TSA blathers on and on about their “layers of security” and they even have a handy-dandy color coded chart (those are the best kind of charts) to show how many layers a terrorist has to get through. Here's the layers: 1. Intelligence 2. International Partnerships 3. Customs and Border Protection 4. Joint Terrorism Task Force 5. No-fly list and passenger pre-screening 6. Crew vetting 7. VIPR 8. Canines 9. Behavior detection officers 10. Travel Document Checker 11. Checkpoint/Transportation Security Officer 12. Checked baggage 13. Transportation Security Inspectors 14. Random Employee Screening 15. Bomb appraisal officers 16. Federal Air Marshall Service 17. Federal Flight Deck Officers 18. Trained Flight Crew 19. Law Enforcement Officers 20. Hardened cockpit door 21. Passengers Of course, a lot of these “layers” are of dubious value, and there seems to be some duplication. VIPR and BDO are particularly worthless. Others are effective, such as canines, but for whatever reason aren't used by TSA in any practical sense. But lets focus on Items 20 and 21, hardened cockpit doors and passengers. Had item 20 been in play in 2001, 9/11 could not have happened. As it was, an impromptu application of item 21, passengers, prevented one of the planes from striking its target, which was probably the Capitol building. We have seen passengers irradiated, groped, humiliated – yet TSA itself acknowledges they are the last line of defense. Seems like if TSA was really interested in stopping terrorism they would not do these demoralizing things to their last line of defense.
That is because dogs can do things that BDO's and TDC's can't. Yes I mean exactly what your mind thought
TSA is a neophyte when it comes to intelligence gathering, interpretation, and action. Suggest they leave intelligence to the professionals. A non issue. Other countries did/do screening at least as effectively as does TSA without robbing people of their dignity. Call me when you cut down on the flow of illegal aliens and drugs. Until then the borders are porous. YAWN. More smoke and mirrors while wasting funds that could be applied elsewhere. Cute, actual terrorists (folks the FBI/CIA are looking for) aren't on that list. Those that are on the list may be there for political reasons. Seem to recall some rather notorious incidents where vetted people sold out to the other side. Keep trying though. Ooooooo I'm scared and shaking in my boots. A DHS employee wants to play dress up as Rambo/Gi Joe. Under used/misused. Best bet for finding explosives. Send them home and pay them to not come in to work. Ineffective at best and a very large potential liability. Send them home and pay them to not come in to work. Retrain for the umpteenth time then start terminating them for being unable to learn. Let passengers secure their own luggage against the luggage thieves. Send them home and pay them to not come in to work. Include all TSA employees both coming to work and leaving work. Terminate employees who are discovered with stolen items on the spot. It is a bomb. It isn't a bomb. Good idea but poorly implemented. Wasted smoke and mirrors. I would hope they would be both trained and armed. Okay, what about them? They existed before TSA and will exist after TSA is just a bad dream. It works. They work and they are angry that they will have to undergo additional screening because you caused the plane to land early. Be prepared for the beating of your life.
