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August 23, 2005
WE STILL DON'T GET IT
The train driver union Aslef has suggested that armed marshalls be placed on tube trains:
Aslef boss Keith Norman Armed undercover marshals could be deployed on London's Underground to foil future bombers, train driver union Aslef's boss has suggested.
Keith Norman said the marshals could deter terrorists, reassure commuters and back-up drivers after an attack.
He compared the idea with the US air marshals deployed to try to prevent plane hijackings in the 1970s.
Some observations:
- It is nearly impossible to distinguish a suicide bomber from someone who is not. Right up until the moment they explode, the only distinguishing characteristic of a suicide bomber is a large jacket and darker-than-Caucasian skin. And, well, we know where that one leads, don't we?
- Suicide bombers have no interest in hijacking tube trains. It's not entirely clear how well air marshalls worked to deter aircraft hijackings; but using the same tactic to deter people who want to murder as many civillians as possible is foolish. They are entirely different threats which demand very different responses.
- Suicide bombers do not care about dying. Placing armed guards for the purposes of psychological intimidation doesn't work against people who are determined to die.
To make such observations may seem like stating the obvious (it is). In the light of them, though, it's just as obvious that armed marshalls will achieve nothing at all other than to give passengers a false sense of security (cough, "reassure commuters"). But even if that were not the case, the problem is that terrorists are not particularly heart-set on killing people on tube trains. They are heart-set on killing people; even if we could make it more difficult to do it on tube trains they will go and do it anywhere else there are people gathered. Armed marshalls would be a waste of resources even if they made a difference.
Posted by Lewis at August 23, 2005 06:16 PM