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August 10, 2006

They'll never take our freedaaaarrrgh!

Well, how about that, then? Less than a week after the launch of the fear-o-meter and it's already being put to good use. As of today, we have graduated from 'severe' to ~~'scared shitless'~~ 'critical' (i.e. "an attack is expected imminently").

Bloomberg - Airlines ban hand luggage from UK: The U.K. today raised its threat level to "critical," the highest category in a five-point scale, indicating an attack is expected "imminently" according to the U.K. Home Office Web site. The level was previously a notch lower at "severe." Airports were instructed not to permit hand baggage aboard flights. The police and U.K. security services "are investigating an alleged plot to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions," Home Secretary John Reid said in a televised briefing. BAA Plc said all short-haul incoming flights to London's Heathrow Airport are canceled until further notice.

Hand baggage includes handbags, according to one witness I've just spoken to. Oh, and because the police believe liquid explosives are involved, if you wish to take breast milk on board, you will be expected to taste it in front of staff. (No, I'm not kidding.)

Let's approach this with an assumption that the police have detected an actual threat of some import (i.e. not one that's been invented or enhanced by the Downing St Echo) and begin with a trip down memory lane...

Bloggerheads - May 02, 2005:
Before the war, as millions of us prepared to march in protest, Blair rolled tanks into Heathrow. The best explanation that could be offered at the time was this was "an ongoing operation in relation to a specific threat". Even if - if - this action resulted from a credible threat (and we have yet to see evidence of it), this amounts to a terrible miscalculation, as Blair was already on weak ground because of his manipulation of the threat, and the timing ensured that the protestors felt as intimidated as the terrorists.

My verdict: Mismanagement only if we give Blair the benefit of the doubt. Manipulation if we don't.

But it gets better. The pro-war lobby have deliberately blurred the line between protestors and terrorists. The logic is that we oppose a war which is clearly part of the 'war' on terror, therefore we side with the terrorists. In the US, money earmarked for the 'war' on Terror has actually been spent fighting protestors. Here in the UK, anti-terror powers were used against protesters at an arms fair and further crime and terror laws deliberately target types of protest and even individual protestors.

My verdict: Evidence of manipulation and misrepresentation.

But it gets even better. Do you remember when George W. Bush came to town? We were assured that the exclusion zone around him was for security reasons, but - at the same time - we were assured that his visit was not the reason why were placed at the highest state of alert since September 11. Which lasted for the duration of his photo opportunity. George Bush invited himself to town in order to paint himself as a great statesman, and Blair complied. If the threat was not real, then it was played up (or made up) in order to minimise protest. If the threat was real, Bush willingly (and unnecessarily) placed our leaders and the general population (including a school full of photogenic children) under that threat.

My verdict: Evidence of manipulation and/or misrepresentation.

Civil liberties have became more of an issue as the post-911 panic died down and people started to realise what we were being expected to sacrifice in the name of 'freedom'. And wasn't it funny that each time issues such as ID cards or detention without trial approached a debate/voting/action stage that there was a major terror arrest or 'revelation'? Here are three recent examples:

Nov 23 2004 - Queen's speech with focus on security heralded by 'evidence' of plans to attack Canary Wharf

Mar 11 2005 - The big push on detention without trial (timeline here) is preceded by the launch of an anti-terror campaign, designed to protect us from "hundreds of potential terrorists" that want to kill us.

Apr 15 2005 - Ricin conspiracy involving no ricin and no conspiracy closely followed by renewed calls for ID cards (that would have prevented something that didn't happen) and this timely announcement by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

OK, now I remind you that we're operating under the assumption that this is a genuine response to a genuine threat. We're also going to assume that John Reid (aka The Arse Doctor) is competent enough to know in advance when major operations conducted under him are about to take place. Which brings us to yesterday's speech...

