Thursday, February 23, 2006
How About TSA?
It's become somewhat a ritual for me to hit Peggy's Column every Thursday. This week she brings up a good point. Not to distract from seaport security, but what about our airports?
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6 comments:
I hate to say this, but post and pre 9/11 we'll always have vulnerable spots. I mean, do you really think anyone will notice you have a bomb strapped to you when you walk into a mall? School? Hospital? Etc. Here in Albuquerque alone, you can walk into almost anywhere and cause massive damage. You can go in the airport, all the way up to the x-ray folks and wreak havoc. We can have all the "security" in the world, it ultimately takes vigilance, observance, and surveillance.
That's pretty much anywhere. The point of TSA is to not let the guy with the bomb (or box cutter) onto the airplane where his firepower can be amplified exponentially. I don't particularly worry about suitcase nukes because they aren't very feasible (read Miniter's DISINFORMATION), but it's the larger weapons like airplanes or bombs that can fit in sea-cargo containers that have potential to harm the nation and economy. I tend to agree with Peggy that we should concentrate more on streamlining TSA first because attacks are attempted on airplanes much more often than on ships. Then worry about your other ports (including the country's borders)...
The question is what could we do better for airport security? Trained security personel ala TSA seems the way to go. What I suggest is the major problem is that TSA agents aren't trained that they are there to serve the public. To the contrary, even when I have a chance to observe TSA agents in an environment with relatively few passengers being screened, they seem to often have the demeanor of that police officer at the end of Meet the Fockers. On the outside they're almost always professional, but just under the skin I get the vibe that they're ready to pull out their Glocks and drop a 70 yearold grandma...
Are TSA screeners packing? Man, if they are, I'm really scared...
Yeah, I got a little carried away. I'm pretty sure they don't actually pack heat. Same vibe though.
Yeah, even if all they have are billy clubs I still get the whole rent-a-cop vibe from them.
"Don't make me use this!"
"But that's a flashlight."
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