November 26, 2006
Thanks, Karl...
The politicization of terror has blown up in Karl Rove's face. While my evidence that frequent fliers are fed up with BushCo is anecdotal, the notion that prohibiting shampoo and body lotion in carry-on luggage helps the cause seems to be supported only by talking heads and other assorted morons on the Faux News Channel.
The whole Oscar-Cookie Monster-Big Bird-Ernie-Elmo color code threat warning scheme has been widely regarded as a political tool and joke since Tom Ridge left the position of DHS Secretary and all but admitted as much. Still, a few extra National Guardsman at BOS with M16s didn't seem all that bad a thing at the time.
In spite of all this, even the most cynical of BushCo bashers would stop short of accusing the gang who can't shoot straight of truly jeopardising counter-terrorism efforts. Time to be more cynical:
An investigation by MI5 and Scotland Yard into an alleged plan to smuggle explosive devices on up to 10 passenger jets was jeopardised in August, when the US put pressure on authorities in Pakistan to arrest a suspect allegedly linked to the airliner plot.
The result? Serious danger to air travelers:
As a direct result of the surprise detention of the suspect, British police and MI5 were forced to rush forward plans to arrest an alleged UK gang accused of plotting to destroy the airliners. But a second group of suspected terrorists allegedly linked to the first evaded capture and is still at large, according to security sources.
so, it turns out that the no-liquid panic really had something behind it:
The escape of the second group is said to be the reason why the UK was kept at its highest level - "critical" - for three days before it was decided that the plotters no longer posed an imminent threat.
This moment in aviation history brought to you by Karl Rove's plans to maintain a permanent Republican majority...
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