The excuse we hear from the Transportation Security Administration when yet another report comes out finding that its screeners miss the majority of simulated bomb components that testers attempt to bring through airport checkpoints is that the tests are designed to be difficult and nobody would be able to get away with it if they were real bomb components.
Yet investigators with no insider knowledge were able to smuggle real bomb components, sufficient to assemble powerful improvised explosive devices based on liquid explosives, past the TSA at 19 separate airports, according to a report released November 15.
Government Accountability Office investigators found plans to build IEDs and so-called improvised incendiary devices, or IIDs, on the Internet, and bought all the parts on the Internet and at a brick and mortar store for about $150.
Then, to test their devices, they went to a junkyard to blow things up, and made a video of the destructive potential of the devices they would soon smuggle past TSA screeners:
Then it was off to the airport. In none of its covert tests did GAO report that TSA discovered any of the bomb components. But in one case, a screener seized the investigator’s shampoo, according to the report (PDF).
This time the TSA’s excuse was that they already knew about the security problems which allowed GAO investigators to smuggle real bombs past screeners at 19 separate airports.
TSA Assistant Administrator Ellen Howe played down the GAO’s conclusions, saying that in the same three months during which the GAO conducted 38 tests, the agency conducted 200,000 tests of its operations as screeners cleared 2 million passengers a day. She said the TSA deploys and continually refines 19 layers of security, including bomb experts, behavior observation teams, personnel trained to review identity documents and new generations of detection equipment.
“There is nothing in the report that is news to us . . . that we were not working on, or don’t already know,” Howe said. “It’s like a combination lock. If you get through one layer of security, it doesn’t mean you get through all layers of security.” She added: “We don’t change security procedures in knee-jerk fashion.” — Washington Post
TSA regulations state that passengers can bring small amounts of liquids and gels in containers no larger than 3 ounces, contained in a clear one-quart plastic bag. In one of the covert tests, the investigator used a larger bag, but was allowed to pass. The specific methods used to evade detection and the construction of the explosive devices were not disclosed.
If most of those 19 layers of “security” weren’t actually just Airport Security Theater 3000, then perhaps it wouldn’t be quite so easy to get bombs onto a plane. But incompetence is the best you can hope for since government nationalized airport security Chavez-style. The worst you can possibly get, though, with government providing “security” is plain to see. Anyone with a few bucks and an Internet connection can wreak havoc on the whole air transportation system. It’s time to get rid of the TSA and put airport security back where it belongs.
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Nigel Watt
Nov 25, 2007
“Self-ignighting”?
Michael Hampton
Nov 25, 2007
Hey, they’re government employees. Writing is not their strong suit.
Richard Braakman
Nov 26, 2007
So… does this mean that there are no terrorists who want to blow up airplanes? Apparently they could easily do so if they wanted to.
This report is evidence that there’s not even a threat.
Bob
Nov 26, 2007
That’s a good point Richard, but here’s my take on it. The big picture would tend to indicate that the “war on terror”, with all its’ flaws, has actually succeeded in protecting us to some degree. I don’t agree with the way it has been handled, it’s been ridiculously expensive(money we don’t have) and corrupt, it has been an excuse to confiscate freedoms that the government has been dying to get their hands on for years and so on, but, here are some facts.
Hijackings were a dime a dozen in the seventies. 1985 had the Air India bombing, 1988 was the Pan Am-Lockerbie bombing, I think there was something to do with a Russian plane in there too and then of course, there was 9/11 but to my knowledge, terrorists haven’t been able to bring a plane out of the sky since then. Is it because of security? I don’t know.
The first World Trade Center bombing was in 1993. Oklahoma City was in 1995. The Unibomber was in there somewhere. Since 9/11 however, there hasn’t been a bombing in the United States even though ourselves and Israel are the objects of everyones’ hatred. They’ve bombed Bali twice, London, Spain, etc. but they haven’t got us. Is it because of security changes and the war? I think so and this is why.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have concentrated the terrorists’ efforts in that area and destroyed some of their infrastructure. Bin Laden has to work out of a cave somewhere now, that’s got to make it tougher. There’s a bomb going off just about every day over there but as long as they are blowing each other up, they’ll leave us alone. Plus, there is at least the impression that it is harder to get into the U.S. or onto a plane with your bomb or boxcutter. Whether you like it or not, the “war on terror” has obviously made a difference…….for now.
