It’s a never-ending process to try and protect against previous methods. It has absolutely no end and can only continue to get more and more ridiculous.

When it comes to the security measures, I’m willing to do anything, so long as it’s really effective. I’m not convinced that taking off shoes or dumping liquids over 3 ounces really makes us safer. The FBI during audits has several times been able to pass IED components through airport security. I’d like to see more internal security audits that would provide both recommendations and cost/benefit analysis.

There are lots of very experienced, qualified, and intelligent security engineers (working for the US government) and experts out there. I’m not sure how much of their input makes it to the final decision.

I’d like to see Congress confirm the nominee for TSA head for starters. And while I agree that plots should be stopped before the perp gets to the airport, there still needs to be a last line of defense. And as a passenger, if security wants me to take off my shoes, or dump my perfume, or sit with my hands in my lap, I’ll willingly do it. The most effective weapon they have for last line of defense is the “x-ray” machine that detects the body outline and any objects attached to the body. It is being stopped by people who fear privacy invasion as well as budget issues. We need to tell Congress that we accept that screening device!

It’s so arbitrary and the countermeasures seem like they’re being done with movie plots in mind. The requirements do also vary greatly around the world, most EU countries don’t require taking off shoes, and many Asian countries use a hand wand on most (male) passengers.

Good police work prevents security agencies from trying to stop terror attacks with measures like not getting up in the last hour of flight.