Published on Friday, May 7, 2010
Written By Bernard Gbayee Goah
Portland Oregon
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| Mr. Bernard Gbayee Goah |
May 7, 2010
USA Wake Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have pieced together what I think as a civilized person, and what other civilized people think should happen in order to protect the United States of America from people like Faisal Shahzad who tried to blow up an SUV in Times Square Saturday evening in New York.
I read in the news that the US government is now requiring airlines to check no-fly lists within two hours of being notified of list updates — a move aimed at preventing known terrorist suspects from boarding airplanes — as the man accused in the Times Square bombing did.
I am not sure why two hours of notification. I thought it would make enough sense for governments to update airlines automatically so that they check the list at once before flight hours. There should be a system in place to monitor people who buy one-way tickets to countries that are on the list as well. I find it hard to believe that this guy was on the list, bought a one-way ticket with cash here in the USA, and boarded a flight without being caught. Why isn't there a computer program that automatically updates itself and constantly checks names of passengers against it 24/7 at the airport so this doesn't have to be done manually?
My suggestion to the US government would be to introduce software that would automatically update airlines on names that are on the no fly list every minute. This is possible because a common software application like MS Access with VB can even do that. I find it hard to believe that there is no developed software program that can do name recognition from a ticket purchase to the list before it is entered onto the fight manifest. If antivirus software can automatically update itself, but there is no software in the US security system that would do that, then we are heading for more trouble! How come we call ourselves civilized people but we continue to slack on our own security? Maybe we should bring in some experts from Israel to revamp and supervise our security system in its entirety. We must understand that the enemies are not sleeping. They are working day and night to get at us therefore we must as well not sleep. We must work day and night to make sure we are saved. Governments should not only employ people who are qualified to do the job but who have the passion to do it. A good idea would be to employ a person, who is qualified, enjoys doing the job, is patriotic, and who would do everything to protect the United States.
Shahzad bought his ticket with CASH! First and foremost anyone who buys a ticket in cash, on the day of the flight should send up a red flag!
Let's see how many RED FLAGS went up for Shahzad:
1. Last minute reservation
2. Paid cash
3. one-way ticket to an Arab country
4. FBI BOLO out for this suspect
5. Name on No-Fly list
My question is why didn't Emirates Airlines check for this guy in the first place? Are they not required to do so? We all know that the UAE is one of the largest contributors to jihadists-especially the most radical kind.
OK let’s look at the ticket purchased. Unless the ticket agent was following policy, I believe that the ticket agent was incompetent and all of the TSA employees involved that day should be dismissed at once. I would like to publically thank the US Customs and Border Security for catching Shahzad. The FBI and NYC Police should have done a better job in the first place after all of the red flags! They sat, watched Shahzad go through TSA, they watched Shahzad hand the agent his ticket to board the plane … they watched the plane push from the station. Now they are watching the news headlines as well. "A Homeland Security official says the government will now require airlines to check updated no-fly lists within two hours of being notified of changes to the list." Two hours is too much. USA, please come up with an automatic security system that sends airlines updated no-fly lists in real time!
I think we should all see reasons to ask governments to incorporate Wal-Mart technology into the security system to protect homeland. If Wal-Mart can change a price in 1000 or more stores with a push of a button but the US security cannot up-date a no-fly list on time, we have a serious problem here!!!!! We must come up with software that profiles each and every passenger. Look, I am not joking, even Las Vegas has such elaborate technology systems that uses facial recognition from the time a person parks his or her car. Something is wrong with us and I think what’s wrong with us, is us. We must pressurize the government to spend tax payer’s money wisely to provide up to date security systems to this country. I see no reason whatsoever, why those in the position of security are not staying on a heightened sense of alert after 9/11.
On the other hand, it should not just be government’s responsibility to do all of the protection of homeland. Both private sectors as well as private citizens have such responsibilities as well. Lawful Immigrants must play a part in securing where they live as well. You live by the rules of the United States and help protect the United States or don’t come here are at all! The Private industry screwed up big time. They were the first line of defense and blew it up. DHS is the safety net. If private citizens just sit on their bums and wait for the government to do everything, we'll all be dead. Who sold him fertilizer? Who sold him fireworks? Who sold him 3 LP tanks? Who let him park where he did? Who sold him a ticket for cash? There were quite a few people involved in this guy's acquisition of all he needed to make a bomb. Emirates Air should be immediately suspended from flying in this country and a full investigation into their security measures should be done before allowing them to fly in the U.S. again.
I am embarrassed to learn that this guy was only put on the no fly list within 24 hours of his attempt to escape the US. One would have thought that traveling to Pakistan and training with the Taliban would have put him on the list months ago.
Let’s help to make the US safe for us and our children.
Bernard Gbayee Goah
