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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: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Monday November 04 2019, @07:06PM (2 children)
Please, don't remind me just how stupid engineers can be. Instead, let's inquire where all the guards were, while the wall was being defeated. There is no "impenetrable wall" - never has been, never will be. The Great Wall of China is impressive, but the wall was guarded by troops.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Thexalon on Tuesday November 05 2019, @03:22AM (1 child)
... and the Mongols still managed to invade and take over.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday November 05 2019, @03:06PM
The troops were dispersed poorly. Disastrously, in fact. At least you didn't claim that the Manchu defeated the wall. In their case, the gates were opened for them.
All of the US military bases are protected by fences, walls, ditches, and whatever else, in addition to troops.