Why are the TSA so stupid?

[Anonymous]

So, they let this known terrorist on a plane. His own father had warned the US embassy. But they let him on anyway because, I don't know, 8 years after 9/11 they are still too incompetent to have any kind of effective screening system to weed such people out. I mean Jesus, he bought a one way ticket in cash, and was on the terrorist watch list? What more do these people need? Hello?

And now their response? to ban my 4 year old from going to the toilet for the last 1hour 20 minutes of the flight. To ban us from having blankets on our laps. And my favourite? to ban the GPS system showing where the plane is with the little map, as a result of which most airlines have had to stop all audiovisual entertainment. Right - because anyone with a watch or a window seat won't be able to work out where they are as well as those shitty little maps. I mean for god's sake. It would be funny if wasn't so serious. These ludicrous measures to try to make it seem like they are doing something, rather than the actual intelligence that would do the job. Can't they get some lessons from El Al who have been doing this successfully for many years?

In short, WTF?

[Anonymous]

Maybe we also need to work on our foreign policy a bit more too.

[Anonymous]

I think it's because stupid people want to feel like they're doing something and haven't thought through it, like you have. That hour without going to the bathroom thing is going to kill me!

[Anonymous]

We use to go abroad every year and take mini-vacations in the country twice a year. Now, it seems too much like a job to take a vacation where flying is involved. These new regulations will make it even less appealing to travel. The car can take us but so far. Damn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe we also need to work on our foreign policy a bit more too.

B I N G O!You are so right!TSA or any other authorities can help it.Our government needs to have a more even handed foreign policy.The whole world is suffering because of supporting one teeny little country.Got it?

[Anonymous]

It is not the TSA that is stupid it is the US supporting Israel stupid!

[Anonymous]

It is actually the FBI that maintains the terrorism lists. TSA does not maintain them, nor do they nominate people to the "no fly". It may also come of interest that the airlines are primarily running passengers against the no fly list today, which is why people experience such inconsistency - different procedures with each airline.

As for this terrorist, he boarded overseas. That means TSA had nothing to do with physically screening him. So don't blame the miss on the front-line TSA workers.

I am not sure your statement that TSA is fair. This is a knee jerk reaction by multiple departments and agencies. Unfortunately, TSA gets to bear the brunt.

[Anonymous]

Also, not sure U.S. citizens are ready for more intrusive screening like the Israelis. We can't even get Congress to support advances in technology that would allow TSA to better find non-metallic threats like this terrorist had.