The next person to answer Basils rhetorical point of view will be diverging way off topic. DON'T!
I'm sorry, but the current hysterical announcements that appear to be coming from the US causing the current media feeding frenzy about the security issues with the BA Washington flights are just another example of how to let the terrorists know that they have succeeded. I have never known any security service deal with the threats they claim are now pending in such a public, "cry wolf", way.
If they had credible information then they should be dealing with it in as low key as possible. I know of no security agency that makes public annoucements about their operations in as much detail as has been coming out of the US in recent weeks. Any intelligence service worth its salt gets on with their job in the background and whilst they often get little credit for any of their successes because there is nothing in the 'news', in this case we appear to have very public announcements in some apparent attempt to justify their lack of 'obvious' success.
What we appear to have is a farce. If they have credible evidence then they should be dealing with it in a quiet and efficient manner. If all they are trying to do is prevent the terrorists from boarding in the first place then they are doing a good job but now they will just move to a different target flight. The intelligence (sic) services only have to cry wolf a few more times and the terrorists job will be made that much easier.
It does smack of 'job justification' with little understanding of the nature of the job at hand. If they are successful then there is no public fanfare. That's the nature of their jobs. If they're unsuccessful then they have failed. This latest farce appears to be an attempt to justify some future failure they are fearful of being blamed for.
Please excuse those if us outside the US who observe what is now going on as a monumental over-reaction. They would probably have much more success if they got on with their jobs without all the pronouncements. I have already made plans for a trip to Canada to avoid having to go through a US airport even though it would have been cheaper. Not a scientific poll but certainly now enters my mind that I will avoid having to transit through the USA. Not because of the fear of insecurity but because of the overreaction and the way they have decided to handle security in the first place. I wonder how many other passengers will be thinking this way? And... before those Americans of a sensitive nature get all angry and gung-ho, I still love their country and will visit again. I just can't stand the hype and apparent over reaction to situations we have been deaing with outside the US for many years.
Last edited by Danny; 2nd Jan 2004 at 19:55.