Was it worth it? If I was Bush or Cheney or Rumsfeld I wouldn’t think so. Everybody hates them.
I have to get a full time job. I’m spending way too much time here.
screener
Nov 26, 2007
it takes very little to modify a watch into a timer/switch
any battery will do for power
the inspectors can’t smuggle real explosive thru, so the ETD machines won’t react to the simulated stuff
so how to keep ‘bombs’ off the planes? perhaps ban ALL batteries, watches, electronics, etc
oh, and any casts would be subject to hammering open to dig out other hidden bomb parts
to follow the logic of this site further, perhaps we should privatize all police, fire and ems as well
Fraud Guy
Nov 26, 2007
“She said the TSA deploys and continually refines 19 layers of security”
I had a three layer security screen at one company that caught 90%+ of attempted fraud, with about a 1% false positive rate. I was planning on adding another layer that would have improved the catch rate by abou 20%, and the false positive rate in half before I left.
Sometimes simpler is better, but only when considering the techniques, not the strategic ability of the management. And in choosing between effective and efficient, they have ended up with….neither.
Too easy
Nov 26, 2007
Bombs are too easy to conceal and make. They need bomb sniffing dogs they can rescue from the pound. The high levels of Metal can easily be detected by dogs and the dog will need a guard with them.
Bob
Nov 26, 2007
I guess Lord Tor isn’t going to let me speak on this subject.
Bob
Nov 26, 2007
Oh, there it is.
Potential Threat
Nov 26, 2007
so how to keep ‘bombs’ off the planes? perhaps ban ALL batteries, watches, electronics, etc
Total ban on passengers and cargo.
Write your Congressmen now.
–Mark
No way!!!
Nov 27, 2007
We need those things but, a dog is no threat to people’s privacy. It does not care and this would be easier on people’s personal privacy than some jerk taking off thier clothes. What will it come to next all body cavity checks for everyone?? A dog could prevent this and they are good company for the guards. Good luck!! You are all intelligent and can come up with great ideas.
GlenGary
Nov 27, 2007
Uh Hem! This problem has only one rational solution which will
cheapen the process of screening airline passengers-EVERYBODY
flies naked with zero carry-ons! That’s right! No shoes no socks no undies no nothing!
Just bend over at the gate and show us a clean bum and away you go!
We’ll give back your clothes upon arrival at the final destination!
Think of the fun this will be and it may even cause Americans to finally
put down the feed bag and exercise.
With half the men in the United States taking Viagra type pills and about 68% of
Americans looking like walking hefty trash bags I doubt much will get out of
line on those au’natural flights. Hysterics are probable and barf bags will
have to be plentiful.
There you have it! No Burkas, No caps, no noth’in and therefore nothing hidden!
GlenGary
Natalia Ippolito
Nov 27, 2007
I am a former TSA screener and author of: I Might As Well Be Naked: How To Suvive Airport Screening With Your Clothes On!
I feel more training and better technology is the key. Before the backscatter x-ray machine and the puffer trace portal, we only had walk-through metal-detectors that only checked for metal.
We have been vulnerable since September 11th, 2001.
It’s the technology and the process that needs to change!
We need to stop blaming and start supporting those who are trying to make a difference.
Bob
Nov 27, 2007
In response again to Richard Braakman’s comment.
Anyone that can look back at the history of Moslem terrorist attacks in the world and look at what is going on in Paris and parts of Europe today(Salman Rushdie, Bosnia, Serbia, Danish cartoons, etc.), along with the situations in the Middle East and Africa……and say that our way of life is not facing a threat from the Moslem fundamentalist movement, has their head in the sand.
