choice

WASHINGTON (CNN) --Surface-to-air missiles were being deployed around Washington, state troopers were authorized to ride New York area commuter trains, and air travelers encountered more delays -- all results of the heightened terrorism threat alert level.

On Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security raised the level from elevated, or yellow, to high, or orange, the second-highest level on the department's five-color warning system.

The move was based mostly on information gleaned from a high volume of "chatter" among suspected terrorists, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said.

Ridge warned of possible strikes more devastating than the al Qaeda airliner attacks of September 11, 2001, on New York and Washington, and told CNN on Monday that airplanes remain terrorists' weapon of choice.

"There is a continuous stream of reporting, literally from the last two years, that indicates [terrorists'] preference or desire to use aircraft as a means of attack," Ridge said on CNN's "American Morning."

In addition to Washington, anti-aircraft missile batteries may be deployed around New York City, and a senior Pentagon official said "irregular air patrols" had been ordered.

Governors have been given lists of specific measures and sites to be protected, including critical infrastructure that if hit by an aircraft could cause extensive problems, an official said.

A government official said numerous people have been blocked from entering the country at various locations since December 1 but would not give specifics.

Another U.S. official said a handful of foreign flight crew members had been stopped in recent days.

The United States is working with airlines and foreign governments to improve their security postures, officials said.

There is concern about Mexico and Canada because of their contiguous airspace with the United States.

[Joel]

Way to live in fear. :no:

[Hiro P.]

Way to live in fear. :no:

disregarding possible terrorist threats is the real answer, eh silly? :rolleyes:

[Joel]

Which one do you think is better all around, living cowering in your living rooms, or living free?

Isn't "Live Free or Die" the motto on NH license plates? You're not living free because of these alerts.

[Timan Veteran]

You're not living free because of these alerts.

Well maybe for those who actually believe them.

[Joel]

Well maybe for those who actually believe them.

You're right, I should have qualified that statement. :D

[Hiro P.]

Which one do you think is better all around, living cowering in your living rooms, or living free?

Isn't "Live Free or Die" the motto on NH license plates? You're not living free because of these alerts.

hahaha...maybe because you live in Canada you don't see but no one is cowering anywhere, quit making crap up to try and validate your point.

[bayrider]

no kidding, im a Canadian visiting the US and as i know nothing is going to happen.. whats the point of living in so much fear? Last time i was in LA driving to the airport, i was stopped at military checkpoints had the car searched etc, kind of felt like iwas back in Lebanon. Why does the US customs agent have to drill me and interrogate me because i want to visit my parents in LA? I cant even take pictures of any landmarks anymore without someone suspecting that im "scoping" the area (just like the 4 men they reported taking pictures outside of Dallas Airport). Now im going to be flying next week. Why do i even have to have the slightest thought in my mind that my plane may be hijacked and used as a WMB? Obviously the US is no longer "Land of the Free" because America is trying too hard to be "the home of the brave". As long as it keeps sticking its noses in unwanted places where they were never asked to help (ie Iran, Iraq, Lebanon etc.) people will retaliate.

Edited December 23, 2003 by bayrider

[Joel]

hahaha...maybe because you live in Canada you don't see but no one is cowering anywhere, quit making crap up to try and validate your point.

What crap am I making up, the system of colour-coded fear inducers? That task was the brainchild of Tom Ridge, not me. If the alerts are not meant to scare you in some way, then they are pointless.

[nowimnothing]

regardless of the "colour-coded fear inducers" - people are far from afraid around here. and the things going on as mentioned in the initial posted article are making sure that people aren't "cowering in their living rooms"... i've yet to encounter someone who is not "living free" as you put it because of any of this...

[Joel]

That's what I thought, the alerts are useless. I just want to be clear.

[nowimnothing]

useless?

you fail to draw a difference between being attentive & knowledgable of your surroundings, and cowering in your living room. Are those one in the same to you? They certainly are not to me.

I'm glad i know there's an increased threat, i'm glad i know thats why there are surface to air missiles in my capital city. Maybe i'll even look over my shoulder at that suspicious person i just passed on the street one extra time - just to make sure. But that's a far cry from holing myself up in my bathroom.

[o_87]

Get real people, you have more of a change getting struck by lightning, than dying of a terrorist attack.

[Joel]

There's an increased threat of danger every holiday season, and I don't mean from terrorists. What does this "knowledge" do for you? Does it let you sleep better? Worse? Anywhere in between? Does it really change anything in your life?

[nowimnothing]

sleep better? maybe. but that's prolly just me - i'm one of those people that prefers knowing - even if its something bad, instead of wondering (cuz my mind will always assume the worst).

if my country says they have a credible source for an attack - i'd like to know about it... who knows, maybe just turning my head once i might see something i might have otherwise missed. maybe i could be useful...

[threetonesun]

Which one do you think is better all around, living cowering in your living rooms, or living free?

Isn't "Live Free or Die" the motto on NH license plates? You're not living free because of these alerts.

