Personally I don’t associate myself with any group,
truthers, birthers or assholes- a group where you
should be nominated to be its honorary member for your
lack of respect towards people you share this forum
with. I question the official theory which almost
always gets distorted and misrepresented by the
government, and I will not waste my time here copy-
pasting official congressional transcripts and
documents,911truthdotorg showed enough courtesy here.

diman:
No, we’re not in a courtroom. But that doesn’t mean we should have to waste our time reading all this “truther” crap either. You guys are as bad as the right-wingnut “birthers.”

ardee:

First, I agree that-
“This entire ‘war on terror’ has become a handy means for controlling the masses through fear and intimidation. It is , and has been from the first I think, a way to extract huge profits from our children’s future.”

But you are probably talking about the US as “controller” and “extractor” where I believe it’s the jihadists who are instilling fear, and causing us to spend huge sums to defend ourselves.

Also I disagree with, “...the most violent nation on the planet…” Come on now, ardee. Tell that to the Cambodians, the Sudanese, the Chechens, etc. As for Iraq and Afghanistan, Saddam and the Taliban killed far more of their own people before we got there than we have since. When is the last time the US Military killed people on the scale of, say, the Iran-Iraq war? Viet Nam doesn’t even come close.

If by “most violent” you only mean having the biggest, baddest, loudest toys, you’re absolutely right and I hope that never changes. But if we use body count and actual human pain and suffering as a measure, I’m not sure you can make that claim with intellectual honesty.

You are absolutely not an idiot. You’re one of the most thoughtful, literate (which is an admittedly low hurdle) posters on this blog. You’re just smug in your opinions- sort of like me.

ardee:
“It also ignores the fact that the entire “war on terror” is really a method to extract great profit from our nation.”

If what you mean by that is that the US has to spend billions of dollars to protect itself against a terrorist operating on a shoestring budget, then I agree wholeheartedly.

Well,rfidler, March 7 at 8:20 pm , I think I meant what I said and said what I meant. Thanks for not lumping me in with those you judge as ‘idiots’.

This entire ‘war on terror’ has become a handy means for controlling the masses through fear and intimidation. It is , and has been from the first I think, a way to extract huge profits from our children’s future.

While bin Laden is worth several hundred million you are correct in that we spend much , trillions by the by and not just a paltry few hundred billion, to defend ourselves from those who will continue to commit acts of violence against the most violent nation on the planet for reasons we , most of us, fail to grasp.

I honestly think that this so-called terrorism cannot be defeated by military might. But that is just the way to greatest profit.

To RFIDLER

We are not in a courtroom and you are not a judge to be
presented the evidence to, you know how to use the
internet don’t you, since you have already mastered the
skill of insulting people using it, it would be easy
for you to find information relevant to the matter,
just like 911TRUTHDOTORG did.

oh this will be soooo cool when the tabloids get their hands on celebrity scans! I
can’t wait…

This information is not a “conspiracy theory” but taken directly from a Congressional transcript.

In a nutshell, the “official” underwear bomber story is a lie.

I’ve only seen this reported on very few internet sites, but radio talk show host, Mike Malloy,
was all over this story when it came out about a month ago.

There was no failure to"connect the dots” like originally reported. They knew all about Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab,
and he was allowed to board that flight by US intelligence agencies. An eyewitness even says he was escorted onto
that flight by a “very well dressed man”.

DHS Sec.Janet Napolitano was correct, like she first said on TV - the system worked as planned - she just didn’t get the memo about the “official” story the gov’t wanted out, so they silenced her immediately.

“A January 27 hearing of the House Committee on Homeland Security established
that US intelligence agencies stopped the State Department from revoking the US
visa of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab”.

“The revelation that US intelligence agencies made a deliberate decision to
allow Abdulmutallab to board the commercial flight, without any special airport
screening, has been buried in the media.”

Official Congressional transcript:
http://homeland.house.gov/SiteDocuments/20100127100911-16626.pdf

From Patrick Kennedy’s report::
“They had the individual under investigation and our revocation action would
have disclosed the U.S. Government’s interest in the individual and ended
our colleagues ability to quietly pursue the case and identify terrorists
plans and co-conspirators.”

Why was this story not headline breaking news like the original story was?

I’m guessing it’s because the government wanted to “fear up” the public again
and justify the billion dollar contracts and use of the (potentially cancer
causing) airport body scanners and also justify military action in Yemen, which
happened soon thereafter.

Immediately after the story came out, former DHS Sec. Michael Chertoff was all
over the news talking up the need for the airport body scanners.
But what he neglected to mention is that he now represents the company that
makes those scanners - Rapiscan.

Full Body Scanner Lobby: Michael Chertoff & Rapiscan
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/full-body-scanner-lobby-michael-chertoff-rapiscan-2552674.html

And Obama, without hesitation, authorized billions for their deployment.