I know that John Lennon and the sixties hippies taught “us” all about peace and love but 3/4 of the world’s population didn’t buy into those ideas. They still follow the old ways of war and hate. Believe it or not, the threat is real people and so far, our attempts to deal with it have been at a C- level, including airport security. We’re just lucky that we obviously aren’t fighting a bunch of Einsteins.
GlenGary
Nov 27, 2007
Bob,
This War On Terror has cost us more than 25,000 wounded and some so seriously that they will never be the same nor will their families ever be released from the horrors and frustrations of those injuries. Near 4,000 good people have died since 9-11 to what avail really? We have spent ourselves broke, shredded our military in the ability to respond to new threats all on a country that had ZERO to do with 9-11 while giving the Saudi’s and even Pakistan a FREE PASS on their anti-American activities and terrorist funding. We might as well have blamed it on Haiti or Mexico and attacked them instead.
We have alienated ourselves from the world community in that process. We have lost our legitimate standing among our peers and as we did this we became the largest debt laden country in the history of the entire world. As Bush said; “A Catastrophic Success!” I couldn’t agree more!
Our Constitution has been shredded and our rights stomped on and we now take intrusion into our privacy for granted letting the government do what ever they please as we fight for freedom? What freedom are we fighting for? What freedoms will exist after this joke? The freedom to line up like bovines to be prodded, shocked (Tasered), inspected, used and terrorized by our own government? Now that’s freedom!
Freedom means that we take risks to remain free. Risk entails saying I’m willing to forego a false guarantee of safety in order to live my life without a nanny or a guardian telling me what to do. Seems we live as cowards here in America.
Our past Presidents and Lawmakers sold us out lock stock and barrel to our enemies like COMMUNIST CHINA. Yea, we fought a Cold War for 45 years to be sold out to a Communist nation and former East Bloc nations through funny trade deals. We can be real proud of Reagan, Bush-1, Clinton and Bush-2. They have destroyed my America along with Federal Reserve manipulations. Our good jobs gone. Our ability to manufacture destroyed. Our government eaten alive by debt. Good job protection our freedoms right?
Folks have said to me “If you don’t like the system then leave!”. Now my relatives are wondering why we are going to leave in a few years. Simple-This system is a farce. There ARE better countries. One does not have to live frustrated, going broke or feeling like they are living a great lie. One can leave. Emigration cuts both ways. Most people do not emigrate for freedom as much as economic reasons. I’ll take a little of both as I study my RosettaStone.
Medically you are heavily discouraged from doing what you know is best if it disagrees with our Big Pharma Mafia. Costs rise and rise as folks are herded into a totally broken expensive system. Drug drug drug drug, cut burn and drug some more.
People in this country are not free thinkers unless you think that mass group think is freedom. I like diversity of thought and culture in a newer melting pot that is growing and not dying.
Our financial system is based on fraud with regulation after the fact if you use Enron or today’s subprime mess as any indication. We look at problems after money is wiped out and fortunes lost. Great help that is!
From the War on Drugs to The War on Poverty to The War on Terror we keep spending trillions of dollars down the rat hole of bureaucratic war failures, over regulations-poor laws and have created a prison planet as statewide cottage industries.
We are fast becoming a police state with even higher crime. The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over while expecting new results. I guess we are insane by definition.
They have taken rights the Constitution guarantees and wiped their Federal buts with that document and no one protests. The tax system is a burden to personal wealth and a bargain for corporate wealth.
We treat children and senior citizens with abject contempt them being cash cows to the system but hardly worthy of the respect given even pets. Many are abused while no one REALLY CARES. Kill a child and get out in what? 5-10 years? Rob and kill granny in the inner-city and get out in 10-12? Take a shot at a politician, a businessman or kill a suburban woman or man and get life? Read the statistics. In America you can kill the poor, the senior, the child and get a slap on the wrist in most cases. That’s tragic. Our weak mean little to us. We react more viscerally when someone mistreats an animal or spikes our pet food.
