Lawmaker: US airports are not secure enough

WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite billions of dollars in security enhancements, U.S. airports are still vulnerable to terror attacks, according to a Republican congressman who is probing these deficiencies.

Since November 2001, there have been more than 25,000 security breaches at U.S. airports _ an average of slightly more than five security breaches a year at each of the 457 commercial airports _ and "these are just the ones we know about," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who is overseeing a congressional hearing Wednesday on security shortcomings. "I think it's a stunningly high number."

Among the breaches are more than 14,000 people who have found their way into sensitive areas and about 6,000 travelers who have made it past government screeners without proper scrutiny, Chaffetz said.
Among the breaches are more than 14,000 people who have found their way into sensitive areas and about 6,000 travelers who have made it past government screeners without proper scrutiny, said Chaffetz, citing government statistics.

Source

Just thought I'd share this and get your feedback. It really hit a chord with me reading the title after reading through TSA's regular harassment of citizens. We all know what stories I'm talking about.

Like we really need more security?

reply to post by Crossfate


We need more security? More security from the TSA thats what we need. They are the terrorists and the criminals. People seem to think their job is to stop the very thing they are. Of course there are many breeches. he people in charge are too busy sexually assaulting and harrassing for pay customers to actually find and stop illegal activity. Almost every so called terroist threat that they use to herd us like animals to slaughter. The government was directly involved in seeing that they got on an airplane. Instead of screamiong about being felt up we should be demanding these people be arrested.

It's only a matter of time before travel by any means will have us all buck naked and shackled in our seats.

For our own good of course.

It will look an awful lot like this:








This is the end result of the absurd chase for security.

Anyone who supports current measures or excuses them as necessities is in essence supporting this.

I wonder what kind of security procedures would be in place if lawmakers were the ones being felt up by the TSA?

And, obviously, the TSA isn't stopping anyone from doing anything. We could eliminate them and no one would know the difference except that we'd have our dignity back.

Need I reference:
TSA officials are disputing published accounts of the case of an elderly cancer patient who allegedly was asked to shed her adult diaper as part of a security patdown.

It's almost worth a whole thread just to reference TSA's atrocities.

yes you must face 4 hour interrogation, full body strip search, full body x ray and you are still considered a threat, we will make you want this all the time, for this is your reward for wanting to fly, now bend over and let me see , do you have a incision??? Have you had an operation?? do the word's "c4" or "plastic" mean anything? hmm i see a small growth you better have that checked, it is called a SheepoleTSA disamendmentfreakinatting, this is highly contagious , the cure, say no to flying, that you do have the right to know your amendment's, and knowledge the TSA is freaking all of them.

reply to post by redrose123


When lighters were not permited on flights I traveled through the Pittsburg airport and then through the O hare airport with 5 liters in my purse. I had bought them and forgot I had them in my purse. They found 2 of them and took them but the other three were in plain site. I reached in my purse to get my cigs after my flight and saw the liters. It didn't make me feel too safe. I often wonder what else is getting past inspections.

reply to post by deberam
liters knifes guns oh my but a Tazer/stun gun now that is electrifying boston.cbslocal.com... from the link

The FBI is investigating how a stun gun ended up onboard a Jet Blue plane.

Flight 1179 left Boston Friday night and landed in Newark, New Jersey safely just after 10 pm. Ninety-six passengers were onboard.

some one must have looked in side there carry on and said "oh 5hiz, i better get ride of this" or was it there from a previous flight? In either case TSA is proving it self to be a real bad joke, one not to laugh at.

How about innocent until proven guilty, and your 4th amendment rights? Americans didn't fly planes into buildings on 9/11, why are Americans being treated as potential terrorists?

If these security measures aren't working, don't add more security. Undo the mess. Passports, secure borders, metal detectors, armed pilots. These are the things that work, without anyone losing their rights.

