Last SUnday, we returned from our week long trip to San Francisco/San Jose and as usual came back on a plane. This was our first flight after the new rules about no liquids and the increased paranoia about terrorism. The San Jose airport didn’t appear to have tighetened security and we passed through security without problems as usual. Most people seemed to be adjusting to the new rules. When we arrived in San Diego, I saw national guard troops at the gates apparently inspecting all carry on luggage. The difference in security at the airports makes you go “hmmm”. It isn’t unusual to have different rules and practices at different airports, but if the government is serious about security, it needs to be consistent. What kind of scared me about the troops is that they had a bucket full of confiscated liquids and gels; this was at the gate where all the passengers had already passed through the security checkpoint. Were the security screeners asleep at the wheel? Shouldn’t everything have been searched before hand?
I’m not convinced that the screening at the airport will really prevent terrorism. In my opinion, the only effective way to counter terrorism is through intelligence like the plot foiled in the UK. If I thought hard enough, I’m sure I could find holes in airport security, but since I’m not a terrorist, I won’t spend time thinking about it.