DAR AL HARB - U.S.A.: AMERICA'S UNPROTECTED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Terrorism and public transit
We must do more to protect ourselves on railroads,
by Joseph Lieberman, (D-Senator, representing Connecticut)


More than five years ago, Al-Qaeda attacked and killed 152 Connecticut residents and thousands of other innocent Americas within our own borders, using commercial airliners as weapons of mass destruction, putting the entire nation on notice that the oceans are no longer protection against murderous assaults on our citizens or our way of life.

Since September 11, 2001, while terrorists have continued to plot additional attacks against airliners, thankfully without success, they have successfully struck subways, trains and buses in many cities across the globe, including London, Madrid, Mumbai, Moscow and Israel. It is probably only a matter of time before our own rail and transit systems are attacked — and we urgently need to secure them.

Fourteen million people use rail and mass transit every day in this country. Trains, subways and buses are the pulsing arteries and lifeblood of our major centers of commerce, art and learning. An attack on these systems could cause mass casualties and major damage to our economy.

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Mass transit is a way of life for many Americans, one we encourage, and yet our public transportation system remains one of our greatest security vulnerabilities. Protecting an inherently open rail and transit system poses significant challenges, but these challenges are surmountable if our nation's best put their minds to it, and if our government is creative, aggressive and vigilant in confronting enemies that move silently among us — probing for weakness and plotting disaster. We must not let them strike us again.



Pertinent Links:

1) Terrorism and public transit