3 ms·

it probably works 99.9% of the time. So all you need to do is throw enough people at that crack to become successful. That approach doesn't scale. Imaging the

it probably works 99.9% of the time. So all you need to do is throw enough people at that crack to become successful. That approach doesn't scale. Imaging the organisation needed for sending 1000 suicide bombers. Now imagine keeping it functioning, and avoiding consequences catching up with it as it sends in the first ten or so.

jacquesm 17y ago
Not for one thing or another, but the 99.9% I quoted is probably a little high. Even after 9/11 there have been at least two that we are all aware made it past security, we're not hearing about those that didn't unless there is no way around it. So you probably don't need thousands, you probably need on the order of several 10's or so to get through once. Keep in mind that there is a reservoir of 1000's if not 10's of thousands of people that would gladly give their lives to do damage to others. They didn't pick a guy from Africa for nothing and a guy from England last time, those are much easier to escape profiling (the first time). I wouldn't be surprised if the next one would be asian, assuming they have such a person in their ranks. No filter that has to pass the number of passengers that we're looking at here will ever be perfect, and if you study the filter long enough you're going to find holes. And suppose the filter is perfect, then move on to other, softer targets until through lack of activity the filter loses its effectiveness. Basically any place where lots of people gather (lots is something larger than 50 or so) is a target for a potential attack.
- StrawberryFrog 17y ago
  So you probably don't need thousands, you probably need on the order of several 10's or so to get through once. And the underbomber's gang will get, supposing that they can try repeatedly - what? - Three goes tops before the hammer comes down on them.

3 ms·

it probably works 99.9% of the time. So all you need to do is throw enough people at that crack to become successful. That approach doesn't scale. Imaging the

by StrawberryFrog 17y ago

jacquesm 17y ago
Not for one thing or another, but the 99.9% I quoted is probably a little high. Even after 9/11 there have been at least two that we are all aware made it past security, we're not hearing about those that didn't unless there is no way around it. So you probably don't need thousands, you probably need on the order of several 10's or so to get through once. Keep in mind that there is a reservoir of 1000's if not 10's of thousands of people that would gladly give their lives to do damage to others. They didn't pick a guy from Africa for nothing and a guy from England last time, those are much easier to escape profiling (the first time). I wouldn't be surprised if the next one would be asian, assuming they have such a person in their ranks. No filter that has to pass the number of passengers that we're looking at here will ever be perfect, and if you study the filter long enough you're going to find holes. And suppose the filter is perfect, then move on to other, softer targets until through lack of activity the filter loses its effectiveness. Basically any place where lots of people gather (lots is something larger than 50 or so) is a target for a potential attack.
- StrawberryFrog 17y ago
  So you probably don't need thousands, you probably need on the order of several 10's or so to get through once. And the underbomber's gang will get, supposing that they can try repeatedly - what? - Three goes tops before the hammer comes down on them.