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from the if-you-build-it-they-will-come...and-cut-through-it dept.
Smugglers have found an easy way to get through the vertical steel tube Mexican border wall. From https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/smugglers-are-sawing-through-new-sections-of-trumps-border-wall/2019/11/01/25bf8ce0-fa72-11e9-ac8c-8eced29ca6ef_story.html
The breaches have been made using a popular cordless household tool known as a reciprocating saw that retails at hardware stores for as little as $100. When fitted with specialized blades, the saws can slice through one of the barrier's steel-and-concrete bollards in minutes, according to the agents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the barrier-defeating techniques.
After cutting through the base of a single bollard, smugglers can push the steel out of the way, creating an adult-size gap. Because the bollards are so tall — and are attached only to a panel at the top — their length makes them easier to push aside once they have been cut and are left dangling, according to engineers consulted by The Washington Post.
The taxpayer-funded barrier — so far coming with a $10 billion price tag — was a central theme of Trump's 2016 campaign, and he has made the project a physical symbol of his presidency, touting its construction progress in speeches, ads and tweets. Trump has increasingly boasted to crowds in recent weeks about the superlative properties of the barrier, calling it "virtually impenetrable" and likening the structure to a "Rolls-Royce" that border crossers cannot get over, under or through.
In other words, no one did any serious pen testing on the wall design, or it would have been obvious that with all that leverage, the top tie-in was easy to flex.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Monday November 04 2019, @05:49PM (5 children)
So an unguarded wall can't stand attacks forever? Was that somehow a surprise? Walls have always had to be guarded if you expect them to actually have a long term purpose.
From what I recall there was a competition between six different types of wall. I don't actually know now who or which design won or if there was multiple winner for different segments of the wall. I gather that a large factor was price but there was probably various forms of testing. ELTA was one of the companies that submitted a wall design and considering they are the one responsible for the walls that Israel put up I gather there is testing involved there. But also they have that added benefit of having an actual army around to also guard said walls.
If that is the case they seem to have broken the basic design specifications for the contract.
From article below. So the prototypes are 18ft, the full size should be around 30ft. All structures should be secured at least 6ft below ground. If that was the case you shouldn't just be able to saw through one bollard/post and then push it aside. If that is the case then someone fucked up when they erected the wall. There should be at least two cuts required then to push a bollard away.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/design/trump-border-wall-prototypes-latest-news-design-contract-companies-win-worth-mexicans-us-illegal-a8046371.html [independent.co.uk]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 04 2019, @06:03PM
$69.99 at harbor freight. That's about 150 pesos. We pay for the wall ... Mexico pays for the reciprocating saws.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by martyb on Monday November 04 2019, @06:26PM
I'm thinking the bollards are vertical 18-30-foot-tall 'slats' arranged side-by-side with 4-inch spacing, built into 'frames'. Each 'frame' can hold multiple bollards. Each 'frame' has something like a fence-post on each end that must extend at least six feet below ground level.
Do not misunderstand. I am by no means supporting the building of a wall, only pointing out that it actually might have met the specifications.
Now whether or not the specs were "good enough"... that's another matter.
"Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick two." Still applies.
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Monday November 04 2019, @06:27PM
It doesn't matter how deep you plant the thing, it's getting cut off at the ground level.
They could stiffen it, but that would just mean it would take a sawzall and a car jack.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday November 04 2019, @09:52PM (1 child)
The "Berlin Wall" which extended the length of the East-West border was mostly protected by the threat of being shot on sight. The big deal in 1989 was that the east side guards laid down their guns and refused to shoot the people crossing "no man's land."
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 05 2019, @02:34AM
They didn't refuse, they were ordered to let some "dissidents" through and then the media blew it up into a dismantling. At that point it was too late