I'm sure everyone in New Hampshire is. They didn't deploy SAMs across the whole nation, they're just taking some extra precautions for the capital. And living in fear would be running and hiding at home. SAMs are just being prepared, especially since the other option for shooting down hijacked planes is fairly time consuming in the case of an emergency. But of course, you're right, nothing is going to happen, we're all just paranoid. Oh wait, that's Canada, where nothing ever does happen :rolleyes:

[Aaron Veteran]

There's an increased threat of danger every holiday season, and I don't mean from terrorists. What does this "knowledge" do for you? Does it let you sleep better? Worse? Anywhere in between? Does it really change anything in your life?

You know what? Every year the NTSB puts out a warning estimating the amount of traffic and predicted deaths that may result. It tells people to be a bit more careful than usual. It doesn't mean "cower in fear". How would you know what it is like here? You are sitting in another country assuming what our collective response is based on your own misguided prejudices about Americans. No one I know is restricting there lives because of this - but I do have one ear pricked up just in case.

Honestly you are starting to sound a lot like Beenie. I ask you this too, why do you give a crap to comment about something that has squat to do with you and your life? Don't like our little rainbow system, fine, why come in to bash it? I thought trolling was not allowed here, hmm. :whistle:

[Joel]

Preach to every US comedian before you preach to me about not liking the colour coded system.

I am asking you a legitimate question. How does knowing, or thinking you know, about the possibility of terrorist activity change your day-to-day life? If you're not living in fear, whar ARE you doing? What did the knowledge do for you? What will your "one ear pricked up just in case" do, stop a bomb or a plane?

The point of a warning system is to have infomed a group or populace that, given proper care, such and such a thing can be avoided. Don't play near electric power lines, etc. In reality, nothing you do will make the slightest difference to the outcome of any attack, terrorist or homegrown psycho.

Don't take my word for it, read your own articles.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20031222_792.html

And don't forget to buy your bomb shelter.

http://www.ready.gov/

[Fotix]

Get your:

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here

[nowimnothing]

In reality, nothing you do will make the slightest difference to the outcome of any attack, terrorist or homegrown psycho.

I personally don't believe that - and that's why i like to know.

If you believe that, then i guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[Joel]

I guess so.

[Digital.K]

If what happened on Sept 11th, 2001 had happened in Canada instead of New york City, I am sure the Canadian government would take some kind of action if they thought it could happen again. At times, all this weaponry being brought out like that is scary, but if we'd had it then, then maybe some of the things that happened on that awful day wouldn't have, who knows?

[caustiK]

good grief, why does everyone seem to think that all the system does is alert the populace? when the warning level is raised, security is increased at harbors, airports, government buildings, etc. it's not just some guy saying 'watch out for terrorists', the government actually steps up the security at many places. also, saying that the normal citizen can't do anything about terrorism is ridiculous - noticing and reporting suspicious activity/persons/containers *can* prevent terrorist attacks.

just because we're putting SAMs in DC does not mean we're living in fear, it's called being prepared. if someone takes mace with them in a dark parking lot, that is not being afraid, it is being *prepared*. sheesh. :rolleyes:

[digipoi]

good grief, why does everyone seem to think that all the system does is alert the populace? when the warning level is raised, security is increased at harbors, airports, government buildings, etc. it's not just some guy saying 'watch out for terrorists', the government actually steps up the security at many places. also, saying that the normal citizen can't do anything about terrorism is ridiculous - noticing and reporting suspicious activity/persons/containers *can* prevent terrorist attacks.

just because we're putting SAMs in DC does not mean we're living in fear, it's called being prepared. if someone takes mace with them in a dark parking lot, that is not being afraid, it is being *prepared*. sheesh. :rolleyes:

That living in fear comment was quite hilarious. Because I work on base, I get to see first hand what the elevated terror alert system does. A little more inconvenience, but it really bothers me in the least.

[mAcOdIn Veteran]

Lol the two things are not related.

There is nothing wrong with preparing for a possible attack by placing avenger missile systems across DC. In fact it makes perect sense to do so, it would be dumb for the government to say something might happen and take no precautions.

That said though the terror alert is weak as hell. Yes it does effect things but it gives no relevent information whatsoever to anyone. There is no need for us to even know what the level is besides travel. Hell they should just rename it to the terror travel delay alert because all it does is change the time for an average citizen to enter effected places. But as an actual alert system it is worthless. Take this new alert, I have heard to be on the look out for everything from poisining our food supply, attacks on power plants, hijacked aircraft, boats used to ram bridges, bombed public celebrations, basically everything I could imagine is in this one warning.

My political to english translator tells me what they really mean is "be afraid be very afraid" or well something along those lines. To make the terror alert worth anything to us other than a guage to travel times they should tell us what to actually freaking look for.

Infact I find the whole thing civilian wise quit funny. Nothing changes for you guys at all. Every time the alert changes no matter the color they tell you the same thing:

Be alert, report suspicouse activities, vote republican(this is a joke), etc...

So what changes for you? Really? Do you not report suspicouse things at yellow but when it turns orange you do? Do you not watch your baggage at the yellow level or something?

But posting security around possible targets is not stupid. think about it, they're already paying the military whether something goes down or not so they might as well be put in position just incase.