Reply #23: But this isn't just anybody else - there's a purpose or

[Fruittree]

at least intended purpose to it and I don't think it's what the word "groping" usually brings to mind. To me, it seems we should be asking the questions - Do these enhanced measures achieve the purpose they are meant to achieve or not? And if not, what would be better? If they do, are they so invasive that we'd rather deal with the increased risk of not using them? Or are they so invasive that we need to come up with something better anyway?
The problem, of course, is that these questions are hard to answer. The only way to answer them is for there to be an attack on a plane. If there were an attack on a plane in spite of them, we'd know they don't work. If there were an attack on a plane and we had stopped using them,we still wouldn't be sure the methods would have thwarted the attack but I bet all those people on the plane and their families would be wishing the government had done something more to have protected them even if it involved what you choose to call "groping".