TSA Should Take a Leaf From CBP's Book
Earlier today Claire explained how Israelis keep their planes from blowing up: they profile and interrogate.
The Israeli equation doesn't seem all that novel to me; I've been questioned a number of times in airports right here in the United States by customs officials each time I've returned home from Russia. Upon profiling me as a person of interest (we still have Russian spies, after all), they'd ask me how long I was in Russia, where I stayed, and why I was there. Upon hearing my answers, they'd ask one or two follow-up questions to make sure my story seemed authentic. I found these mini-interrogations to be rather intimidating experiences, and not very different in style or substance from what I've read of Israeli airport interrogations.
The only difference? Airport interrogations in the U.S. are only employed when someone is about to exit the airport; in Israel, when they enter. The obvious solution? Why not just have the TSA import the techniques employed by the CBP? Both agencies are, after all, children of Big Sister Janet Napolitano.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: TSA Should Take a Leaf From CBP's Book
Good idea and good analogy!
May '10
Re: TSA Should Take a Leaf From CBP's Book
Yes. I was thinking the same thing.
Thirty years I was returning from Japan to America and the Immigration officer made small talk with me while doing his paper work. What do you do over there? I teach. Whereabouts? At a university. What's its name? At this point I hesitated. How should I answer? If I said the name in Japanese, he wouldn't understand. If I said it in English, he would never have heard of it.
My hesitation caused his facial expression to change and I noticed that. I said the name. He then sad, "There's a big international school there, isn't there?" I answered, "None that I've ever heard of." He was satisfied.
Oct '10
Re: TSA Should Take a Leaf From CBP's Book
I like Israel's approach, but a co-worker argued that it is impractical for TSA to grill every passenger as they do, due to the sheer volume of people going through US airports