An internal investigation of the Transportation Security Administration revealed security failures at dozens of the nation’s busiest airports, where undercover investigators were able to smuggle mock explosives or banned weapons through checkpoints in 95 percent of trials, ABC News has learned.I had to stifle a yawn while I read this. That the TSA mostly functions as useless security theater isn't exactly a cutting-edge revelation. They catch mainly stupid people who have forgotten that they had a KelTec in their bag, people who weren't exactly a threat to airline travel to begin with. And mainly, TSA agents just hassle passengers for no goddamned reason, including yawning in line.
The series of tests were conducted by Homeland Security Red Teams who pose as passengers, setting out to beat the system.
According to officials briefed on the results of a recent Homeland Security Inspector General’s report, TSA agents failed 67 out of 70 tests, with Red Team members repeatedly able to get potential weapons through checkpoints.
We're no safer, now, than when we were when the airlines ran security and they hired wannabee mall cops to conduct the security checks.
6 comments:
Right after 9/11, the big hoopla was to federalize airport security. Overnight, the screeners (that were previously unable to patrol the local malls) were deputized, given blue shirts with impressive looking patches, and were tasked with "saving our great nation from the terrorists!" Hooray! We're all safe again!
Tweezers and nail clippers were seized; the elderly in wheel chairs were forced to stand and be wanded, the bustier women were groped, and luggage was looted. Oh boy, we're safe again.
Today, we have "secret" signs of terrorism that the screeners look for. Stand up straight, but not too straight. Be relaxed, but not too relaxed. Oh, and go stand still so you can be x-rayed with a machine that may or may not be safe to use, not really sure. Don't worry, we don't keep the pictures (snicker). We're safe again?
But the TSA is here to protect you. You just don't know how many terrorists and other evil-doers we have apprehended. We'd tell you, but... its classified information. It is for your own good that you don't know, otherwise you'd be in danger!
We're safe again. Yeah, right.
Dale
DTWND said...We're safe again. Yeah, right.
Security theater. They need to get rid of 90% of these idiots and start using the system that Israel uses. It's been a while since a Israeli flight was hijacked. They want the sheep to be afraid. It's what keeps them in power. If the LIV's and other sheep think the TSA is keeping them safe, they will gladly vote for their particular flavor of incumbent.
Robert, not going to happen. El Al has about 40 airplanes. UAL has over 700, DAL has almost 800, AA has almost a thousand, SWA has nearly 700, and the numbers for UA, DAL and AA don't include their commuters. So you can easily add another thousand-plus for them.
El Al's security system is not going to scale up to handle over four thousand airliners flying Lord knows how many legs each day. You think the TSA is large and intrusive now, try adopting El Al's type of security and you ain't seen nothing yet.
Not going to happen.
Good point.
Back in the good(?) old days a high-jacking usually meant a 1 or 2 day delay in getting where you wanted to be. On 9/11 the passengers sat and followed directions, except for those on UAL93.
Since then, we have seen the shoe-bomber and the underwear-bomber both be attacked and restrained by other passengers and flight crew. It is my opinion that no longer will the passengers meekly put up with attempts of aircraft terrorism. They will actively combat the person trying to do them harm.
I don't think the bad guys will use an airliner full of passengers again. They'll probably just purchase one instead if they intend to use aircraft as weapons. Scary thought.
Dale
If UAL 93 had departed on time, they probably would have pulled it off. But they didn't, the pax were aware of what had happened with the other airplanes and they acted on it. And because of their example, nobody else is going along with it.
I kind of suspect that we really don't need those fuckers.
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