To Profile or Not To Profile

Submitted by Robert Guinaugh (United States), Aug 22, 2006 at 15:32

The comment you made in your article that it may require the loss of 100,000 lives before western societies will overrule political correctness and institute passenger profiling in its airports is not a reality I'm willing to accept. It was quite an eye opener last week when the plot in Britain unveiled the plan to use liquid explosives as a weapon of choice as there was little if any emphasis on this aspect of air travel security. I'm certain that millions of frequent air travelers are now wondering what other methods are being devised by similar terrorists to blow up planes. Until passenger profiling can be implemented without any fear of reprisal, the only remaining option is to restrict most items from carry-on status.

By eliminating carry-on luggage, back-packs, briefcases, liquids, and the majority of other articles will there be little chance for weapons and explosives being hand carried on the plane. Next, the same articles which will be stored in the cargo area of the planes need to be searched and x-rayed in the same manner that carry-on luggage is scrutinized before being loaded. Is it an inconvenience? Yes. So what. Going through the security checkpoints would likely be faster anyway. Boarding the flights would certainly be more efficient and faster and planes would depart on time. Transfering the inconvenience of passenger profiling to the restriction of carry-on luggage and items is the only logical way in which to foil the plans of terrorists.

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