Look on the Sunny Side of Life
Though I wonder, has anyone in danger of being extraordinarily rendited to a torture camp considered the benefits of being on the no-fly list? They totally can’t fly you off to suffer at the whim of the executive if the TSA won’t allow you onto a plane!
Comment by Alex —
October 29, 2006 @ 9:45 am
You know, that might actually work. I’ve heard of soldiers put on the no-fly list because they were flying back from Iraq through civilian airports and had gun powder residue on their combat boots. I’ve heard of Air Marshalls, who are allowed to carry their guns past airport security, having their water bottles confiscated by the TSA.
So it’s entirely plausible that they could bar a prisoner from flying overseas to be tortured. I don’t trust the government to protect our freedom, but I do trust them to trip over their own shoelaces.
Comment by Davebo —
October 29, 2006 @ 11:36 am
No, it won’t work, because the no fly list doesn’t prevent anyone from flying.
Heck, airlines have modified their software to more easily produce the documentation required to grant a waiver for passengers on the no fly list.
Trust me, I’ve gotten lots of those waivers.
The no fly list is a sad joke.
Comment by Gary Farber —
October 29, 2006 @ 11:57 am
“I’ve heard of Air Marshalls, who are allowed to carry their guns past airport security, having their water bottles confiscated by the TSA.”
I’d be curious to see a cite on that; the marshals carry guns, and clearly bypass TSA on that; I’m not saying this didn’t happen; I’d just like more of a cite than “I heard”; I’d be interesting in knowing the reality here.
(Besides, I abhor “I heard” stories; either something is citable, or it isn’t.)
Comment by Alex —
October 29, 2006 @ 2:38 pm
Gary-
There are things that are in principle citable, but in practice I can’t be bothered to dig through the newspaper archives and find the story. So I freely admit that my previous post was kind of worthless.
Comment by Michael Sullivan —
October 29, 2006 @ 6:45 pm
Gary and Alex:
Here’s an article which addresses the issue, though not from the perspective of an Air Marshall who actually experienced a TSA person tell them they can’t carry a water bottle:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/08/federal_air_mar.html
Comment by arthur —
October 29, 2006 @ 10:04 pm
There was also a news story a while back about a pilot who had his nailclippers confiscated to prevent him from turning them into a weapon with which he could terrorize himself.
Comment by Barry —
October 30, 2006 @ 10:39 am
Besides, the Bush administration clearly feels that the law is for others. That includes things like the Geneva Conventions. I’d bet that a lot of secret rendition flights are carrying opium, since we’re playing game in Afghanistan, again. Shades of Air America.