Re: [OT] Explosives question

At 9:24 AM +1000 5/8/02, Beth.Fulton@csiro.au wrote:
>G'day guys,
>
>Was watching some US Marines (either that or they were sailors in
camo...
>which I doubted would be right) bomb check a bus this morning as I was
going
>to work (US carrier is in town). They went over the thing with a fine
tooth
>comb, but didn't check where the wheels sit (I've now seen this two
days
>running). Why? Can't you sit an explosive there?

Yep. It sounds like they are looking for someone trying to sneak 
explosives into a base. Are they not checking the underside with 
mirrors on sticks?

>By the way credit, where credit is due - the US sure know how to beef
up
>security. Every other time a US sub/carrier/cruiser etc has been in
town its
>been a party atmosphere. This time I've seen more police in town than I
>thought Tasmania had and been through more security sweeps (our lab
sits
>next to where the sailors come ashore) than the entire summer I worked
at
>Australia's nuclear reactor site! I also noticed that all the officers
>aren't wearing their uniform ashore this time... though to be honest
you can
>still pick them a mile off.

Sadly all that security is mostly window dressing. There were a large 
number of navy security exercises by one of the SEAL teams that 
tested security in bases. In most of those instances, they managed to 
board subs, gain access to ships, capture admirals (one two days in a 
row), "blow up" ships, and break through security of navy 
installations all over the world.