As you say Hawk, the main thing that has been used against the USA is the mindset of the USA not to mention the tools of the USA. I personally think it was an attack on the world and progress [another version of Ted Kaczynski and opposition to the process of globalisation, technology and subsuming of localized cultures into a global culture - I dislike Nigga Rap for example and feel put upon when the ugly noise arrives in my ears - I have to defend myself by confronting offspring, changing radio stations, carefully vetting movies].
But the mindset of passengers and crew has changed from passive acquiescence and the expectation of an unplanned trip to some destination such as Havana. Until this event, hijackings rarely resulted in any great trauma to passengers, so there was no apparent sense in 'playing the hero' until now.
Heck, even the non-pilot hijackers didn't know what was going on.
But now, as soon as somebody lights a fag in the dunny, the whole plane and airforce go nuts and threaten to shoot the plane down! If somebody sprinkles some confetti, they don't talk to him, they go insane.
So, let's say 4 hijackers, disguised as European nuns, manage to sneak onto the plane and they have some boxcutters or a handgun, [it won't be easy to get machine guns onto the plane]. They stand up to go to the toilet and everyone watches them [everyone is watching everyone]. They reach for their habit and pull out the machete!
The plane will go berserk with screaming and uproar, hurling 700 ml bottles of duty free whisky, hero guys holding pillows and blankets in front of them to ward off the first slashes rushing to the attack. The pilot will push the nose down hard and everyone not tied down will fly up to the ceiling. Then he'll pull back and they'll crash onto the floor.
There won't be any more hijacking.
The thing to watch for is something totally different, such as Sarin in the Subway.
They've done their big attack. Unless they have a nuke [which seems unlikely] any other attacks will be of nuisance value and probably embarrassing to the jihadists. They scored the most amazing jackpot possible with the attack on the WTC.
A telling point was their recent warning to Moslems to avoid tall buildings and planes. Hahaahahaha!!! These guys are a joke [albeit a viciously effective joke so far]. That confirms that they have got nothing up their sleeves. They didn't give a WTC warning to Moslems. Why bother now?
Alternatively, they could be aiming to sidetrack defences and while everyone is looking up at tall buildings and planes, they'll be operating at sea level [or below]. My guess is that they've got not much up their sleeve other than some Sarin attacks or the like. Anthrax was fine as a weapon before antibiotics, but that won't amount to a big deal.
It's time to go flying folks. Prices are low, safety is high. But buy a Globalstar phone too. It's always good to be in touch. A Globalstar phone works nearly everywhere, including 10km high in an aircraft ...http://www.globalstar.com/pages/coverage.html
Not only that, a Globalstar phone has a dirty great antenna which can conceal a firing mechanism [for taser, bullet, tranquillizer dart, skunk oil, or little flag saying 'bang']. The phone can also be swung by the antenna and used as a dongy-knocker. globalstar.com
Anyway HW, as you say, passengers are now armed with the most important weapon = mindset. I would rather face a bush-baby with a boxcutter in a 767 than a SEAL or Delta Force with a nightscope at night in the jungle.
I don't subscribe to the theory that the hijackers were cowards. That's a silly suggestion. It's easy to frighten cowards and those people [especially the pilots] didn't frighten very easily. Neither is Osama a coward - I wouldn't want to take on USS Enterprise with an AK47 and a bunker in a cold climate, then go on tv to provoke them to rage while murdering thousands of people from around the world and destroying the totems of modernity. I'd rather listen to Nigga Rap or Eminem. I can always adjust the volume down.
Excellent Onion article about new restrictions on freedom, discussion etc...check brain at door. Required in fanatical SI discussions too. Message 16492524
Once again, the generals, this time with their plans for Star Wars missile defences, were caught preparing to fight the last war. Ooops, no, it's not an incoming ICBM, it's Abdul with a boxcutter. No, hang on... forget the planes, it's Ahmed with a packet of Anthrax. No... here we go with some Sarin in a Subway. Wait for the next installment - does Osama have a nuke? That one makes me feel sick...
Meanwhile, let's revamp the UN and give the Osama, Ted Kaczynski, Seattle and Genoa Street thugs, Luddites and Antiprogress Greens, something else to take potshots at instead of the USA. I'm sure the USA is sick of being cast as the big, bad, world policeman by aspiring totalitarian chieftains. The world is a bit sick of it too. Mostly because the policeman is sensibly more interested in the policeman's interests and income than neighbourhood tranquility [East Timor suffered for decades with the local constabulary [Australia and NZ] and Chief Policeman [USA] turning a blind eye]. The USA can't run the world, even with help from the People's Republic of Aotearoa [previously Kiwiland, aka New Zealand], Oz and Tony, though it can offer some leadership and George Bush has been doing a good job of that in my book.
Mqurice |
