Note from a Wise Man
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
07 January 2013
A note appeared on a private message board. This private group includes many current and former generals, and just about anyone you see on television or in books as a national security specialist, ranging from CIA to all the top war correspondents, special operations types galore, and high-level policy makers. There is significant education value in just reading their traffic.
A few days back, retired Marine and 3-star General Mick Trainor left this note. I asked LTG (ret.) Trainor for permission to publish on my website, and he agreed.
Now for the show:
It’s Who You Know That Counts
By Mick Trainor
The TSA agent walked down the line of Christmas travelers awaiting screening at Dulles airport. He ran a swab over the palm of randomly selected individuals. I was one of them. As I hoisted my luggage onto the surveillance conveyor another agent asked me to step aside while a third agent abruptly commandeered my travel suitcase.
“Did you use hand cream this morning?”
“Yes,” I replied, “Why do you ask?”
“Because there is a trace of nitrate on your hands. That is not uncommon with some hand lotions. Nitrate is an element of explosives.”
“OK,”.I thought. “I have soft hands, but not a bomb.” Notwithstanding such logic, I was informed that I would have to have a full body search. With that two agents escorted me to a private room while other agents began to tear apart my luggage.
“Is this really necessary?” I enquired. “I’m an eighty four year old, native born American citizen who spent forty years in the Marines and fought in two wars and retired as a general.”
“Oh, you were a Marine.” said one agent. “My father-in-law is a retired Marine colonel of about your vintage. His name is Webster. Did you know him?”
“I knew a Charlie Webster, who went as ‘Chuck.’ We went through Quantico together as new lieutenants.”
“That’s him.” replied my interrogator ….. as he proceeded with the full body search.
Reader support is crucial to this mission. Weekly or monthly recurring ‘subscription’ based support is the best, though all are greatly appreciated. Recurring and one-time donations are available through PayPal or Authorize.net.
To send a check or money order:
Michael Yon
P O Box 5553
Winter Haven, FL 33880-5553
I will continue to do my part in telling the stories that are not being told. Readers must also do their part by keeping the cash flowing. Cash is essential .
Thank you!
Michael
Comments
To be fair to the Homeland Security guy Timothy McVeigh was a former US Serviceman, as was Lee Harvey Oswald.
Swift and Bold
Mike
That is not even remotely being fair. That you would equate a 3 star Marine General to the other two as also being a potential madman is rather insulting to the general, and to yourself.
DC always has patsy's to take the fall for them.
http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/
Sadly, LTG Trainor had to deal with somebody who hasn't gotten the memo.
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2010/11/02/let%E2%80%99s-not-forget-the-tsa-front-line-successes/
Do you want to assign a value to the life of another American? Measured in inconveniences?
Yes, it's easy to poke fun at the TSA. But if it saves one bombing, one plane crash, one act of senseless violence, isn't it worth some amount of inconvenience?
They weren't rude to him. They didn't publicly humiliate him. They slowed him down and hurt his pride, something we all have a little too much of.
I hate being slowed down by TSA too. Just like I hate getting speeding tickets. But I don't consider either of them something I should be automatically excused from.
All attempts have been thwarted by passengers.
The TSA is a wannabe gestapo. No emotional appeals will ever convince me otherwise.
Some years back Joe Foss was "molested" by some TSA morons and at one point they waved his Medal of Honor in front of his face demanding to know what it was. People are wondering what has happened to our country, it is simple, it is called LIBERALISM!
The Founding Fathers intended the average Citizen to be the first deterrent to crime:
"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed."
Thomas Jefferson
It's our right and our DUTY to be armed! How many hijackings or theater shootings or school shootings would there be if all the able and trained gun owners in the US were permitted to exercise that crucial right?
"A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."
Thomas Jefferson
DC has gone too far for the last 40 years in curtailing our RIGHTS! The time is now! Take a stand NOW or explain to your grand children why they can't have the same Liberty our Grandparents gave us.
I fully and completely agree with your perspective on the right to bear arms (more please!) but I don't see how it applies to the TSA.
This was most infamously demonstrated on January 11, 2002 at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport (pre-TSA, but still typical) when former South Dakota Governor, WWII Marine Ace and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss was detained and searched. He happened to be carrying his Medal of Honor with him which had set off the metal detector. The security officer stated that because it was pointy and had sharp edges it would have to be confiscated and destroyed. Luckily, calmer and less clueless heads prevailed and General Foss was finally allowed to proceed to his gate WITH his Medal; but not without considerable delay and embarrassment, not to mention incredulous anger on the part of a lot of people.
This same state of affairs continues to exist today, more than ten years later. If anything it has gotten worse, and in my opinion even more arbitrary.
Israel unapologeticall y profiles its passengers. If a person fits the criteria for a potential threat they are thoroughly interrogated and searched. Those who obviously pose no threat are seldom molested. Furthermore, their security personnel are highly trained and motivated professionals; not virtual rent-a-cops just one step away from serving up french fries at McDonalds.
Let's not insult McDonalds workers by even remotely comparing them with the TSA (Terrorist Service Actionaries). I always get polite service by hard-working, polite and efficient people at McDonalds.
Thousands Standing Around! I am a retired Marine pilot and current airline pilot! Having lived with TSA since 911 it is obvious they have no interest in common sense and logic!
This comes from the TOP! Former Secret Service agents have a lot of sway and no decision making is allowed. I feel sorry for them because they have a thankless job that unless they toe the line they are fired!
However, I don't think checking for nitrates on folks' hands should be a high priority for TSA.
DHS and TSA were created in response to the 9/11 attacks by GEORGE W BUSH.
Get your facts straight!
They take their orders from the same place. From the Patriot Act, to Obamacare we are moving towards Socialism and the frogs sit merrily in the water as it gets one degree hotter each day!
The civilian force Obama wanted? Don't look for him to create it. Bush did that for him already! DHS is exactly that! KGB, Gestapo, Stassi, yeah it's all the same when you analyze the results!
Of course we're branded islama-phobes for pointing that out. It's NOT a phobia when they ARE trying to kill you!
Brownshirts indeed.
who I am going to see, so I am through being your training exercise for this other young man. I am on my way to your country at the behest of my boss, not because I really desire to go. So either pass me through or deny me boarding. The only people who will be unhappy if I don't get on the plane will be your people. The the ball is in your court, play it." There was some snickering from the other screeners and I went on board. Later, I found that the Israeli Prime Minister was up in the attic of the 747. Leaving the plane at TelAviv I stopped at the obvious security guy at the bottom of the stairs to the attic and said, "You know, your screeners at JFK did a really thorough job, they should be complimented. He replied, "I will tell them, thank you Sergeant T*******". I grinned back because the ID in my wallet was the only thing that said I was retired military, and they never saw that.
I have lived in Israel for about 12 years in total.
Your story is going down in my storybook as one of the best. And I do have great stories.
When do We The People stand up and say, "ENOUGH!" When do we take back our republic and enforce the US Constitution on DC?
http://merrellmichael.blogspot.com/
Spent researching these facts surround his fellow workers.
When you let liberals control law enforcement, military or any kind of security, common sense goes out the window in favor of "not hurting people's feelings".
RSS