Obama is wrong that the pat-down is "necessary"

[CreekDog]

The pat-down is only done to some people.

If it were necessary, it would be done to all.

It's not.

He should not say it is.

[ProSense]

1. Here

is what the President said if it helps.

[CreekDog]

4. But the pat down, part of the security procedure that tests for explosions

is only consistently done to people who set off the metal detector.
============

TSA is ONLY CHECKING thoroughly the population of disabled people to make sure they don't have bombs on their persons. They aren't thoroughly checking everybody else.

[ProSense]

8. But he didn't say what you claimed.

"I'm constantly asking them whether is what we're doing absolutely necessary..."

[CreekDog]

12. sure sounds like he said that it was necessary

certainly in many more words, but necessary nonetheless.

[ProSense]

14. No, not the same thing.

Airport security wasn't invented by the TSA. There were always screenings.

The issue is to find ways to make the process, as the President said, less intrusive.

[gateley]

2. He said his security force, anti-terrorism experts ? (I forget who his

advisory group is) told him this is the best way at this time to ensure safety.

He did say he meets with them weekly and has instructed them to fine better, less intrusive ways, but we know how that goes...

MY question, when I heard him say this, is why don't you get the advice of people who truly ARE experts, like the Israelis? Not some home-grown committee. He needs additional input.

[dionysus]

9. while the israeli process doesnt have the patdowns, i think i read the process takes a few hrs to do

not sure.

[jberryhill]

17. And cost more, and ask personal questions /nt

[jberryhill]

16. When you have compulsory service...

Then a good deal of your adult population has a military record in the first place.

There is a lot of internal security in Israel which makes the airport procedures the last step, not the first step.

Yes, if we had a broader surveillance state, internal checkpoints and more monitoring of people generally, then different balances can be struck.

Taking one element out of a culture and saying "That will work here" ignores the context in which that element operates.

Also Israel spends about $70 per passenger on security. Even now, in the US, we are spending about $6.

With ten times more money, there is probably a lot that can be done which is better.

[gateley]

18. Well you present a very good argument. Thanks for opening my eyes to

see the bigger picture. :hi:

[high density]

3. What Obama's saying is that a strip search and/or pat down is necessary

The nude-o-scopes are being installed at many airports and when you say no to those (or can't submit to one due to health reasons/etc) you get the automatic pat-down.

This is all because one guy out of 618,000,000 passengers last year had a bomb in his undies.

[CreekDog]

5. and if that guy didn't set off the metal detector, he probably wouldn't have gotten scanned...

or patted down.

there's your security inaction!

but keep harassing the old ladies with insulin pumps --just don't get mad at us when we laugh at you when you say it's helping. it's not.

[high density]

6. If terrorists are making it to the airport, it seems too late to me

By all means xray our bags and let us walk through a magnetometer, but I don't see how strip searching or groping us provides any additional security.

[Politicalboi]

7. They need a Wasp tunnel

Wasps can detect explosives. No need to be groped or x-rayed.

http://www.robaid.com/bionics/wasp-hounds-sniff-explosives-and-illegal-drugs.htm

And here's another one. Bees are amazing.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_7_174/ai_n30887058/

[Bryn]

10. I can't subject my mother to this because....

She has dementia and is a cancer survivor. She had had her bladder taken out so she's wearing urine bag now under clothes. We won't fly now. It would freak her out.

[Meshuga]

11. Cavity search will be necessary

As soon as a serious terrorist blows up a plane after putting an explosive up his/her own ass to get on the plane.

[lynne]

13. Easy fix to this. Have everyone walk through a device that -

- detonates explosives on the spot. You'd find any explosives and get rid of the creep at the same time so he/she wouldn't waste our time and money cluttering up our court system.

[Schema Thing]

15. how is using something that doesn't exist "easy"?

[DebJ]

19. Sorry to say things are so out of hand I like your post.