Not Enough Paranoia To Go Around

After the attempted bombing in Times Square, New York City police were beset with large numbers of reports of suspicious bags. Now someone thinks it's possible that fake calls are really attempts by terrorists to study the police response.

Citing an FBI informational document, ABC News reports a so called "battle of suspicious bags" is being encouraged on a jihadist website.

Bomb expert Kevin Barry with 20 years experience in the NYPD says the bags could be filled not with bombs, but with innocuous items like water bottles or socks.

The potential terrorists would be watching the response.

"How they evacuate. The standoff distances. How long it takes additional emergency services to come to the scene," Barry said.

So let's get this straight. This all stemmed from a vehicle in Times Square holding a ludicrously constructed explosive device in Times Square that any half-assed high school kid could easily improve upon. You'll note that the vehicle attracted attention when smoke was escaping from it and firecrackers could clearly be heard exploding. And now it's possible we have terrorists out there somewhere who plant bags of socks or whatever as a clever ruse to study the police response to suspicious bags so that when they decide to plant the real thing they'll...what? What are they going to do with all this intelligence? Build a bomb that works? They're better off studying the work of Timothy McVeigh or Ted Kaczynski. Now there were some real terrorists--and complete with "Made In America" stickers.

While not giving away details, police do have numerous ways of responding to these types of incidents.

Yeah, they're called the FNG.

"Hey, you. What's your name?"

"O'Brien."

"O'Brien, go check that out."