The senate voted unanimously Thursday to tighten security at U.S. seaports by scanning nearly all incoming cargo for nuclear weapons or dirty bombs.
any opinion?
what do you think?
2006-09-21 08:36:08 · 10 answers · asked by ? 3 in News & Events ➔ Current Events
This is a bill that is long overdue but is a step in the right direction.
The media has diverted too much attention to airports and air travel as being the main avenue of future terrorist attempts, perhaps due to the airborne nature of the 9/11 attacks.
But many experts agree that our ports and coastlines are much more difficult to guard and are therefore, more vulnerable. The Coast Guard is already stretched too thin and has a wide range of responsibilities that range from stopping and searching suspicious vessels to rescuing people in trouble at sea.
Technology does exist to scan incoming cargo containers at ports. But it is expensive and time-consuming. Having seen how they conduct operations at major ports, it is a scramble for the workers just to unload huge cargo ships and get them sorted and moving onto trucks in a timely manner. Stopping to open and search any container that looks suspicious will mean time and money. The port authorities will be loathe to adopt anything that will slow them down. But given the potential dire consequences and immense number of cargo containers coming in every day, a sampling of the cargo at each major port is not enough. It's all too easy for terrorists to hide that needle in a huge haystack. Whatever scheme we come up with, it has to be intelligent and efficient.
2006-09-21 09:24:08 · answer #1 · answered by 3kewenay3 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Senate is in a bind with that vote for investment...do not vote for it and get accused of ravenous the troops, do vote for it and be portrayed as helping the policies of a failed Republican administration, in the event that they'd run a rustic to boot as they are able to establish a Hobsons decision, they won't be doing so badly. This although is yet another occasion of a thank you to stretch the reality to cover your at the back of. Obama performs that game properly.
2016-12-18 14:28:09 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pre-election BS, just like the (unfunded) 700-mile-long wall on the Mexican border.
After November, you will not hear about this again until we near the 2008 elections.
It's just like leaving our troops in Iraq to be killed until it is politically expedient to bring them home for votes.
Doesn't that sound like terrorist behavior?
2006-09-21 08:44:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Took them long enough, where are they getting the money for it though? I hope they are taking it out of the Iraq Debacle budget.
2006-09-21 08:43:24 · answer #4 · answered by John J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is about time!
2006-09-21 09:51:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
2006-09-21 08:37:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's about time
2006-09-21 20:25:37 · answer #7 · answered by acid tongue 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
did you say scanning?
It would be kinda late at that point! detonators can de used from a long distance.
2006-09-21 08:38:40 · answer #8 · answered by x-factor 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it sound good but that pre election show.They should did that 5 years ago
2006-09-21 08:38:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Should have happened sooner .
2006-09-21 11:28:20 · answer #10 · answered by missmayzie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