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Home Front
U.S. Aims to Reduce Air Marshalls
2003-07-30
The Transportation Security Administration wants to reduce the number of air marshals to save money, even as the government is warning about the possibility al-Qaida may try more suicide hijackings.
Good timing, guys.
The TSA is seeking approval from Congress to cut $104 million from the air marshal program to help offset a $900 million budget shortfall. It’s unclear how many of the estimated several thousand air marshal jobs would be affected. "When we are faced with more priorities than we have funding to support, we have to go through a process of trying to address the most urgent needs," TSA spokesman Robert Johnson said.
Sounds like a ploy to get even more money.
News of the air marshal program cutbacks come as the Department of Homeland Security is warning of the possibility of hijackings.
Like I said, timing.
Posted by:Steve

#7  It was Todd Beamer, immortalized in Neil Youngs' "Let's Roll". Americans kick ass when they know the score. These islamic pussies figuring on bringing boxcutters for the next hijackings better figure out how they'll satisfy 72 white raisins if they've been manually castrated
Posted by: Frank G   2003-7-30 4:40:14 PM  

#6  Bush needs to publicly take the moral high ground and to quit reacting to Demo's baiting. He has a great majority of the public that is sick and tired of REMF-types trying to bring down the country and its intrinsic values. People that harp on him are small in number and big in dBA (volume). Bush needs to jump on the bully pulpit and go to the people. He needs to set an example, especially in security. Concrete steps and not a bunch of defensive verbage. He will lose in '04 if he plays defense with the Dems.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-7-30 4:28:25 PM  

#5  These guys are needed, but I think something like 9/11 would be unlikely today. I travel and like most people today, I am quite ready to step up to the plate if the plane is taken over. I do not talk from bravado, but with the understanding that this would be the only course of action. I am not 'scary-brave' but 'mad-brave' and if I am going down, I am going down fighting. I am sure that those on the planes on 9/11 would have done the same if they knew what was up. To quote someone 'Bring it on!' and that is the attitude of most of many of my fellow travelers too.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2003-7-30 1:31:49 PM  

#4  We used to call 'em the office heroes (i.e. billable) and the office zeroes (i.e. overhead).
Posted by: PD   2003-7-30 12:44:36 PM  

#3  Cut the pencil-pushers, not the gun-toters.

Idjits.
Posted by: mojo   2003-7-30 12:28:18 PM  

#2  spokesdink? uberdink? lol
Posted by: Frank G   2003-7-30 11:42:34 AM  

#1  As for addressing the most urgent needs, try trimming some of the politically-paid off (read: appointed without merit) management, instead. Start with Robert Johnson, paid spokesdink. Then tell the uberdink Homeland Security Director Ridge to reconsider trying to blackmail the US public.

Dubya, fix this, dump him, or face the heat yourself - your choice, but it's our lives you're playing politics with here. You declared the WoT, now clean up the team and get the job done without the theatrics. This is one of the real issues, not that stupid shit the Dems are chasing - and it can really blow up in your face. Fair warning.
Posted by: PD   2003-7-30 11:00:50 AM  

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