The Security Mentor

Most of us will put up with a lot of delay at the airport, invasion of privacy and even screeners acting like Communist bureaucrats. As long as we're reducing the chance of another terrorist horror, we know it's in a good cause.

So how much security are we getting, exactly?

The Transportation Security Administration says their top priority is to keep explosives off jetliners. The government very sensibly tested how effective they were by sending agents to board jetliners while carrying chemicals that should set off explosives detectors.

The screeners don't have to be perfect. Suppose they were only 50-50 on detecting explosives. That would be enough to deter a suicide bomber. Even if the detection rate were 25%, no terrorist group could count on pulling off a simultaneous multi-target attack.

At 21 airports, screeners found bomb making materials exactly zero times.