"The 19 hijackers that killed 3000 Americans on 9/11 didn't succeed because they had advanced technology, because they were particularly smart or because they were 10 feet tall. They succeeded because we let our guard down and we were stupid."
dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd-Andrew Bacevich
"Why were scissors and box cutters allowed on planes?" This was my first thought in the wake of 9/11 followed by how stupid it was that they were. Seriously. I'm certain Bacevich's criticism extends to intel and policy, but I'll always be mystified at the utter stupidity of allowing shanks on a plane.
I've always thought like Bacevich regarding 9/11 but was so worried about the pervasive 'with us or against us' culture that proceeded, outcasting anyone who didn't parrot Bush's narrative as unpatriotic. Were the hijackers responsible? Yes. Should we (TSA, NTSB, et al) have let them board with shanks? No. Would they still have been able to hijack the plane w/o their shanks? Maybe, maybe not. However, I can say with certainty that it's infinitely harder to kill a man with your bare hands than with a knife...err box cutter or scissor.
Gate Agent: Sir we don't allow knives on the plane.
Passenger: It's a box cutter, not a knife...see?
Agent: Oh! Well in that case go right ahead, you're in seat 57.
