If dangerous is present at any moment in time, what do we do? How can we reduce searchable threats? Can we do a scan on entrance to and exit from airport lobby?
Sometimes, there is nothing more that you can do. Accept the risk and move on.
If there is only a 40% of a chance that a driver given a ticket will drive safer, then there is a 40% more likely for any individual to survive while crossing the street so we continue to issue traffic ticket.
If kids are 40% more likely to avoid smoking by educating them, we will do it.
If there is a 40% chance you will be saved from a gun shot tomorrow because of more effective, stricter gun control, you probably would support it.
If there is a 10% chance a solider will live after a brain injury, the EMT and doctors will attempt to save his life.
If we all say "well let's fuck it because we will all die", why do we even bother to save life? Why EMT? Just fuck the injuries and let them die. That's your logic. That's the logic we get: survival of fitness.
So, let's accept out ultimate risk that we will all die and let's move on and forget about safety. Just because we can't have a 100% success rate.
While the TSA cargo and individual inspection is not very effective, it makes an attack with bomb a few percents harder. It might open up other avenues (e.g. massive shooting at the waiting line) but we can't lose a few percents because tomorrow when shit happens, and when your loved one is dead, you'd be joining the army and shoot those mother fucker out. And then you will come out and say "I wish I had those stupid TSA did their job".
That doesn't make it a good idea.
There's always a cost and in this case (TSA or moving to the Moon) it's a ridiculously high one to pay for marginal protection against an unlikely event.
The conclusion that an attack is unlikely to happen is based on what? Can we do a fair experiment to show what would the probability be like if we never implemented this TSA inspection vs after implementing this TSA inspection?
Should we conduct such experiment and watch an alert (or wait until another plan gets hijacked)?
Okay. I need a new solution. What is the solution? I don't need a "we will die let's move on solution" because this is not a solution. If this is were a solution, we don't need law enforcement.
At some point the damage by TSA surpassed the expected damage from the alleged threat.
Airline terrorism plays against people's innate fears, and is therefore more effective.
yet we caught at least two people trying to blow up airplanes in the last ten years (shoe bomber and underwear bomber), why is that? why don't they just shoot up a grade school or a supermarket? (I'm asking honestly here. why airplanes?)
Grade schools wouldn't have the same impact because the control is more localized. There's no federal Education Security Administration imposing gropefests everywhere in response to Newtown. Some schools and places will overreact, but a small proportion.
It's not as cinematic as 9/11, but if you're looking to hurt the US, it's a pretty good choice.
Glad I don't - otherwise I would be a terrorist :( HOLY SHIT
I think you have made a good point that others are ignoring. Surely TSA scan is not very effective, but what the heck else do we do?
* intel is too powerful, stupid PRISM is hurting everyone's privacy
* TSA is destroying privacy
* I don't know what else to do
What else do we do? I am constantly afraid of someone hijacking my flight.
Let's not give them any ideas...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_surrounding_Call_...
The aircraft attack vector has already been played out. Lets keep sane regulations in place (metal detectors, armored/locked cockpit doors), and move on to better problems to solve.