Security analyst Bruce Schneider, a fierce critic of the TSA, brings us another example of the agency’s (in)competence:
- TSA screener finds two pipes in passenger’s bags.
- Screener determines that they’re not a threat.
- Screener confiscates them anyway, because of their “material and appearance.”
- Because they’re not actually a threat, screener leaves them at the checkpoint.
- Everyone forgets about them.
- Six hours later, the next shift of TSA screeners notices the pipes and — not being able to explain how they got there and, presumably, because of their “material and appearance” — calls the police bomb squad to remove the pipes.
- TSA does not evacuate the airport, or even close the checkpoint, because — well, we don’t know why.
You can read the CNN story here, but the above synopsis tells you all you need to know.
In case any of you ever wonder why I continue to post stories highlighting the TSA’s incompetence, it is simply to support this basic premise: the TSA does not make us any safer. On the contrary, they drain tax dollars playing “security” and the only thing they really defend against is civil liberties and common sense.
Until more people see that, I will continue to share stories like the one above.
And we’re paying $8.1 Billion for this agency to provide “security”. Great use of those tax dollars!