U.S.: Railway Baggage Checks Impractical

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040315/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/terror_transit&cid=542&ncid=716

<snip>WASHINGTON - Sweeping baggage checks for passengers on the "very open" U.S. rail transit systems are impractical despite the specter of terrorist threat, a high-level Bush administration official said Monday.

"I don't know that we ought to apply the same strategy that we're using with the airlines," said Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary of homeland security. "Is it practical to have magnetometers for everyone who gets on a subway? Is it practical to search every bag that goes on?"

Hutchinson, appearing on morning television news shows, sought to counter accusations by some congressional Democrats that the administration has not committed sufficient money to protection of the U.S. rail and transit systems.

"First of all, we've invested $115 million in grants to the transit and rail industry," Hutchinson said on ABC's "Good Morning America." He said the federal government is working closely with state and local governments and said "we've done a great deal of security and more needs to be done."

[zanana]

1. I'm going to print and save this news story.

If some trains explode before November, you can bet noone will remember Asa Hutchinson ever saying this.

[mr_hat]

2. "Plus," added Hutchison, "it's mostly poor folk riding trains anyway."

[ihaveaquestion]

3. Rail freight is a huge industry

and a disruption would have serious consequences. The industry might disagree with the assertion that they've "don a great deal of security". I traveled by rail before 9/11 and after and the only thing different was the announcement about not accepting strange baggage and noticing unaccompanied baggage. Not much has been done imo!

[LastDemocratInSC]

4. A wakeup call is needed only when one is asleep

The article says "The attacks in Madrid were 'a wake-up call, a horrific wake-up call,' Hutchinson said on CBS's 'The Early Show.'"

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. But death is so practical

by comparison... :eyes:

[librechik]

6. we need a huge hiring program for port and rail security

and not a phony one like the airport checker fiasco. Those are some jobs that can';t be exported overseas!