IT WAS POSTED ON A HUMOR SITE, BUT THIS SERIOUS TAKEDOWN OF THE TSA IS BLISTERING

theblaze.com ^ | december 25, 2013 | sharona schwartz

[lowbridge]

In a blistering takedown of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s approach to airport security, the former chief of security for Israeli airports described an agency riddled with incompetence and wastefulness and that, despite large infusions of government money, may never have actually stopped a single terror attack. The TSA may even be inviting a deadly attack on airline passengers due to poor planning, he charged.

Though his analysis was posted on the humor website Cracked, airline security expert Rafi Sela detailed serious flaws in American airport protection, ones he contrasted starkly with his own experience in Israel.

For one thing, Sela said the notion that standing in a security line and stripping off one’s shoes is a “necessary precursor to safe flying” is “bullsh**.”

“The TSA couldn’t protect you from a 6-year-old with a water balloon,” Sela wrote.

Sela told TheBlaze that despite posting the article on a humor site, it is serious and accurately reflects his analysis of the dire state of American airports, which he shared in detail with Cracked writer Robert Evans.

[technically right]

Well, for one thing the Israeli’s profile everyone. If you meet certain characteristics they pull you aside and grill the sh*t out of you. Of course that would be impossible here in the US.

[Little Ray]

The TSA is the one of the most useless organization the US - after the BATFE and Congress.

[lavaroise]

like Detroit, run by democrats

[Flag_This]

I bet the TSA just added a new name to The List.

[ptsal]

You betcha.... stood in a short line but not moving line for over 90 minutes.... The Israeli's got a real good look at us. My guess the problem was the Arab bus driver for our tour group. The "staff" at Tel Aviv had some very specific questions. Far too specific to be just random queries for bubbas.

.

Next time.... do not enter the terminal as part of a group .... go it alone. My bladder damned near burst waiting for the signal to proceed.

[darkwing104]

My experience with the TSA I noted that this is what happens when you give the worst and least brightest some authority, and that goes for the Vets that are agents.

[Paradox]

I know a few TSA agents.. very well intentioned people, who are overworked, and underpaid.. Yes, I said it (Why do you think the average TSA agent makes a mall security agent look like Robocop?). Its a thankless job, and whats really bad about it, is the people RUNNING it, the Management. I have heard terrible stories from the rank and file, about how hiring and promotion decisions are made. Lets just say that its cronyism through and through, with little regard to what they are SUPPOSED to be doing, and that is protecting the life of the flying passenger.

I go easy on the agents, and reserve my disgust for those running it, and that goes all the way to the top.

[JoeProBono]

[golux]

Yep.

“A HINT FROM THE WORLDS MOST SECURE AIRLINE”

http://www.wnd.com/2010/01/120838/

[ElkGroveDan]

On three occasions in recent years I’ve boarded and discovered that I had accidentally carried on one or more VERBOTEN! items. If all these imagined fears were realistic, unimaginable damage would have already been done. It’s long past time to end the circus.

[CdMGuy]

Flew in and out of Tel Aviv a couple of years ago. On the way out, I counted 11 checkpoints in one form or another that my wife and I passed through. It started on the road into the airport where our bus was pulled aside and two IDF soldiers came in with rifles and walked down the aisle eying every passenger, and we all were American tourists.

Once at the terminal, there are plainclothes security eying everyone entering. We were interviewed inside the terminal by a female security officer who asked us a lot of questions . We had to place our luggage on a conveyor. At the end, some people’s luggage was pulled aside for inspection with the passenger standing right there to answer any questions. From there, we continued to pass through other “inspection” stations, some obvious some not so obvious, including one last one as we were boarding our plane. There was a fellow in front of us who had purchased some lotions in the duty free store. The Israelis were quite apologetic when they confiscated them, explaining that bottled liquids were not of concern to Israeli security, only that US security does not allow such goods on flights to the US.

I have never felt safer in any airport, and the whole process was very efficient.

[tbw2]

I thought the io9 article on a guy making weapons from stuff you can buy inside the gate was hilarious, from a projective weapon based on compressed gas cans to one based on a blow dryer.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Good report. Say, what was their attitude in Tel Aviv at the airport? I mean, they, security, were doing their jobs, and quite admirably and thoroughly, but were they accomplishing the questioning and probing of passengers in a professional and polite manner? Or were they barking orders like US Marine boot camp or shoot from the hip oafish cowboys? (as in the USA), and treating innocent passengers as some kind of common criminals, and/or raising their voices when a passenger did not understand English? Just curious if they were able to have quality security control (as you have outlined), without the "attitude" you often get in the USA from TSA which often reeks of Berlin 1943 ("ve vant you now to show us your paperz, please, macht schnell!")

[VerySadAmerican]

A spokes person for the City of Houston was explaining why the city needed another 180 cameras all in the downtown area. He said terrorist attacks are more likely to occur downtown then out in the suburbs. Terrorists thinking of attacking Houston? Did you get that?

[ElkGroveDan]

I thought the io9 article on a guy making weapons from stuff you can buy inside the gate was hilarious,

And it's not just airports. Nearly all Federal Buildings have this silly charade at their doors, including one in downtown Sacramento that contains a US Post Office. A friend had a small pocket knife with him when we went into that building a few years ago. They made him check it at the door to be picked up later. It was so absurd that we seriously though about getting a PO Box there, mailing ourselves three or four huge Crocodile Dundee-sized hunting knives (maybe a Samurai sword too), go through the entire "check the 2-inch pocket knife" ordeal, pick up our knives and sword from the PO Box and then walk back to the security checkpoint from INSIDE the building with the knives and sword strapped on as we ask for the stupid little pocket knife back.

[firebrand]

Someone told me about a “security precaution” that was absolutely ridiculous. I don’t want to repeat it here, since it is an invitation to terrorism if terrorists were to know about it.

Also, why do they keep changing uniforms, at our expense? Is it to look more and more like law enforcement but without a sudden shift that would make it obvious?

[Rome2000]

I noticed a LOT of suspicious looking middle eastern types in Houston.

Just saying.

[Impala64ssa]

This would be a capital offense today.

[SgtHooper]

My experience was the same on several trips, very professional and courteous!