What the Hell is THIS?!
Airline Security Changes Planned
Threats Reassessed To Make Travel Easier for Public
By Sara Kehaulani Goo Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, August 13, 2005; Page A01
The new head of the Transportation Security Administration has called for a broad review of the nation's air security system to update the agency's approach to threats and reduce checkpoint hassles for passengers.
Edmund S. "Kip" Hawley, an assistant secretary of homeland security, directed his staff to propose changes in how the agency screens 2 million passengers a day. The staff's first set of recommendations, detailed in an Aug. 5 document, includes proposals to lift the ban on various carry-on items such as scissors, razor blades and knives less than five inches long. It also proposes that passengers no longer routinely be required to remove their shoes at security checkpoints.
- snip -
The TSA memo proposes to minimize the number of passengers who must be patted down at checkpoints. It also recommends that certain categories of passengers be exempt from airport security screening, such as members of Congress, airline pilots, Cabinet members, state governors, federal judges, high-ranking military officers and people with top-secret security clearances.
The proposal also would allow ice picks, throwing stars and bows and arrows on flights. Allowing those items was suggested after a risk evaluation was conducted about which items posed the most danger.
- snip -
K. Jack Riley, a homeland security expert at Rand Corp., said hardened cockpit doors, air marshals and stronger public vigilance will prevent another 9/11-style hijacking. "Frankly, the preeminent security challenge at this point is keeping explosives off the airplane," Riley said. The TSA's ideas, he said, "recognize the reality that we know that air transportation security has changed post-9/11. Most of these rules don't contribute to security."
Douglas R. Laird, former head of security for Northwest Airlines, said the proposal was a step backward. Laird said exempting certain categories of passengers from security screening would be dangerous because trusted groups have occasionally abused the privilege. "In an effort to be customer friendly, they're forgetting that their primary requirement is to keep airplanes safe," Laird said. "Either you screen everybody or why screen anybody?"
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Why indeed? Why not go back to letting anyone board a plane? Hell, why not go back to the old days when you could just pull up at the terminal, get out and walk across the tarmac to the waiting plane?
Did Osama call up the TSA and say, "It's okay guys, I've decided to order my people to lay off the planes?"
What in the name of Bleeding Jesus are these yahoos thinking? Well, probably the bottom line - it'll save money to not have such burdensome security measures.
Of course, that won't stop them from screaming for additional security the next time some four-star lunatic goes crazy and crashes a plane.
Threats Reassessed To Make Travel Easier for Public
By Sara Kehaulani Goo Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, August 13, 2005; Page A01
The new head of the Transportation Security Administration has called for a broad review of the nation's air security system to update the agency's approach to threats and reduce checkpoint hassles for passengers.
Edmund S. "Kip" Hawley, an assistant secretary of homeland security, directed his staff to propose changes in how the agency screens 2 million passengers a day. The staff's first set of recommendations, detailed in an Aug. 5 document, includes proposals to lift the ban on various carry-on items such as scissors, razor blades and knives less than five inches long. It also proposes that passengers no longer routinely be required to remove their shoes at security checkpoints.
- snip -
The TSA memo proposes to minimize the number of passengers who must be patted down at checkpoints. It also recommends that certain categories of passengers be exempt from airport security screening, such as members of Congress, airline pilots, Cabinet members, state governors, federal judges, high-ranking military officers and people with top-secret security clearances.
The proposal also would allow ice picks, throwing stars and bows and arrows on flights. Allowing those items was suggested after a risk evaluation was conducted about which items posed the most danger.
- snip -
K. Jack Riley, a homeland security expert at Rand Corp., said hardened cockpit doors, air marshals and stronger public vigilance will prevent another 9/11-style hijacking. "Frankly, the preeminent security challenge at this point is keeping explosives off the airplane," Riley said. The TSA's ideas, he said, "recognize the reality that we know that air transportation security has changed post-9/11. Most of these rules don't contribute to security."
Douglas R. Laird, former head of security for Northwest Airlines, said the proposal was a step backward. Laird said exempting certain categories of passengers from security screening would be dangerous because trusted groups have occasionally abused the privilege. "In an effort to be customer friendly, they're forgetting that their primary requirement is to keep airplanes safe," Laird said. "Either you screen everybody or why screen anybody?"
********
Why indeed? Why not go back to letting anyone board a plane? Hell, why not go back to the old days when you could just pull up at the terminal, get out and walk across the tarmac to the waiting plane?
Did Osama call up the TSA and say, "It's okay guys, I've decided to order my people to lay off the planes?"
What in the name of Bleeding Jesus are these yahoos thinking? Well, probably the bottom line - it'll save money to not have such burdensome security measures.
Of course, that won't stop them from screaming for additional security the next time some four-star lunatic goes crazy and crashes a plane.
posted by Walt at 3:35 AM
3 Comments:
Hot damn! Robin Hood and his merrymen must be booking their holiday in the Big Apple a'ready. Hiding their bows and arrows in the forest every time they travelled was such a hassle.
Yay, I can carry my throwing stars!!!!
o.o
What about large farming implements? Can we carry large farming implements?
Nothing bigger than a pitchfork, OK.
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