<i>Gary Boettcher, a pilot and president of the Coalition for Airline Pilots Association –- a trade group focused on security issues –- tells the Post that he frequently observes passengers with banned liquids in airplane cabins. Still, he tells the Post, that rarely bothers him. &quot;They are just doing their routines like they always did,&quot; Boettcher says. &quot;An old woman drinking a bottle of water doesn't concern me. . . . The whole screening process is a <b>facade to make the public feel safe</b>, to show that the government is doing something.&quot;</i>

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/

I personally worry about the number of shops located after passing through security. In the London situation, one of the suspects worked at the airport. You know they have sharp items in the kitchen and when their food products arrive, do they all get checked through security?

AAFF, you repeatedly tell us what bunk the whole screening/TSA/Airport security system is. Why on earth do you keep flying? Aren't you afraid?

Yes, I'm afraid, but not of the terrorists, but our government.

I work for our government. I fly and I don't have problems, but I see our freedoms and our constitunionaly guaranteed rights slowly deteroriating under the disguise of &quot;war on terror&quot; and before that with our &quot;war on drugs&quot;. It's a farce.

TSA or whatever agency is in charge of airport security should concentrate on physical security ONLY. Instead of wasting billion$ on CAPPS, CAPPSI AND CAPPSII, which is nothing more than another way to control our own citizens, they should get the latest technology in weapons/bomb detection. I'm not so naive to think that we don't need physical security, in fact I'm all for it, but it's a joke even today. Most of the air cargo is never checked, majority of sea cargo is never checked, yet the TSA flunkies are concerned if I have a credit problem before they let me fly (not me, I'm just using it as an example .

I always said. If the physical security was done correctly then who cares if OBL himself was sitting next to you? What is going to do? Kill us with his bad breath?

I work in a security business and I do get to work with some very brave, dedicated young women and men that are actually fighting the &quot;real war on terror&quot;. I knew few that made the ultimate sacrifice. They are disgusted with what our government is doing. Some had problems flying on commercial flights in US trying to get home to see their parents, spouses, children. One was actually on a &quot;no fly list&quot; and he was coming home from Iraq in a uniform. These are the same people that get shot at everyday in some parts of the world defending the promise of &quot;freedom&quot; that in many ways doesn't exist any more.

If anybody really thinks that this HS and especially TSA is working, they are kidding themselves. If some homegrown terrorist decides one day to do some major damage, all s/he has to do is to strap a pack of dynamite to their body, walk in to a busy nightclub on Saturday night and without any master plan kill 1000 young Americans.

What is HS going to then? Require a security check for anybody going to nightclub/restaurant/hotel/etc.???

I agree!!! THIS IS A JOKE! Don't you think that the terrorist would just bring the explosive on strapped to thier body instead of putting it in the NICE EASY container for the idiots to find?

And that beverage you are drinking that you PURCHASED in the so called &quot;sterile&quot; area MAGICALLY aquires dangerous qualities as you walk DOWN the jetway?

Yes, I think we are safer today due to the following:

1. Secured flight deck. You can't rush the door and take control of the planes

2. The efforts of the FBI, CIA and your local law enforcement agencies.

The TSA... (or Thousands Standing Around) is a joke!

The public needs to be reassured that the government is doing something to protect them from the evil of terrorism. It doesn't need to be effective or even sensible to provide this reassurance, as long as it's SOMETHING that's highly visible. Many people find the entire ritual of removing shoes, going through the metal detector, and now putting liquids and gels in checked bags very reassuring because it's something THEY can do to participate in and make a personal contirbution to VICTORY in this War against unspeakable Evil.

Yes, even a moment's thought is enough to recognize that it's a worthless inconvenience that punishes millions of innocent people while doing very little to deter committed, religiously-motivated mass murderers. Indeed, the extra crowds and queues the &quot;security measures&quot; create are themselves an easier and more tempting target than the airplanes they're supposed to protect. And the ban on liquids and the shoe removal doesn't even pretend to do anything for threats that don't happen to walk in through the front door of the terminal.

But for most passengers that doesn't matter. They can't or won't think. They're just grateful that the TSA has reacted quickly and decisively to the latest horrible threat, and more than happy to jump through whatever hoops the Good Guys in uniform tell them to do today to keep us all safe and secure.

The fact is that a facade that reassures the majority of frightened, unthinking people is really the best the TSA can do, at least not without imposing measures so intrusive and inconvenient that air travel would become essentially useless. Perhaps it's best for those of us who recognize the ineffectiveness and even stupidity of &quot;airport security&quot; to simply shut up, smile, and go along with the charade when it's necessary to fly. Complaining that the Emperor has no clothes will do no good when the Emperor continually issues dire warnings about the danger of frostbite while bragging about his magnificant raiment. It's best to let the Emperor's loyal serfs believe that removing shoes, doing without toothpaste, and wishing really hard will win the War on Terror.

The only thing we can really do about this ridiculous facade is to avoid flying whenever that's feasible. Not only does that avoid the worthless inconveniences of &quot;airport security,&quot; but it also bypasses all the other indignities that separately make air travel an ordeal.

&lt;&lt;I fly and I don't have problems, but I see our freedoms and our constitunionaly guaranteed rights slowly deteroriating under the disguise of &quot;war on terror&quot; and before that with our &quot;war on drugs&quot;. It's a farce.&gt;&gt;

I agree with you 100%

Geordie

Saw on the news this morning that some Court Houses will not allow people to bring liquids past the security point. (West Palm Beach)

Yes, you can buy it at their vending machines. What a money maker!

