Air marshals pulled from key flights (to save hotel expenses)

[leQ]

Despite renewed warnings about possible airline hijackings, the Transportation Security Administration has alerted federal air marshals that as of Friday they will no longer be covering cross-country or international flights, MSNBC.com has learned. The decision to drop coverage on flights that many experts consider to be at the highest risk of attack apparently stems from a policy decision to rework schedules so that air marshals don’t have to incur the expense of staying overnight in hotels.

http://msnbc.com/news/945774.asp?0cv=CA00
i'm too shocked for words.

[cthrumatrix]

1. LOL.... use some of that $4B a month for IRAQ.... this whole

admin. should be impeached for quagmire they ahve created with deception, lies and deficits.

[kayell]

2. Well, that sure makes it easier for SOMEONE to hijack an airplane

they sure are hoping for something to happen it looks like. I wonder if the rest of the country is starting to see it.

[Ganja Ninja]

3. Here's an easy fix for this problem.

The way I see it the problem is two fold. We don’t have enough air marshals to meet the Bush administration’s terror threat assessment and we don’t have the funds for these air marshals due to Bush’s tax cuts. The solution is simple. Since Bush and Cheney are traveling all over the country and raising a record amount of campaign money they must have a very large contingent of secret service agents providing security for them. Why not take about 75% of them and reassign them as air marshals until either the budget crisis is solved or the terror threat has blown over. Why should air travelers have to sacrifice their safety for Bush’s? If he can’t travel safely then he should stay home in the bunker.

[Loonman]

4. Set up?

Set up for the Reichstag fire?

[loudsue]

13. And Bush is going to Crawford for a month????

When is this country going to get a clue and get rid of this evil cabal???


:kick:

[priller]

5. I would say they are "penny wise, pound foolish"

but they're not wise at all, they're simply FOOLS.

[dbt]

6. How very transparent!

With another round of jets-as-guided-missiles coming from al-Qaeda (or so the Regime says) and bu$h taking YET ANOTHER month-long vacation at The Raunch between fund-raising jaunts (remember how EVIL it was for Clinton and Gore to constantly be raising money?), this is beginning to look like LIHOP 2 or MIHOP2.

And everyone will see this except the Sheep. They'll blithely continue to wave the flag and bleat "Four legs good, two legs baaa-aad!"

We are SO fucked. Again.

:freak:
dbt

[prolesunited]

7. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=41531&mesg_id=41531

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

8. Haven't they heard...

..."Everything's Great at Super 8" hotels/motels. LOL

[jeanmarc]

9. Give Al-Queda a tax credit for each terrorist attack they don't make

That's a republicon solution for everything. I emailed Kay Bailey Hutchinson's office in Texas, but I doubt she'll do anything. She's basically useless.

[LeftHander]

10. Just in time too...

Bush and the Saudi's wouldn't want a Air Marshall screwing up their highjacking plans...

[phillybri]

11. THIS is being strong on Homeland Security???

Compromising safety aboard airplanes to cut costs!!!!

The almighty dollar leads our glorious leader once again!

[Braden]

12. huh?

doesn't the government own real estate in every city and town in America? Is there not a naval base near LA, San Fran, NY, Boston where Air Marshalls could be put up for overnights in dormatory style quarters?

hell the naval base in Philly is at the end of the runway.

Bushco is the biggest joke since Cal Coolidge.

[tibbiit]

14. I just wrote my

Repig senator... head repug-pig of all times Teddy Stevens.
I sent the msnbc link and headline, told him he needs a new heading for his email contacts called WTF? (i always end up using other:).

I almost turn myself inside out in amazement some days.
You could NOT make this stuff up, its too crazed!
tib

[jackstraw45]

15. Don't forget: GOP Nixes $1.75 Billion for Homeland Security

Senate Rejects Bid to Boost Homeland Security Funding

By Helen Dewar
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 23, 2003; Page A07

Senate Republicans yesterday turned back the first of several Democratic attempts to add to proposed spending for homeland security next year, ensuring the issue a role in the 2004 congressional elections.

A proposal by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) to add $1.75 billion to the $29.3 billion appropriations bill for the new Department of Homeland Security was defeated on a largely party-line vote of 50 to 43 -- 17 votes short of the 60 needed under Senate rules because the proposal exceeded budget allocations.

(cut)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A31348-2003Jul22?language=printer

[underpants]

16. ATTENTION TERRORISTS: you have an 8 day open window

“All overnights, starting from August first through the ninth, were canceled,” an air marshal told MSNBC.com. “My told me overnights for all were being canceled for an indefinite amount of time,” said the air marshal, who requested anonymity. “The supervisors said they only had time to change schedules through the ninth.”

Brilliant just absolutely brilliant.

[ZenLefty]

17. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=41531&mesg_id=41531