BBC - Terror 'may force freedom curbs': The UK might have to modify its freedoms in the short term in order to prevent their "misuse and abuse" by terrorists, John Reid has said. He conceded that was never an easy request, but it was up to everyone to ask: "What price our security, at what cost can we preserve our freedoms?" The UK faced its "most sustained period of severe threat since the end of World War II", the home secretary warned.

More here: Guardian - Anti-terror critics just don't get it, says Reid

There's plenty that needs to be said about this, but happily most of it is said here at Fark.com

That leaves me free to quietly point out that John Reid must have known about this impending action when he made that speech.

Further news and bloggage (as it comes in) will be posted under this line. Enjoy your freedoms.

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Posted by Manic on August 10, 2006 10:12 AM in the category The War on Stupid

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Listed below are links to weblogs that reference They'll never take our freedaaaarrrgh!:

» U.S. raises threat level to 'red' from Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator
The U.S. government raised its threat warning to the highest level for commercial flights from Brita [Read More]

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» Airshow from perfect.co.uk
On Friday 4 August the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal brought by the Home Office and confirmed an earlier High Court ruling that the Afghan hijackers could not be deported. On Wednesday 9 August the Home Secretary gave a... [Read More]

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» Plot to blow up airlines from Pickled Politics
As many have already pointed out… A plot to blow up planes in flight from the UK to the US and commit “mass murder on an unimaginable scale” has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said. It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive ... [Read More]

Tracked on August 10, 2006 2:28 PM

» Stay lucky from The UK Today
We only need to be lucky once. You need to be lucky every time. — The IRA to Margaret Thatcher, after she survived the bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton. And that's the problem with combating terrorists, the security... [Read More]

Tracked on August 10, 2006 5:29 PM

Comments

If the Plot was indeed 'Foiled' why are they cancelling planes still?

Posted by: bigdaddymerk at August 10, 2006 11:07 AM

Oi! It was 'foiled'... nobody said anything about it being ironclad.

Posted by: Manic at August 10, 2006 11:17 AM

It looks as though the plane cancellation thing was owing to overcrowding at Heathrow's terminals. The overcrowding being a good thing, if getting a point across is your task for the week.

The humiliations are adding up. You can't take a book into the cabin, hollowed out or otherwise, nor even the smallest audio device (unless maybe up the arse?). So you will be bored on your flight: this will help you remember.

Strangely, no official is suggesting that you cancel or postpone your foreign holiday: the one true path to safety in the air.

Posted by: Charlie Whitaker at August 10, 2006 12:12 PM

maybe this is a ploy to get us to watch more shitty in-flight tv.

Posted by: bigdaddymerk at August 10, 2006 1:42 PM

Funny how books, drinks of water, nail scissors etc. have all been deemed too dangerous to take on a plane, but they'll still happily walk down the aisle and sell you an overpriced glass bottle of duty-free whisky...

Posted by: richard at August 10, 2006 3:07 PM

I wonder if people in the First Class cabin are excluded.

How do we find out if UK Gov pays the airlines compensation? Recall that in the first week after 9/11 the US airlines got given billions of dollars of taxpayer support for their troubles. They still sacked all their staff, though.

Posted by: goatchurch at August 10, 2006 4:26 PM

I think I prefer the daftness of Blunkett, who kept telling us that the country was experiencing the most severe threat *ever* -- worse than the Blitz.

Remember the Cold War and nuclear annihilation? What was that all about? Oi, we shouldn't be scared of heavily armed nations. After all, governments hold the monopoly of legitimate violence... therefore all the violence they do is legitimate.

Posted by: goatchurch at August 10, 2006 4:37 PM

Why is the 'Current threat level' still at 'CRITICAL' if the alleged plot was foiled? Is there another plot that they're not telling us about, or is the whole thing a load of cobblers, like the non-existent 'ricin ring'?

Posted by: Simon Maxwell at August 10, 2006 6:38 PM

They'll never take our freedaaaarrrgh!

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