Yes, I plan on moving from this bargain. Our country is out of control and what we were raised to believe about ourselves has become Nuremberg material thinking our crimes mean less than Nazi Germany’s crimes or our new oppression is somehow better than the old Soviet Bloc oppression where Tass like Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN tells sifted sanitized news of things they decide is fit for us children to hear and digest instead of letting us hear it all, see it all and make up our own minds about things.
This is Freedom? I don’t think so.
GlenGary
Fascinatin'
Nov 27, 2007
GlenGary:
Great post – what areas are you considering for emigration?
And how long do you think we’ve got before it is too late and our lords and masters decide not to let anyone out without their permission (and payoff)?
GlenGary
Nov 28, 2007
Fascinatin’,(Bob)
I’m looking straight at Panama with zero tax on outside the country pensions and investment income. A good home that I might want would cost $200,000 American but with no tax on my income and the 30% down required in Panama for pensionados my savings in taxes-utilities and their 20 year property tax abatement would easily make the payments and then some.
Rents there for a nice place are typically 70% below the United States if one wanted to rent. As for food, if you go with local fruits and veggies and local beef which I might add is organic … beef averages not much more than $3.50 a pound for steaks.
You can move all of your personal belongings like furniture there with no tax or tariff and buy one new car every two years with no import taxes. Local wages make it possible to hire a live-in housekeeper for $100 to $150 a month and the same for a gardener if that is your wish. Pensionados as they call them get big discounts on movies, theaters, sporting events of 50% off and restaurants of 25% off and fast food 15% off with dentists cheaper there and doctors giving 20% off. Medical Insurance is cheaper and many MD’s are US trained. Also, if your electric bill is $50 or under you get 25% off. At their rates it would be easy to have a $50 or even less bill since in Ohio I pay $89 budget on near 5,000 sq.ft including basement.
In the mountains where I am interested the temp is generally 80 degrees during the day and 70 at night which almost kills the need to air-condition since the breezes are near constant.
This and Uruguay-a 12 hour flight from NY were the only two countries that had so many benefits, were US friendly and safe as heck. Uruguay was cheaper but much too far away for me.
I don’t think the a-holes that run this country think anyone wants out. Their arrogance suggest they think we are IT and everyone wants in.
Bob,
As far as economics.. I’d rather live in a country that is expressing itself in freedoms with a living standard that is great today then a country that is rolling back freedom in paranoia and whose living standards are becoming oppressive and stagnant of forward movement.
I know there are tradeoffs with this and I know what they are, but I think I can adapt. With my present net worth it near doubles on Panama’s economic standard being no taxes to pay. Right now I’d save $4,300 property taxes and as near as I can figure $27,000 in joint income taxes plus, about $1,800 utilities, probably $1,300 food and when I go to cash investments ALL of the capital gains. Now add in medical insurance at more than 50% off.
Nowhere to hide I’m sure. But less expensive places to hide are out there where one fears economics a whole lot less.
GlenGary
Pre-check.
Nov 28, 2007
They could pre-check everyone in a same sex dressing room prior to flights. For immigration they could check the iris of the eye like the CIA cameras already do. Everyone’s is unique. This could be used for immigration. They could also do a more extensive background check on all immigrants and make a more unique green card ect…
Bob
Nov 28, 2007
You made me think of Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” when you said that we’re all unique.
Scene:
Brian is yelling out the window at a crowd and after every one of his sentences the crowd repeats it back, until he finally says “Don’t listen to me! Don’t listen to anybody! You have to think for yourselves, you’re all individuals!” and one guy out there puts up his hand and says “I’m not.”
Love those guys! Keep the ideas coming, this is good stuff.
Alien ID cards
Nov 29, 2007
They could make a more modern Alien Id card with holograms, photos and dna profile on it to prevent id theft. They could also implement a zero tolerance for crime and send them back to where they came if they can’t be half way decent.