And now portable body scanners are being developed to be used everywhere.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2010/01/dutch_police_develop_mobile_bo.php
http://www.nrc.nl/international/Features/article2454112.ece/Dutch_police_try_to_develop_x-ray_vision

So the bottom line is that the use of these body scanners is being based on an
absolute lie. Fear is being used to justify these billion dollar contracts and further
destroy the remainder of our rights, privacy and dignity.

I live in Hawaii, and have little choice but to fly if I want to leave my Island. Funny how seldom the urge to travel strikes me these days.

As for terrorism, if I am going to be afraid of random violence, I’d worry much more about irritating some cop or other person with a bit of authority, little intelligence, and less training; which is the definition of most employees of the Dept of Homeland Security. The other ‘fif’ [Frequently ignored fact] is that most would-be terrorists are home grown and more likely to attack a public building or public transportation than to smuggle explosives onto a commercial plane.

The 9/11 perpetrators, and the guy who ‘bombed’ the IRS in Texas didn’t use explosives. No need, they just used the planes themselves. The Oklahoma City Bombers used readily available fertilizer. Bulk fertilizer still does not carry identifying tags due to the cost to the manufacturer, btw. Every action taken by the Government to reduce the Rights of the Citizens in the name of ‘SECURITY’ results in more inconvenience, and smarter bad guys. Actions that might improve our security in the real world, are ignored.

I never worry about drowning in the Atlantic.  It’s the Pacific that will get me - and not in a plane either. That is assuming I drown. If that is my fate, I doubt if 100 Full Body Scans would protect me - or anyone else, for that matter.

diman:
“...terrorist who was intentionally allowed to board the
plane, so Michael Chertoff and his buddies at Rapiscan
could get their contract from government.”

Do you have some evidence of that?

You’re an idiot.

kt2kelly:
“I am starting to really think the undies bomber was a
plant by our government”

Do you have some evidence of that?

You’re an idiot.

ardee:
“It also ignores the fact that the entire “war on terror” is really a method to extract great profit from our nation.”

If what you mean by that is that the US has to spend billions of dollars to protect itself against a terrorist operating on a shoestring budget, then I agree wholeheartedly.

Fourth Amendment?  What Fourth Amendment?

Another triumph for big business. This time the airlines. What won’t they do to
maintain the perception that it’s safe to fly?

And millions of dollars later (paid by the customer of course) what’s to stop them
from bombing city buses? It’s not as if airline safety is the only potential leak in
the security dike.

Why not throw that money at the source of the problem: the grievances and
resentment (legit or not, it doesn’t matter) others feel toward us. Or maybe we’d
just rather live like the Israelis. Smug and righteous, fearful and hated.

Has anyone asked what the DOSE of RADIATION is (and how well regulated the machines are)? Ordinary medical XRAY is dangerous, and XRAY-MACHINES are notoriously dangerous if not calibrated and run by people who understand the medical side of things.

Flying could get dangerous especially for people who do it often! Terrorism is VERY rare (so far); but the XRAYs could be very frequent.

dihey, March 6 at 8:45 pm #

I do not mind to be screened in this manner if that prevents me from drowning in the Atlantic Ocean.

I think this comment a rather shallow appraisal of both the causes of and the prevention of terrorism. It also ignores the fact that the entire “war on terror” is really a method to extract great profit from our nation.

We can put all the restrictions, all the security, all the impediments to such acts in place. Those who wish to oust the West from its theft of resources, from its continual murder of innocent civilians,  from the kidnapping,rendition and torture of their fellows,  whether due to religious extremism or love of country, will continue to find ways to demonstrate their will.

If you truly want to avoid drowning in the Atlantic, or even just end the three and four hour airport stay to make a two hour flight, then work to end Western Imperialism against the very nations from which these “acts of terrorism” stem.

If they have already installed these scanners in your
hometown’s airport,the hike in the price of an airline
ticket is imminent.In Canada,with the approval of a new
budget, we will pay more taxes to finance this
nonsense. Relax Dihey you have more chances to go down
the ocean in a plane due to some technical problems
rather than to major underwear malfunction of some fake
terrorist who was intentionally allowed to board the
plane, so Michael Chertoff and his buddies at Rapiscan
could get their contract from government.

And who’s profiting?  Among other, Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security, now a consultant for the manufacturer, Rapiscan (does “rapi” stand for rapid or rape?).  He was on the road promoting full-body scans immediately after the apprehension of the Christmas bomber.  Even NPR called him on his connection to the industry.

What comes around, goes around! This can all be traced back to the apathy of the American people for the last 30 years.

I am starting to really think the undies bomber was a
plant by our government to boost the calls and the
implementation of these full body scanners.Our gov.
agencies are working hand in hand with private industry
to totally eviscerate our civil liberties and rights as
AMERICANS.

Great! No one will need to watch porn flicks anymore. LOL….

Wait until some of these images hit YouTube. Whoopie Goldberg? Rosie O’Donnell? Larry King? Or do they all have private jets?

I do not mind to be screened in this manner if that prevents me from drowning in the Atlantic Ocean.

I’m so happy that the world changed when we elected Obama and the trends of all these Bush era practices switched directions when he left office.