National Security Song and Dance, Part 1

Ever get the idea that national security is not important to some government types? Ever get the idea that the TSA screening guidelines are just one big song and dance to give the illusion that the government is doing their best to "protect" us?

For years I've been ridiculing the TSA's ban on nail clippers: the logic being that if you're so good that you're able to kill people and take over an airplane with nail clippers - then you don't need the nail clippers to do so. Furthermore a ball point pen is more effective in hand-to-hand combat than a pair of nail clippers and we don't confiscate them.

Now we get this article (HAT TIP: slashdot > think.co.uk > redstate

Soldiers boarding a military charter from Baghram Air Field in Afghanistan were apparently filed through the sort of full-body scanner which has been causing so much trouble in the good ole US of A.

The flight eventually landed in Indianapolis to discharge some of its passengers, but according to a report at Redstate.com, all 330 passengers were made to disembark.

"It’s probably important to mention that we were ALL carrying weapons," the anonymous source of the yarn writes. "Everyone was carrying an M4 Carbine (rifle) and some, like me, were also carrying an M9 pistol." The weapons weren't loaded, or course.

Despite having already been vetted, when the soldiers tried to re-board the plane they were subject to TSA checks. And one soldier was stopped and told he couldn't take his nail clippers on board.

"You’re not suppose(d) to have them," a TSA official informed the startled grunt.

"Why?" he asked.

"They can be used as a weapon," the official informed him.

The soldier then touched butt stock of the rifle he was carrying. "But this actually is a weapon. And I’m allowed to take it on."

"Yeah but you can’t use it to take over the plane, you don’t have bullets," the smug official replied.

"And I can take over the plane with nail clippers?" the soldier said, a suggestion that was met with 'awkward silence' according to the source

At which point the solder handed over the clippers and was allowed to board the plane.

You couldn't make it up.

I'lld like to know if this story is true. I have to say, as I'm rereading this post, that it sounds like bullshit to me. HOWEVER, the gist of the post is the silliness, and ineffectiveness of what the TSA is doing, not whether the above story is true or not.