Blood sample id card
Dec 08, 2007
They could also do a blood sample id card that would be too difficult to duplicate. All they would have to do is put a dab of blood from your finger on an id card that a computer reads to make sure you are that person. It would be easy with all of the great technology we have now. The computer would not even need a photo(for those who hate photos). It could read your blood drop. It would simply be amazing and they could keep better track of the aids virus too to combat it before it kills everyone.
Guess
Dec 10, 2007
TSA shouldn’t even exist, the private screening was much better, they just weren’t looking for box cutters, if you believe that some terrorists could actually hijack planes with box cutters.
Find the bombs
Dec 10, 2007
Rats love metal and metallic objects. They could be trained to find bombs. They can find any metal objects easily.
GlenGary
Dec 10, 2007
Per>>Author: Find the bombs
Comment:
Rats love metal and metallic objects. They could be trained to find bombs. They can find any metal objects easily.
I don’t think you’d be able to pay the rats enough to abandon their cushy jobs and fringes working for Congress to
get them to actually do work. I think the rats would find it beneath them. What? Rats work? No way!
GlenGary
GlenGary
Dec 11, 2007
I think the whole thing goes back to 9-11 and whom one choses to believe blew up those buildings. I always look to see who benefits most from things and the truth is that our government was able to strip our rights clean away from us while going to Iraq and stuffing their cronies with fresh American Tax Dollars by the billions. Add in a triple to the price of oil courtesy of world tension Iraq caused, Halliburton’s stock going ballistic and all evidence points to Dick and George. Who else can get everything so totally shut down on that morning?
I think there are very few informed people around who buy the Al Qaeda fairy tale these days or the fact that jet fuel, which is kerosene which burns no hotter than 1500 degrees, could melt structural beams that melt at 2,200 degrees and accomplish that deed in an hour or less without the help of C-4 or cordite which some firemen said they smelled that morning. Explosives smell a whole lot different than oil products and work a whole lot faster.
As a former steelworker, I”ve had a very tough time buying the jet fuel did it story. I’ve welded a lot of steel and alloys and there is no way kerosene melts steel no matter who says so. It’s impossible plain and simple. The fireball clearly shows the fuel atomizing as the planes hit burning near completely off as well…. so where did the fuel come from that burned the beams if little was left?
The story is so stupid and full of holes I wonder how anyone buys it.
I’m not half as worried about airline hijackers as I am Constitutional Hijackers. They have been burning the midnight oil ever since 9-11.
GlenGary,
PS Just when you think you’ve dug down to absolute rock bottom,
somebody shows up with a pick-axe and some dynamite!
Persons experiencing rectal bleeding from reading this are instructed to read it backwards to undo the damage.
Rats
Dec 11, 2007
You would have to buy the rats some damn good cheese ha ha
Glen is right.
Dec 11, 2007
Glen you are right those Dirty Scrooge Rats could learn a thing or two from you. Don’t worry Hell awaits the Scrooge Bastards. They will get what is coming to them.
Brains
Dec 14, 2007
Can they make robot brains and insert them in brain donor’s heads ha ha???? Good marketing idea for you robot makers out there!!!
Noah
Dec 18, 2007
Umm, Gee I wonder why the airports are in so much trouble financially… Who wants to put up with a bunch of BS security that doesn’t even work?
Planes are not often hijacked. It’s not like an epidemic that needs drastic response. There is a simple policy that would eliminate hijacking as a threat – and I believe it’s probably been in place for some time – All planes that go drastically off course and considered a threat should simply be shot to pieces by the air force. Not to be unsympathetic to the unfortunate passengers of hijacked airplanes, but if thousands of people are at risk we have to think about priorities. If people knew before getting on the plane that a hijacking would lead to them being shot down and dying, well, you wouldn’t let the bastards pull it of, would you? That is what should have happened on 9/11… of course that’s assuming that it was even possible for an airplane to knock down steel skyscrapers in the same manner and precision as a controlled demolition, which is contrary to reality and physics as we know it.
