"On Airport Security, America Should Take a Lesson from Israel"

[TBoneTX 45,570]

On Airport Security, America Should Take a Lesson from Israel

Airport security is back in the news this year, with passengers and the Transportation Security Administration alike anticipating longer lines than ever as the summer travel season begins. Yet for all the handwringing and occasional proposing of solutions, few are addressing the central issue: that the system itself is ineffective, inefficient and just plain dumb.

This year’s anticipated crisis is the result of two primary factors: first, the good news that the economy is largely recovered and people are traveling more, and second, the bad news that while Republicans in Congress love to demand more law enforcement, they hate to pay for it, and their budget cuts have produced a shortage of TSA employees that won’t be remedied by this summer. (There are also problems with TSA itself, though many Republicans want to see TSA fail so that the system can be privatized, so it’s hard to get an accurate read.)

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson recently announced some Band-Aids: more overtime, faster hiring procedures and more dogs.

But these tweaks ignore the fact that our airport security process is hopelessly broken, and has been from its inception. Unlike, for example, Israel’s extremely effective systems, which have been tested and refined over decades, the American system doesn’t work at rooting out actual threats, and produces needless, costly delays. It is, experts agree, a kind of “security theater”: a pageant to convey the message that you’re safe while actually doing simultaneously too much and too little.

Too much: The whole world is laughing at us as we pointlessly take off our shoes based on one (failed) terrorism attempt years ago. Why is shoes-on safe enough for Israel but not safe enough for America? Why do we take air hijackings so seriously when cockpits are now locked, and nobody has seriously tried to hijack an American plane in years?

And too little: [see link for more]

forward.com/articles/341053/on-airport-security-america-should-take-a-lesson-from-israel/

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I am guessing that it is much easier to secure 7 airports than the hundreds of airports in the US? Especially when you don't have to worry about little things like profiling or other civil rights issues?

[OriZ 3,157]

I don't think it really makes a difference if it's 7 or hundreds, if the system works in one it can work in all.

They changed the taking off your shoes thing in 2008 when they introduced something new that can identify if you have something in your shoes. It would cost more money obviously to implement that in every airport in the US, but there are many other important layers of security that wouldn't.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

I don't think it really makes a difference if it's 7 or hundreds, if the system works in one it can work in all.

They changed the taking off your shoes thing in 2008 when they introduced something new that can identify if you have something in your shoes. It would cost more money obviously to implement that in every airport in the US, but there are many other important layers of security that wouldn't.

That's because they use common sense. They use statistics to predict groups that are much more likely to commit terrorism. It gives them a much more effective sysytem.

It's not racism it's common sense.

As for they have fewer airports. They also have a lot less people and resources

The chest muddy ditch crowd does not do ratios well.

[Expat1 971]

I see them eyeballing pretty much everybody on the flight out of Amsterdam

[OriZ 3,157]

I see them eyeballing pretty much everybody on the flight out of Amsterdam

Yup, they take no chances. Airports, malls etc. Although it was kind of funny, when my wife lived with me in Israel, when going to the mall they would wand and check everyone's bags before us...they would check me, but would just wave her through. We even tried for me to go in before her, for her to go in before me...we were trying to figure out some rhyme or reason and every time that she would just be waved through we would just crack up between ourselves and be like I guess all a terrorist needs to do is send someone that looks like a cute american female and they're good. If we did it where she's go in before me, I've called her names over it, too....as soon as I'd catch up to her

Edited May 22, 2016 by OriZ

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Yup, they take no chances. Airports, malls etc. Although it was kind of funny, when my wife lived with me in Israel, when going to the mall they would wand and check everyone's bags before us...they would check me, but would just wave her through. We even tried for me to go in before her, for her to go in before me...we were trying to figure out some rhyme or reason and every time that she would just be waved through we would just crack up between ourselves and be like I guess all a terrorist needs to do is send someone that looks like a cute american female and they're good. If we did it where she's go in before me, I've called her names over it, too....as soon as I'd catch up to her

Same thing with malls in the Philippines. They always wave me thru.

[OriZ 3,157]

That's only because you're naitch! WOOOOOOO!

Edited May 22, 2016 by OriZ

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

That's only because you're naitch! WOOOOOOO!

Who knew there was a street word for the one and only Ric Flair . I done learnt me sumething today

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Naitch

Naitch

1. Nickname of Ric Flair, former WCW/NWA and current WWE professional wrestler. One of the greatest of all time.

2. Anyone trying to emulate the great Ric Flair.

3. A 16 time World Heavyweight Champion.

4. Who Triple H aspires to be.

Come on Naitch, let's go to the ring.

[OriZ 3,157]

Hey now, no bashing HHH.

With that nickname, I woulda thought you were already well aware of it. I'm disappointed in you.

Edited May 22, 2016 by OriZ