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The Spectacle Blog

Security Theater Leaves Us No Safer

By Joseph Lawler on 12.6.11 @ 9:31AM

Wired's Spencer Ackerman reports that we've spent $50-plus billion on airport security since 9/11, only to have gaping holes remain in the system. The TSA and all its intrusive methods only protect from terrorists who try to board planes. There is little to no protection from many other possible threats, including from people who don't bother to try to board planes, airport workers, checked luggage, etc. -- and there is little that could be done to address the massive blind spots.

Ackerman's post raises two questions. One, where are all those billions going? Someone is getting rich making travelers miserable (and not much safer). It would be good to know where all the contracts for equipment, training, etc. are going. Two, why haven't any Republican presidential hopefuls (besides, perhaps, Ron Paul) made a bigger deal of this? The president has a lot of discretion over the TSA's goals and methods, and could singlehandedly do a lot to reform airport security. True, the TSA's overreach might be a boutique issue, because the vast majority of voters don't travel regularly. Yet I'd guess that the folks who do go through the TSA's searches most frequently are disproportionately likely to be politically active.

View all comments (4) | Leave a comment

Zack| 12.6.11 @ 10:43AM

I'm as annoyed as the next guy about having to go through the pain of airport security, and I agree that the TSA could benefit from doing a whole lot of cost-benefit analysis on the individual tactics used. And if there's evidence that crony capitalism is driving some of the decisions, that definitely needs to be addressed. Still, there are a number of things that the "security theater" of the terminal entrance addresses. Just to name a few:

1. It adds an extra degree of difficulty to terrorist plans. Let's face it, any security measure is ultimately beatable, but that's no reason not to put hurdles in the way of terrorists. Even if they don't catch anyone, they make each attempt more costly/difficult for those attempting to hurt us.

2. It's effective against lone-wolf crazies. Again, sophisticated groups can defeat security measures, but they're also more susceptible to our intelligence services (the more complex your organization, the more opportunities to infiltrate and the harder it is to remain secret). Airport security does make it significantly harder for the crazed gunman to sneak a weapon onto a plane. This is especially important as our military limits AQ's ability to actually plan terrorist acts and it relies more on "inspiring" others to act.

3. Limiting the ability for terrorists to get on planes limits their ability to make "spectacular" attacks. Terrorists don't want to just kill people, they want to make a statement with their attacks. Simply blowing up a plane or killing a lot of people is less of a "success" for a terrorist than taking a plane hostage or attacking some critical infrastructure or monument. If the terrorists really just wanted to kill a bunch of people, it wouldn't be that hard to set random bombs or use copycat DC snipers across the country. Even if there are still other means to causing destruction on planes, keeping terrorists off the planes limits their ability to achieve some of their higher goals.

All that said, I agree that some TSA techniques may be excessive or unnecessary, but that needs to be a tactic-by-tactic analysis. Inconvenience or not, I'm completely on-board with the idea that commercial airline security is a mission-critical task.

JohnD| 12.6.11 @ 11:03AM

I think a better system would examine WHO is flying, not what they have in their pockets. Real security is invisible. Maybe when you buy a ticket, with a credit card, they could validate your identity right then and there, and with your SSN, DOB, and name you can do background checks right then and there too.

Zack| 12.6.11 @ 11:23AM

If we're doing background checks and requiring SSN and DOB on everyone who flies, I'd actually find that more invasive than the current system.

crazy| 12.6.11 @ 1:04PM

DHS and TSA should have never been created. Wait till the threat to other forms of public transportation and public gathering places (malls, restaraunts, etc) creates the opportunity for DHS to oversee security. This monster needs to be undone before Washington's takeover of public security is complete.