AIRLINE: "How much stupider can they get?" -- Alireza These are the marks of a Republican administration. Historically, they aren't for big government, so they'll do what they can to narrow it down. I realize that large bureaucracies have their downside, but I lean more towards government control in matters of ATC and FAA, than letting the needle swing toward the private side. In the U.S., private business generally doesn't protect the public on its own unless it is forced to do so by the government. (cars safety, noise and air polution, etc.) BTW, I thought ATC in Canada was Aeroports Canada? " Why do we need Ben Gurion security at all US airports? Because there were four hijackings on one day two years ago? How long had it been before that, during all those years that it was "a standard complaint"? " -- Nick LaFlamme Sounds good to me. Nearly three thousand people dead and an economy thrown further into chaos, not to mention the affect on the airlines, is reason enough. Airports are a network. A weak link threatens the entire system. As for "a standard complaint" I recall advocates saying tighter security when Flight 800 occured, in those first few days when some thought it was bomb, before they determined otherwise. Otherwise, I suppose the major incidents with other world carriers, like Air India, Pan Am over Lockerbie. Another incident comes to mind in Southeast Asia, but I can't recall the details. But I confess that 9/11 was helped along as I recall, by agents that took last minute passengers who paid in cash, didn't have any baggage, bought one way tickets. These were 'warning bells' that should have signaled 'no.' What is ugly about our 'Capitalistic' system is that it is principally interested in just that: capital. Load up a plane. Get more money. Make better quarterly numbers. The shareholders love it. Perhaps too, the lack of government control on student visas, some flight schools noting the suspicious behavior of men wanting only to pilot a plane in-flight and not learning the entire deal and not informing authorities, paying with cash for just about everything. A lot of agencies and organizations were to blame, but the question is, what have those same agencies and organizations learned and applied to their day to day operations since 9/11? (Oh, I forgot the CIA and FBI with their turf wars and not sharing information.) Of course, those following days were scary for anyone person of Arabic decent or any person of color. The government was looking for and did nail anyone for anything they could think of while traveling through airports and AMTRAK facilities and used the 9/11 scare to hold naturalized citizens (and FBI and military people) for indefinate periods of time. A clear violation of civil rights. But my point is, money is often the deciding factor in this country. You know, the low bidder wins. I'd rather a security company that has well trained personnel that someone making a bit more than the minimum wage. The drive and energy isn't always there. (This was a heated debate on the House floor in '01.) Yet talk is cheap! And here we are two years later! Are we better off? In some ways, yes. But I think we (as a nation) can do much better if we put our money where our mouth is. God help us! Mike Burris Cambridge, Massachusetts --- Evan McElravy <emcelr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Ali, > > Canada, and I believe also (parts of?) Europe, both > of which I've heard you > compare favourably to the capitalist barbarians of > your homeland, have > privatized air traffic control. The world has not > noticeably come to an end= > , > at least here in Montr=E9al. (Canada also has > retained privatized airport > security, as well, which has, I note, been > significantly tightened in the > last six months or so.) > > Evan > > > on 10/14/03 2:51 AM, Alireza Alivandivafa at > DEmocrat2n@xxxxxxx wrote: > =20 > > Hmm, sounds like what it was before. Welcome back > Argenbright. And they > > want to privatize ATC. How much stupider can they get?