Now the Transportation Security Administration has a new way to torment American travelers: Confiscate their toilet kits and water bottles.
Reacting to arrests in Britain, the TSA is now confiscating toothpaste, perfume, lip gloss, drinking water, One traveler remarked that Colgate-Palmolive is going to make a fortune as people have to replace the goods that are being confiscated by the White Shirts. Plus, they’re going to check carry-on bags at the gate as well as at the security checkpoint.
On the one hand, one has to wonder why it took terrorists this long to figure out how to use toiletries as weapons. A perfume bottle could easily contain gasoline, Sarin or some other deadly substance.
But on the other hand, is confiscating people’s water bottles, Old Spice cologne or Chap Stick really going to make us all safer? Probably not. It will just give the Republican Party another reason to play the terror card, piss off travelers and allow the airlines to make more money charging the flying public for drinks.
All that needs to be done is to subject liquids to explosives detection tests, the same kind of tests that look for explosive residue on luggage. It’s a matter of just checking the stuff confiscated in Britain and adjusting the detection gear accordingly. It would be easier and more convenient that forcing everyone to give up after shave or trust that the luggage handlers will get it to the right place.
Only a really stupid terrorist is going to try to bring liquid explosives on a plane now. The government’s wise to the strategy and will be expecting it. Have any terrorists tried bringing utility knives or shoe-bombs on planes? No. A good tactician realizes that what worked once before is not guaranteed to work again, especially if your opponent is expecting it.
Also, what good does checking carry-on luggage at the gate accomplish? Supposedly the gate area is secure, that nothing comes in without being checked by the security screeners at the checkpoint. Either the TSA is realizing that hiring high-school dropouts to do security work isn’t a great idea, or this is a Bush administration attempt to keep the public scared and voting for the GOP. The fact that the public is disgusted with the war in Iraq means the GOP has to fall back on terrorism.
While I’m grateful that a terrorist plot was foiled, it should not be an excuse for security guards to become more overbearing or the administration to once again play the fear card.
