Homeland Security Outlook

It amazes me how good theoretical concepts in law enforcement and the programs derived from them consistently get diluted as they are put in place at the operational level. They usually look nothing like what was on the drawing board.

When Congress passed the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, the law mandated 100 Percent Screening of cargo onboard passenger aircraft commensurate with checked baggage.  The deadline for that mandate is this weekend, August 1, 2010.  The law seeks to ensure that all 20 million lbs. of cargo is screened in advance of flights for explosive detection prior to transport.  As Douglas Brittin, the Director of Cargo Security at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says, On August 1, if the cargo is not screened, it does not fly.