Security Alert: DEFCON 4

[Jambo82]

Air Force jets escorting Emirates Flight 201 from Dubai to JFK Airport.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Security Alert: DEFCON 4
Air Force jets escorting Emirates Flight 201 from Dubai to JFK Airport.

Haven't we been at DEFCON 4 since 9/11/01?

 

[Magpie]

I think the US is normally at DEFCON 4.

DEFCON 5 is "Normal readiness"
DEFCON 4 is "Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measures"
DEFCON 3 is "Increase in force readiness above that required for normal readiness"
DEFCON 2 is "Further increase in force readiness, but less than maximum readiness"
DEFCON 1 is "Maximum readiness"

It wouldn't be reasonable to be at anything other than DEFCON 4 these days. DEFCON 5 is only for peacetime.

The US was at DEFCON 2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

 

[wvjules]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/29/norad-escorting-aircraft-to-new-yorks-jfk-airport/

This is only because there is cargo from Yemen on the flight. There is no known threat associated with this cargo or this flight,” he said.

Are they downplaying it or is there really no concern? Anf if there is no concern why are they escorting the plane?

This combined with the other packages and security issues...do you think something is about to go down?

 

[Jambo82]

hmm I thought we were at 5 since the news headlines I saw said, "US now at DEFCON 4."

 

[Jambo82]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/29/norad-escorting-aircraft-to-new-yorks-jfk-airport/



Are they downplaying it or is there really no concern? Anf if there is no concern why are they escorting the plane?

This combined with the other packages and security issues...do you think something is about to go down?

At one point they thought that multiple planes in the air had bombs.

 

[DrCavin]

Haven't we been at DEFCON 4 since 9/11/01?

This...

 

[Magpie]

hmm I thought we were at 5 since the news headlines I saw said, "US now at DEFCON 4."

I'd find it very odd if we were at 5, especially with the recent security alerts in Europe and various threats.

Maybe the media is trying to catch people's attention, to make the report more exciting? A lot of people don't know that DEFCON 4 is the second lowest level - they think the scale goes the other way.

 

[wvjules]

I read up on it more. It is because this plane had cargo on it from Yemen which is where the other packages came from.

 

[Imzadi]

Haven't we been at DEFCON 4 since 9/11/01?

This...

NYC is always at DEFCON 4 or 3 (previously Orange Alert) since 9/11 while the rest of the country has been at Yellow Alert. I'd say the news person doesn't have his facts straight.

 

[golfgal]

Our local paper took an AP story off the wire stating that they found explosives heading for Chicago on the plane

http://www.startribune.com/business...qyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU1yDEmP:QMDCinchO7DU

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, BEFORE it left Dubai. I'm thinking that if they found something and still did allow the plane to fly, then it was probably searched pretty thoroughly before it was allowed to depart.

 

[FergieTCat]

I liked Ridge's color-coding system better. We are probably at orange.

I think this was a "test run". Didn't Bin Laden issue a threat to France earlier this week?

 

[Magpie]

From Homeland Security:

Current Threat Level: 29, 2010

* The United States government's national threat level is Elevated, or Yellow.

* For all domestic and international flights, the U.S. threat level is High, or Orange. See the Transportation Security Administration for up-to-date information on items permitted and prohibited on airlines.

Every time we've ever flown in the US, it's always been Yellow or Orange (and there's that strange intercom voice informing us of it endlessly!). I've never seen it at Green or Blue.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I liked Ridge's color-coding system better. We are probably at orange.

I think this was a "test run". Didn't Bin Laden issue a threat to France earlier this week?

I liked the color system better too.

They confirmed that there were explosives in the devices found in Dubai and the UK.

I find it interesting that they escort the plane to JFK and then let it go right next to other planes.

 

[cm8]

I liked the color system better too.

They confirmed that there were explosives in the devices found in Dubai and the UK.

I find it interesting that they escort the plane to JFK and then let it go right next to other planes.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

On NBC news tonight, they had an expert on talking about how crude and inept these printer cartridge explosives were. Then he went on to say that in Iraq, the Iraqis would place fake IEDs on the side of the road, just to see how the American soldiers would react. He seems to think this may be a similar sitution because of just how inept the cartridges are.

This may be a test to see how the US reacts and what security measures are put in place. These terrorists are more intelligent than we give them credit for sometimes.

 

[hambirg]

On NBC news tonight, they had an expert on talking about how crude and inept these printer cartridge explosives were. Then he went on to say that in Iraq, the Iraqis would place fake IEDs on the side of the road, just to see how the American soldiers would react. He seems to think this may be a similar sitution because of just how inept the cartridges are.

This may be a test to see how the US reacts and what security measures are put in place. These terrorists are more intelligent than we give them credit for sometimes.

It also concerns me how we keep publicly announcing every time something like this happens. It seems like we are so transparent on our intelligence and our response methods. I am afraid we are underestimating their ability to probe our defenses looking for a weakness. We make it awfully easy.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

It also concerns me how we keep publicly announcing every time something like this happens. It seems like we are so transparent on our intelligence and our response methods. I am afraid we are underestimating their ability to probe our defenses looking for a weakness. We make it awfully easy.

Everything you said.
I just try to have faith that there are some people who make decisions for this country who know how to outsmart the bad guys.

 

[NewDCLGuy]

The point of terrorism is to scare people and give attention to the terrorists.

24-hour news channels are just about the best tool the terrorists have.