An Assfull Of Explosives?
Sarah Schmidt writes for CanWest about why the Israelis haven't bought scanners:
A leading Israeli airport security expert says the Canadian government has wasted millions of dollars to install "useless" imaging machines at airports across the country."I don't know why everybody is running to buy these expensive and useless machines. I can overcome the body scanners with enough explosives to bring down a Boeing 747," Rafi Sela told parliamentarians probing the state of aviation safety in Canada.
"That's why we haven't put them in our airport," Sela said, referring to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, which has some of the toughest security in the world.
Sela, former chief security officer of the Israel Airport Authority and a 30-year veteran in airport security and defence technology, helped design the security at Ben Gurion.
He told MPs on the House of Commons transport committee via video conference from Kfar Vradim, Israel, that he wouldn't reveal how to get past the virtual strip-search scanners, but said he can provide briefings to officials with security clearance.
The Israelis search for terrorists. We search for tweezers. Whose plane would you feel safer on?
And by the way, there's always a chance your plane will be brought down, your car will crash, the building will fall on your head.
Would you rather live in a society where you are considered a criminal until you prove yourself innocent (with all the strains or breaks that inflicts on democracy), or chance dying in a terror attack on a plane or elsewhere?
UPDATE: Here's the TSA taking away a heavily armed soldier's nail clippers. (Even if he doesn't have bullets in the gun, which do you think you can do more damage with, a rifle butt or a nail clippers?! Insane.)
A look at how Israeli airport security has prevented any security breach in over 20 years.
AllenS at November 19, 2010 8:47 AM
That would be rifle "butt".
Mason88 at November 19, 2010 9:23 AM
sure, but are you going to believe some foreign guy, or a department with 76,000 voters, and a group of businesses that help fund your campaign war chests?
It doesn't even matter what party started, continues or finishes this... at this point it's not about security, it's about graft and control.
SwissArmyD at November 19, 2010 9:28 AM
US airports have probably at least 1000 times more passengers than do Israel's.
Hey Skipper at November 19, 2010 10:26 AM
Sure, Skipper, and airports with their employees to match.
Especially if you consider other venues, the TSA theater is only show.
Radwaste at November 19, 2010 1:17 PM
Can our government get a clue? Israel would be a great place to look. No one is threatened like that country and look at the great job they do.
Are you listening American Politicians?
David M. at November 19, 2010 6:47 PM
If the pilots have to endure this stuff, do TSA people have to endure it as well? I mean what easier way to get by security then have an "in" with this low-level pay-grade employee crowd? Is anyone else paying attention here?
Matt at November 19, 2010 8:26 PM
If the pilots have to endure this stuff, do TSA people have to endure it as well? I mean what easier way to get by security then have an "in" with this low-level pay-grade employee crowd? Is anyone else paying attention here?
Matt at November 19, 2010 8:49 PM
I just can't wait for next week -- when the traveling public just totally overwhelms the system and the number of abuse claims go through the roof.
I have a feeling that the TSA, DHS and all the rest are going to face a revolt from the general public.
Jim P. at November 19, 2010 8:53 PM
Having this approach work here will require two important changes with the quality of the screeners the TSA hires.
1. Eliminate the union.
2. Eliminate the diversity based(AA)hiring.
This crop of recently promoted toll booth operators they have now just won't cut it.
AJP at November 20, 2010 10:40 AM
It's basically the same problem as a lot of the gun bigots: they don't want to look at individuals who commit crimes, they want to strike at objects, and TSA would rather screw with objects than actually look for dangerous people.
And when I read about the troops, I wondered "Do they have their bayonets?" 'Course, what someone with training can do with an empty rifle...
Firehand at November 20, 2010 6:36 PM
"Do they have their bayonets?"
I don't think they have bayonets, per se. But anyone carrying a rifle as infantry in the military carries a Ka-Bar.
There's an old Klingon proverb, a running man may slit 1,000 throats in a single night.
I R A Darth Aggie at November 21, 2010 10:11 AM
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