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Terrorism Security Measures
Topic Started: Jan 6 2010, 02:20 AM (589 Views)
Dave
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In light of a recent failed attack on an American airliner I'm sure you've all heard of, there are some real questions that this raises if they weren't already raised before.

Are the anti-terror methods involved in airport screening/security really effective at all? Not to suggest that one attempt passing through the cracks means the system hasn't stopped countless others, but the idea that security seems as tight as it is and even one gets through is actually a bit unsettling. It makes me begin to believe most of it is moreorless a sham -- a way of providing the illusion of security at the expense of our convenience.

Honestly, a truly secure system, to me, would involve planting armed US officials throughout each commercial flight and a comprehensive system designed to allow them to act in the event of a situation. Then, of course, this system would also involve not telling anyone about it, so I guess if it existed we wouldn't know. :P Not to be a conspiracy theorist or anything, but the story, as I read it, stated that the attempt-bomber was "subdued by passengers," or something to effect, hinting at the idea that ordinary passengers overpowered the guy. Completely plausible, but maybe something else was going on that is being kept under wraps?

Your thoughts?
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Dyssomnia
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Quote:
 
stated that the attempt-bomber was "subdued by passengers," or something to effect, hinting at the idea that ordinary passengers overpowered the guy.
>> Saying nothing, except that, ahem, I don't think they've released the names of said passengers. Passengers. With badges. And guns.

Anyway, most of the things TSA does for American-side security is only providing the illusion of safety. While there are innumerable safeguards in place, however, we're only made aware of the obvious ones - so I think the 'conspiracy' you've got going on Dave is probably right, a system that we aren't told about because it would compromise safety. However, TSA is probably not entirely a part of it, and if it is, it's certainly the most irritating.

That said. The only way to really stop people from downing airplanes is to ground all the airplanes. :/
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Raymond
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Because of this incident, Canadian Airports are changing their security measures from doing basic body scans to doing full body scans and these body scanners cost about $250,000 each.

Here's an article about it: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2407341
Edited by Raymond, Jan 6 2010, 09:13 PM.
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Myriad
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The guy was overpowered after he failed to set the explosives off. If his plan had worked nobody would've had the chance.

Honestly airport security is a complete joke. It's for show and nothing else. I personally know people who've gotten on a plane with scalpel blades and knives (separate occurrences and accidentally of course :P). I've been patted down and the guy doing it avoided my crotch area and I know that isn't uncommon. I've walked through the metal detector with a cell phone and it didn't get detected. Then there's the investigative reporters who've smuggled all the materials needed to make a bomb onto a plane. As it stands airport security is a money sink and an inconvenience to legitimate passengers. I'd say it makes us marginally safer. Honestly though I think we make too big of a deal over the whole thing. Until you give everyone a full body scan and hand search every piece of baggage there will always be security issues.

And Raymond, the scanners cost $250 000 each, not the scans. :P
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Leda
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Security measures seem tighter here in the United States than they do overseas. We aren't even allowed to bring nail clippers on flights anymore! It's a bit absurd.

Seems to me security needs to be increased on flights that are inbound to the United States from other countries. The saddest thing about this story is that the kid's own father reported his son to the authorities and yet he was still allowed to board the plane. :no:
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Locke
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That one guy
Largely, it seems, airport security is meant to make us feel safer and to deter the lesser determined "terrorists."

Just one example of their flawed methods: liquids, like shampoo, are only permitted in small quantities. The liquids that they confiscate as being too large are thrown into a trash can that sits beside the TSA agents. What then happens? It sits there until the trash can is full. If there was a legitimate threat from the size of container you are taking on board, something else would be done.

I think there is a disconnect between safety and knowing how to achieve safety. So by making the process convoluted and lengthy, they achieve their ends in most scenarios for most issues. :/

Travel security needs an overhaul that acknowledges most of what they do now needs to be thrown out.
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Leda
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Locke
Jan 12 2010, 04:13 PM
Largely, it seems, airport security is meant to make us feel safer and to deter the lesser determined "terrorists."

Just one example of their flawed methods: liquids, like shampoo, are only permitted in small quantities. The liquids that they confiscate as being too large are thrown into a trash can that sits beside the TSA agents. What then happens? It sits there until the trash can is full. If there was a legitimate threat from the size of container you are taking on board, something else would be done.

I think there is a disconnect between safety and knowing how to achieve safety. So by making the process convoluted and lengthy, they achieve their ends in most scenarios for most issues. :/

Travel security needs an overhaul that acknowledges most of what they do now needs to be thrown out.
I totally agree they need to seriously revamp travel security. How exactly would we threaten someone else with shampoo?

And in the example that prompted you to make this topic, it was the passengers who overtook the terrorist. So they should stop treating us like terrorists by confiscating shampoo and nail clippers and start doing a better job cracking down on actual terrorists.
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Locke
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The idea is that we wouldn't actually have shampoo in the container, but some manner of liquid that if mixed with other things would be explosive.

I completely understand that they can't typecast: a white, middle-aged woman could theoretically be a terrorist. I also think that they should definitively consider each person with skepticism. I just think their methods aren't effective. :/
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