I will not fly until I can fly without my rights being violated and being treated as a potential terrorist. If everyone did that for one week, the airlines would have no choice but to plead to the government to end the charade or go out of business. Take a stand for once.

i have an idea to make air travel safer. make ALL airport workers regardless of who they are go through the SAME screening that they give to passengers, as they make their way to their workstations, even when retuning from a break or as they may roam into and out of "secure areas". except of course ALL get full scan or body search instead of a select few like they do with passengers. they would have to of course use FBI gents to do TSA agents as you never know who will let THEIR friend through without being thorough.on top of that a full background check, including but NOT limited to things like bank record checks as well as checks to insure said employees are not livening beyond their means thus opening them up to blackmail. on ALL employees on a monthly or even weekly basis, (this includes all management types). never know when someone will be "gotten to".

absolutely NO walk arounds, for ANYONE. including any LEO, FBI, or even POLITICIANS. NO EXCEPTION. whats good for the goose has got to be good for the gander. also ABSOLUTELY NO WEAPONS OF ANY KIND, beyond the "SECURE area limit's" again no mater WHO or WHAT a person may be. of course use the same standards as for passengers, so no nail clippers folks.

as for possible food service stuff within the secure areas, all liquids must be in a clear container so can be easily checked. and EVERY item that makes it in to a secure area must be thoroughly checked, x-rayed, bomb sniffed ect. again ABSOLUTELY NOTHING supply wise should make it through without a thorough check being done first. even aircraft should they leave a "secure" area also needs to be thoroughly checked before it is let back into said secure area. probably easier to have maintenance done IN the secure area, and again NOTHING, and NO PERSON getting in without a thorough inspection. to the same standards above.

now for the secure areas. out door spaces like tarmacs at departure terminals, (must have widely separated arrival and departure terminals never use for the opposite). must be fully enclosed by a TRIPLE row of 30 foot high fences spaced at say 30 foot spaces between with guard towers equipped with machine guns, lights,night vision, tear gas, and other non-lethal means of stopping someone, appropriately spaced on outer fence line. with gates for aircraft and vehicles, including spaces big enough for a thorough, inspection to be done on all aircraft and any vehicles, (and occupants), before they enter beyond the second fence point. also anti vehicle and anti personnel mines and blockades on outside of fence area. with electrically operated mines and sunken, raisable barriors at gate areas.

the reason for the triple fencing is absolutely NO ONE allowed between innermost and middle fence, shoot on site orders for any in that space,(well make an exception for those from INSIDE the secure area to remove any bodies, only reason may be there). roving patrols and dogs between middle and outer fences. as for any maintenance required must set up strong temporary barriers to ensure triple fencing remains in place, with massive scrutiny for work site. also no tunnel system within 30 feet of "barrier fencing" with sensitive microphones and seismic devices in and around barrier area to detect any tunnel operations.

for indoor secure areas, follow triple fencing setup but with brick walls instead of fencing, fence still for middle barrier, right from lowest level to on top of roof, (no gaps) .note extending onto roof. probably don't need the minefield tho. gun bunkers in place of towers in building towers on roof.

also when an aircraft lands and passengers depart, aircraft need to be thoroughly checked, even random passenger checks. to be sure nothing has come in that would violate the safety procedures/standards put in place for passenger safety. in a case where something inappropriate is found. any and all aircraft coming from same airport forced to land (with military escort). at extra secure facilities. for an even more intensive thorough check. charges incurred being covered by sending airport. it's THEIR lack of vigilance that caused it let them pay for it. not sure what time period should be done for.

SOUND PARANOID? well yeah of course it is. but unfortunately the ONLY WAY to be completely sure nothing makes it in that doesn't belong. thing is often things like the "stun gun" recently found in an aircraft, even in the past weapons used for hijacking placed by PEOPLE WORKING at the airport in some capacity. that's why the strict personnel searching. the barrier system is to keep objects from say being tossed in and collected by someone inside the secure area. it may be paranoid but it would be EFFECTIVE.

unless something along those lines is done you can NEVER be sure that a terrorist act can't happen, all the pat downs, and scans in the world can't stop it. heck i bet someone here can even figure a way to get around this rather PARANOID security system. and i have put a couple hours of thought easily into this.

PLEASE, please someone do a cost analysis on this. the EXPENSE has got to be HUGE. at that point would probably have to be rather rich to buy a plane ticket to pay for it. BUT HEY BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY RIGHT? even better someone do an artist conception drawing of it i'd love to see what it would look like, a cross between a military base or prison camp

P.S. i realy tried very hard to make this as fool proof and impossible to sneak anything in, as i could (my brain hurts)