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Friday, July 11, 2008 12:00 AM

Ask the pilot

Propped up by a culture of fear, TSA has become a bureaucracy with too much power and little accountability. Where will the lunacy stop?
By Patrick Smith

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  • Saturday, July 12, 2008 06:56 PM

    Re: Susan Wood / Hijacking Scenario

    "...the most powerful weapon available for the prevention of hijacking. It's -- the passengers themselves! The hijackers of the first three 9/11 flights succeeded only because the passengers didn't know they were on a suicide mission. Nowadays, if anyone were foolish enough to try to "take control of the plane," they'd be picking up the pieces of him all the way from First Class to the Coach Class restrooms..."

    That's exactly right. The 9/11 template is all but useless to a potential attacker -- something I've highlighted in many of my prior TSA/security columns. Try this one...

    September 11th anniversary -- security madness and the state of the industry

    http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/09/06/airline_security/

    - Patrick Smith

    —Patrick Smith Read Patrick Smith's other letters

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