As long as Islamic terrorists are allowed by moderate Muslims and the rest of the world to remain in their fetid cocoons, hating modernity and their own failure to win prosperity and political and human rights in their countries of origin, we will have to be worried about Washington State Ferries being blown up.
Now, apparently, we need to worry even more. The Coast Guard wants the State Patrol to do random searches on three times as many vehicles per day. Otherwise, schedules may be curtailed, or the system shut down. The feds say there's a heightened terrorism risk with the approaching presidential election, and more inspections are essential. Ferry systems in six other states will have to do more random searches, too.
For non-Washington readers, understand that these boats are a big part of our state's highway system, by law. Some typically carry hundreds of cars at peak hours, serving many commuters, and, in the summer, tourists. It is the nation's largest ferry system, carrying 11 million cars and 25 million passengers a year.
And yes, the ferries ARE extremely vulnerable to terrorism, just as Seattle's new 14-mile monorail Green Line will be if it is ever built.
Regarding the ferries, The Seattle Times reports today:
The FBI determined earlier this spring that Washington's ferry system was the target of surveillance by possible terrorists, U.S. Attorney John McKay said yesterday. That assessment describes what McKay has said is a disturbing series of incidents that seem to indicate a group of individuals has been watching the ferries, taking notes, snapping photographs and attempting to access areas on boats and in terminals where the public is not allowed.
The State Patrol, however, has had problems meeting even the lower levels of mandated inspections so far. It will need more explosives-detecting dogs, and/or "redeployment of troopers, possible mandatory overtime and the physical searching of cars," according to The Times.
The Department of Homeland Security has provided $14 million to the state, but somehow none of it has been used for troopers or more bomb-sniffing dogs.
It appears an oft-cited state Supreme Court ruling won't get in the way, although the ACLU might decide to wave its freak flag high, as the election approaches. That ruling says the Washington constitution doesn't allow random searches.
Increased searches will be an indignity to some and an inconvenience to many. But then, being blown to smithereens is also inconvenient.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at September 29, 2004 04:05 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.rosenblog.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/532
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference The Fruits of Failure:
» nude teens from
teen titans hentai pre teen models pre teen model teen tits teen girls in thongs teen titans hentai [Read More]
Tracked on August 27, 2005 06:22 PM