The assaulting groping and probing is an intentional, pre-planned intimidation tactic being performed for a goal.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say a deliberate conspiracy, but would argue that through the scanners what they are really doing is avoiding the issue of the perversion had by employees of the TSA and such, and transferring it elsewhere. You’re completely correct as to the fact that neither will really stop a determined terrorist. The notion is rediculous, and some terrorist will find some messed up new way to get some kind of explosive through a scanner, like the nut from Nigeria who stored a chemical explosive in his underwear.
I didn’t say “conspiracy”, I said tactic.
The TSA’s goal is to get everyone to accept being viewed in the scanners. They don’t really want to have to pat everyone down. It is too much work. They want the sheep to all into line in the chute and be subjected to the scanners.
In order to get the sheep to all agree to use the scanners, they are employing a groping “punishment”. Most people will then submit to being scanned to avoid the greater harm of being groped.
So the groping is nothing but an intimidation tactic being used to get the sheep to accept and submit to the scanners. Now if the scanners find something, then of course they are going to search your person. But that is not the goal of the groping. The goal of body searches for people who refuse the scanners is to get everyone else who sees that to submit to scanning.
It is hardball thug intimidation, nothing less.