So we’re fighting a non-threat by annoying an scaring the crap out of everyone who flies to prevent the recurrence of something that is physically impossible and could not have happened the way we were told it did in the first place? What are we stupid?
GlenGary
Dec 19, 2007
This government survives by creating giant entities that soak up huge mountains of cash while doing essentially less than nothing except making some fat cats that sell everything from airport security equipment to voting machines to that do not work to feeding private security companies that hire mercenaries to shoot innocent people, to enforce rules, regulations and laws tailored to private industry while the public picks up the tab to be harassed, overcharged, kicked, lied to poisoned while being told “We are the best in the world” as we struggle under the runaway inflation this has all caused, this print and spend give away sanctioned at the highest level of our treasonous government.
From border security to airport security to food and drug purity to the EPA, to mortgage securities, to the mission of the Federal Reserve, to Homeland Security to the VA to managing our fighting forces and on and on this government is broken beyond repair and corrupt beyond all reason.
This thing is so corrupt it has no right to continue to stand unchallenged by the American people. I’m praying 08 brings a HUGE Change… but I wouldn’t hold my breath on the intelligence of the majority that does little to be really informed and connect the dots. Most simply don’t use the brains they were born with to figure things out until the cows are three miles from the barn.
GlenGary
DeepFreeze
Dec 24, 2007
Mistakes like these costs priceless lives. And whos lives are these? People like you and me. Every seen or heard and important political VIP getting blown to bits. you don’t. It people and soldiers that get hurt. Hope those guys learn from this.
DeepFreeze
Dec 24, 2007
^^ Happy Holidays Everyone…
Ryan
Dec 27, 2007
Wow, I finally found were all the experts hangout. I’m gonna send an email to whom it may concern
Weary Traveler
Dec 30, 2007
From my encounters with the TSA I almost get the feeling that this is a WPA type program where they take almost unemployable unskilled people and give them just enough power to act like the Hitler Youth, the little minded Jackbooted thugs that get their shits and giggles by harassing people and taking stuff so unrelated to weaponry that it would be laughable if our bureaucratic mindless twits weren’t so serious.
It is smoke and mirrors and making security implement and consultant firms rich as all get out while they pipe contributions to political parties and give former public officials cushy high paying jobs to keep the game going just like the oil companies, just like Halliburton, just like the drug companies and the defense contractors.
Terrorists can hit soft targets and infiltrate companies and entities and rarely hit twice high profile the same method and target because they know soft targets become hard targets after a good hit. They are not stupid. Seems we are if you look at our near open border policy that has probably slammed the Fifth Column into America already now lying in wait working in a community near you. So obvious a tactic and yet where do we see that discussed? No!
ciborium
Jan 23, 2008
The TSA’s current budget is $4.7 Billion. The portion of that which is paid for by the airlines is $570 Million, the amount that the airlines reported as spent on security in 2000. Passengers pay $2.50 per enplanement to the TSA, adding up to $1.9 Billion annually. The remaining $2.2 Billion comes from taxpayers. Now if the airlines only paid $570 Million in 2000 and caught +90% of all the banned items/substances. Imagine what they would have been able to do if they spent the $2.5 Billion which air travel raises for the TSA? Do you really think that a private company could not provide better security with less inconvenience to their customers for half the money that the TSA spends? After all, the airlines are accountable to customers and shareholders. The shareholders will not put up with them spending $4.7 Billion per year on security, and neither will the customers. They also would not put up with the airlines being sued every other year for planes falling out of the sky. The customers will not put up with overly invasive searches (strip search just because you are the 100th customer) and stupid rules (those bottles MUST be in quart bags not gallon bags, even though you only have 2 half ounce bottles) from the airlines. Not from the TSA who is accountable to NO NONE.
Iceburgh69
Jan 27, 2010
Instead of taking on an “If you don’t like it, leave” attitude, I’d rather take an “If you don’t like it, fix it” attitude. Use the system to fix the system.
Aug 06, 2010
Anarchy In Your Head » Archive » Treated Like a Criminal by the TSA