You Have Got To Be Kidding?!

[HARDCORE]

Logan has become the first U.S. airport, according to media sources, to allow it?s security personnel to wield (and use) automatic weapons (Assault Rifles of a sort) within its facilities! It was reasoned in ?Beantown? that with terrorist in control of the newest in automatic fire-power, the good guys too, needed a like deterrent!!

?Now this is the part that gets me!??

Those responsible for this decision to supply machine-guns to airport security ?CLAIM? that these weapons pose little or no danger to peaceful airport passengers. Logan, again according to what I saw on the tube, is giving a crash course on the use of these automatic weapons to those whom they will be supplied to!

In a crowded airport, however, and Logan is just that, the chances of not inflicting collateral damage or even the deaths of innocents, from ordnance being sprayed all around the facility, or even bullets that are carefully (?) aimed from machine-guns, is remote indeed.

They (machine-guns) may be intimidating in appearance, but when (not if) an innocent passenger is gunned down, what then!? Will all passengers be forced to sign a release prior to travel, or will the standard: ?GEE, WE?RE SORRY? be the order of the day? And as far as potential legal actions by the bushel, should something unforeseen occur, you can bet on it!

What then amigos - Federal immunity for airport personnel, vilify the innocent victims perhaps, or eventually supply even grenade launchers for security?

"Ludicrous" says you, "well maybe" says I? But I do hope that this scenario is never tested!?

?Granted, even a handgun can cause collateral damage, but not on so grand a scale as a machine-gun in crowded quarters!?

VERITAS :cd: :cd: :cd:

[Andy]

State police and many city police departments in Massachusetts have for years been trained with, not machine-guns, but 9mm assault rifles, actually, accurate sub machine-guns if you want to get technical. They can sometimes be fired on full auto but usually fire single rounds or in 3 round bursts. The 9mm is issued so the bullet will not go through the intended target and hit the person standing behind him or her. Only hollow point round are used. Sorry, police call them "controlled expantion bullets".
Airport security is in large part controlled and maned by State Police officers - troopers. Matter of fact using these weapons efficiently is part of their 6 month basic training.
Similar weapons are used all over Europe. Even the French patrol their airports with similar firearms. One of the ideas is that just the sight of uniformed law enforcement with weapons of this ilk will reduce the number of people who might take the risk of causing violent problems in the airports.
Most of these weapons will also be equipped with Lazar sights which make them quite accurate at close range. With a 9mm bullet, fairly close range is all they are go for.
You've never read a posts from me saying I like Logan Airport, I don't. However, Hardcore I disagree with you on this one. I expect that in the future you'll see similar weapons being carried by law enforcement in airports all over the country.
BTW: I think that cops trained with 9mm's are a lot safer than all the National Guard kids who were carrying M-16's right after 9/11.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[Jerry D]

After spending a few years overseas in Turkey,Greece,Egypt,&Saudi I got used to seeing the Police outside all Banks,Post Offices, and Government Buildings and In the Airports. A State Trooper with a small Caliber sub-machine gun I agree is a lot less Dangerous then A National Guardsman with a Full auto M-16 and a thirty round clip of .223. And them BDU's they wore just never camouflaged them in the terminal as well as a State Trooper in his blues

[delta1/28]

Like you, Jerry, I've been in enough third world countries to not be startled by airport police with submachine guns. Once I took a trip up the Nile on a cruise ship. The ship traveled at night -- during the day it docked so tourists could explore the local sites. While docked at these little Egyptian towns the ship was guarded by some wild looking charactors in traditional Arab dress carrying AK-47s! THAT got my attention.

[Keith_Hixson]

Most Police Departments in the West.
The Police out west have assault weapons in their trunks.
AR-15 or M-16's.
I don't know if I like it but the police do have the right to be as well armed as the terrorists or crooks.

Keith

[HARDCORE]

Thanks for the heads-up gents, and I am aware of the fact that many of these weapons can be used, either auto or semi! But just by virtue of the fact that they can release a full burst in a congested area, is an invitation for an accident!

"This of course, is just my opinion and I certainly hope that it never comes to pass!?"

[Seascamp]

Going back a long time now, I don?t recall any major European airport that didn?t have security forces armed with at least machine pistols. The exception being the UK but what they show and what they have are different and this seems to be well known. I have nothing but gut feel on this, but it seems that nobody wants to screw with UK airport security forces. In places like Jakarta it is not unusual to see roof-mounted full sized machine guns all manned and bunkered in and armored cars with machine guns parked around the airport. Japan seems to be like the UK in that it?s probably what ya don?t see that is most dangerous. So I?d say we are probably playing catch up ball in terms of airport security firepower and the days of minimum wage, untrained, unarmed airport security people are passing in one heck of a hurry.


My second daughter finished up at the FBI academy a bit ago and their boot training consisted of the Beretta 9mm pistol and a H&K stubby looking assault rifle contraption of some sort. It looked scary and really dumped out the ammo but beyond that I was in shock that my little kid was well trained how to use it. So, given my big-eyed, jaw on chest posture at the moment, I didn?t pay a lot of attention to weapon digits and stats kind of things. I was told the H&K is standard FBI issue.

Scamp

[HARDCORE]

If in fact, automatic weapons is a lesser of evils at airports, then so be it! But I say again, as in all things, not only the potential for catastrophe exists, but also the reality!

Granted, we must fight fire with fire, and we must steel ourselves to a harsh reality, but it make it none the less appetizing to make fortresses out of what use to be bastions of relative safety and peace of mind! And this book may, unfortunately, be open-ended in scope and potential!

VERITAS

[TheOldSarge]

Any of you guys ever make Tel-Aviv airport in the early 70s?

Security there at that time made base security in Vietnam look like pre-school.

I have not been there since 73, but I can imagine it being even worse at times since.

What bothers me about arming airport security with atomatic weapons? What kind of training do they get? What are their (security personnel) qualifications? What do they know about the USE of their new toys?

I have some of the same reservations about some of our own local cops that have those assault rifles in the trunk of their patrol car...

The Old Sarge

[HARDCORE]

OLD SARGE-

Funny you should bring that up! I chatted with my middle son last night (also in law enforcement) and he brought up the same questions as you, ie: training, proficiency, mental stability etc.

These are a bit worrisome!

VERITAS