DHS Announces Program To Illegally Scan Our Faces

[driftdiver]

How do you know it's been ineffective?  We have no way of knowing what would have happened if this agency hadn't existed.

It was kinda thrown together in a hurry about 9-11.  I know because two of the dumbest guys I knew immediately applied, and were accepted.  They were later fired.

I think everyone should be alert for any signs of abuse without being grievance collectors.  We have a whole army of people with cell phones who put everything out there on Facebook, etc.

Nobody's asking you to grovel and I doubt if you would anyway.

@Emjay
the TSA has admitted they've never caught a terrorist.   They've admitted they miss 80% of all explosives & guns sent through in tests.  I personally know a person who accidentally flew with a firearm in their carryon and it was never found.   I had a credit card multitool in my bag given to me at a conference.  I flew weekly for 6 months before they found it.   I didnt even remember having it.   

If a terrorist was serious about getting something on an airplane they could.   I worked with the TSA for 6 years supporting IT security.    I've been in meetings with their security officers.   They are a joke on ego trips.

[Mesaclone]

@Emjay
the TSA has admitted they've never caught a terrorist.   They've admitted they miss 80% of all explosives & guns sent through in tests.  I personally know a person who accidentally flew with a firearm in their carryon and it was never found.   I had a credit card multitool in my bag given to me at a conference.  I flew weekly for 6 months before they found it.   I didnt even remember having it.   

If a terrorist was serious about getting something on an airplane they could.   I worked with the TSA for 6 years supporting IT security.    I've been in meetings with their security officers.   They are a joke on ego trips.

They ARE serious about it. They HAVE tried. They are dedicated to accomplishing the very thing you dismiss. You clearly have no access to real intelligence information...if you did, you know that your bolded assertion above is pure fiction. Apparently, being an IT desk guy does not relate to operational security in any way. I've been in a number of intel briefs that would make your blood run cold...its just sickening to see this casual "they aren't trying to get onto our aircraft" attitude, because its the ultimate in smug ignorance (as in ignorance of terror ops and terrorist intentions).

And just so you know, the goal is not to catch a terrorist...its to deter them and to make potential operations to difficult to pull off. As we've not had a single successful attack from a US Airport since 9/11, this goal has been met...against all expectations, US air travel has remained safe whilst travel from European and African airports has been marred by successful attacks.

[Emjay]

They ARE serious about it. They HAVE tried. They are dedicated to accomplishing the very thing you dismiss. You clearly have no access to real intelligence information...if you did, you know that your bolded assertion above is pure fiction. Apparently, being an IT desk guy does not relate to operational security in any way. I've been in a number of intel briefs that would make your blood run cold...its just sickening to see this casual "they aren't trying to get onto our aircraft" attitude, because its the ultimate in smug ignorance (as in ignorance of terror ops and terrorist intentions).

And just so you know, the goal is not to catch a terrorist...its to deter them and to make potential operations to difficult to pull off. As we've not had a single successful attack from a US Airport since 9/11, this goal has been met...against all expectations, US air travel has remained safe whilst travel from European and African airports has been marred by successful attacks.

Thank you!  At last an intelligent post on the subject of TSA.

I don't think we have any way of knowing what was stopped.  We'll only know if something isn't stopped.

No government agency is perfect and this one should be monitored and is monitored constantly.

Sheesh.

[Mesaclone]

Thank you!  At last an intelligent post on the subject of TSA.

I don't think we have any way of knowing what was stopped.  We'll only know if something isn't stopped.

No government agency is perfect and this one should be monitored and is monitored constantly.

Sheesh.

Thanks for the reasoned response Emjay. The TSA has many flaws and needs a lot of reform...and a greater willingness to anticipate terror tactics rather than react to them....but 16 years of terror free air travel is not unrelated to the work and deterrent effect of this agency. The actual screening work force is just one element in this layered security blanket...but it is not an insignificant one.

As a canine officer, I’d love to see a major expansion in how we employ canine assets at all our airports...for one example....and I’m a big believer in the effectiveness of behavioral observation techniques as well....so there’s much room for improvement. Better technology is key as well...but better training for the human element is the real key to mission success in any security operation.

[driftdiver]

Thanks for the reasoned response Emjay. The TSA has many flaws and needs a lot of reform...and a greater willingness to anticipate terror tactics rather than react to them....but 16 years of terror free air travel is not unrelated to the work and deterrent effect of this agency. The actual screening work force is just one element in this layered security blanket...but it is not an insignificant one.

As a canine officer, I’d love to see a major expansion in how we employ canine assets at all our airports...for one example....and I’m a big believer in the effectiveness of behavioral observation techniques as well....so there’s much room for improvement. Better technology is key as well...but better training for the human element is the real key to mission success in any security operation.

Why not just go into everyone's house and search while you're at it.  You view every person as a criminal and terrorist.  You are why we need stronger controls on the govt.

[Smokin Joe]

Those examples are infuriating but they are actually rare.  Very rare if you consider how many people fly every day.

Consider how many WWII Fighter Aces decorated with the CMH fly commercially, and you narrow the pool of possible contestants for the "TSA is FOS Award" considerably.

As of May 20, 2015, there were only 77 fighter aces left alive, and not all of them received the CMH.

http://yellowhammernews.com/faithandculture/legendary-alabama-fighter-pilot-awarded-congresss-highest-military-honor/

That Federal Employees are not able to recognize the Medal of Honor is the really telling (and sad) part.

[Emjay]

Thanks for the reasoned response Emjay. The TSA has many flaws and needs a lot of reform...and a greater willingness to anticipate terror tactics rather than react to them....but 16 years of terror free air travel is not unrelated to the work and deterrent effect of this agency. The actual screening work force is just one element in this layered security blanket...but it is not an insignificant one.

As a canine officer, I’d love to see a major expansion in how we employ canine assets at all our airports...for one example....and I’m a big believer in the effectiveness of behavioral observation techniques as well....so there’s much room for improvement. Better technology is key as well...but better training for the human element is the real key to mission success in any security operation.

Yes!  Dogs would be great and as a plus, they would make people happy at airports.  People who would otherwise be cranky.

Another helpful thing that will never fly (pun intended) is profiling.  Any middle eastern looking passengers should be given special  treatment.  They are the only people who would do harm on a plane.

[Mesaclone]

Why not just go into everyone's house and search while you're at it.  You view every person as a criminal and terrorist.  You are why we need stronger controls on the govt.

I don’t view anyone as a criminal until proven otherwise...and only a lunatic would compare screening at an airport to a home invasion. It’s like comparing a dog licking your foot to a pack of pit bulls mauling you in your living room...it’s just stupid. We all know and expect that airports will have security screening...they did before 9/11 and always will. The only question is WHO screens passengers...either a professional federal force linked in to the national security network while focused on actual security...or a return to 9/12 style private security that cares only about keeping costs down and airline managers happy.