I have heard also about our men and women in uniform being subjected to &quot;no fly&quot; and other indignities. It sickens me.

But to say it is all a placebo cannot possibly be true. After all, the gateway that most of these Islamic radicals use to enter the U.S., is air. And we have not had any planes blown up, no shoe bombers, no suicide bombers - yet - on our soil, in the five long years since 9/11. How can you draw any conclusion other than our methods (imperfect as you point out) seem to be working?

And what better alternatives do any of you suggest? I'm listening. As faulty as our system is, new technology is being introduced and refined all the time. That costs money.

And one more thing: let's stop calling it the War on Terror. It's really a war on Islamic Radicals who want to kill and destroy all Christians, Jews, and non believers. And your scenerio of having OBL himself sit next to me on a plane, well that's exactly what we're trying to prevent - even an unarmed terrorist is a threat, and should be identified and prevented from reaching our shores.

To say you're NOT afraid of the terrorists and you're more afraid of the U.S. government is incredibly naive. Take a look at this documentary that's about to come out, and see if you think you're in danger from Islamic Radicals:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...60287603221198

So true, AA!

On this one, I agree 100% with AAFF et al.

All you have to do is take 6 seconds to think up ways for a determined terrorist to get around the fluid ban (way #1, work for an airline supplier...) and you realize it is, indeed, thin smoke and distorted mirrors.

The terrorists have won when you spend more time planning your packing around security and standing in screening lines, all reminding you constantly of some reasons to be fearful and some justifications for surrendering your rights.

I'm all for really, truly effective security measures, but those are the ones that cost a lot of money, need new technology, and need lots of intelligence personnel. Look, for example, at what our shipping ports are NOT now doing. Safe from my seatmate's PeptoBismol but not from mega-shipments of weapon-materiel contraband.

Just sayin'.......

<b>soccr</b>,

I can't believe we agree on something...

<b>joan</b>,

it's your right to believe what you want to believe but I also believe that the current security measure is nothing more than smoke and mirrors, totally useless and the only result is that we, the innocent citizens, are being inconvenienced daily, our freedoms eroding, and the terrorists are laughing. All they have to do today is yell &quot;boo&quot; and we coward like little sheep. They don't have to do anything....

Think about it!

There was a shoe bomber on board since 9/11. He got on with the DANGEROUS part, EXPLOSIVES.

So what did the TSA do? Ban lighters... Here's a clue, lighters were NOT the problem EXPLOSIVES were LOL!

Joan, very well said.

If I thought you people whining about a little inconvenience in your travels represented a majority of Americans, I would be convinced that the terrorists have already won. The whole point of terrorism is to make people lose faith in their government and its institutions. Fortunately, most Americans I've met don't seem to feel that way.

I'm also in the camp that believes most of the inspections we go through are little more than smoke and mirrors. The people in this camp tend to be people who fly more than once or twice a year. The people who have to put up with the meaningless, time-wasting searches and security measures on a regular basis know how much time and money this wastes. I guess when we gladly put up with this stuff we become the land of the safe and the home of the overly-careful. I would guess that less than 10% of the population are people that travel frequently and if only half of us feel these inspections are close to useless I guess you would be correct in saying that most people feel these check do something.
So far this year I've been on 62 flights with several more scheduled in the next couple weeks. Just shoes took about an hour this year. If you figure another 30 minutes waiting for checked baggage per trip that's about 16 hours so far this year if I had checked each trip. I try to travel very light. Not being able to take my Cross Ion gel pen (about 3 inches long) is a real pain. Having to buy toothpaste now is a hassle (even though the client will pay for it.) And I really miss taking my large McDonald's coffee and a bottle of water on board. Since I fly mostly United, they serve Starbucks which I think is probably the worst coffee I've ever tasted.
Sigh. Think of the children and don't mention the Empeurer's (sp?) clothes.
Ron

Jack, the terrorists win a large victory when people have unmerited faith in the government and in the people who run its institutions. The administration has done nothing to justify any faith in it. The sham(e) &quot;airport security&quot; they've put in place is simply very visible evidence that there is no reason to have faith.

It isn't the terrorists who are making many of us lose faith, it's the government's inept reaction to it.

Burt's Bees lip balm doesn't kill people.


people kill people.

I think that the liquid ban, as well as the recent usage of allowing certain, previously &quot;cleared&quot; people to pay a fee annally to get through security faster is so, so, so not helping get to the root of the security problems in our airports..

we need to be checking ALL of the cargo and freight, screening ALL of the bags,....

sure, it may slow things down a bit, but I think that would help to make flying safer for everyone......

I heard on the radio that 2 of the people arrested in the recent UK bomb threat incident were a young couple with a 6 month old baby who were planning to bring the explosive liquid in the baby's bottle - How do you screen against people willing to not only blow themselves up but also their innocent baby?

I LOVE every single bit of screening they do - I wish they'd do more. The US only spends $7/person on security and El-Al spends $80/person on security....Seems like we are short-changing ourselves and will be sorry!

My only negative comment is that the political correctness of the world is going to cost us. On a flight home from the UK to US about a week after the bomb scare arrests, I was pretty shocked to see a woman in full muslim dress NOT get searched and barely get patted down. In my jeans and T-shirts, it would have been hard to smuggle something on the plane - every bump and bulge shows and is felt during the patdown. But why couldn't the woman have hidden large amounts of banned and potentially explosive items under her gown? It would have been soooooo easy for her to do so. Unless the airlines decide that EVERYONE has to be searched and gives up the politically correct nonsense, planes will come down.