FlyersRights.org: Michael Chertoff Pitch Man for Full-body Scanners
During a CNN interview on December 29, 2009, former Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff pushed the use of full-body scanners as the first and best line of defense against the kind of
terrorist airline attack that occurred on Christmas Day. Chertoff, who
has been making the national media rounds for a week now, has not once
voluntarily disclosed this inherent conflict of interest to the
American people. Worse still, he is overstating the true capabilities
of these devices in order to profit from their sale.
According
to Dr. Kenneth G. Furton, Professor of Chemistry, International
Forensic Research Institute, Florida International University, using
canines would be a much more promising tactic to prevent explosives
from being smuggled aboard commercial jets. Indeed, Dr. Furton offered,
"I am surprised by the rush to implement yet another developing
technology that is both expensive and not proven to be able to reliably
detect the explosives used in this last terrorist event. There is
extensive research reinforcing the proven ability of detector dogs to
detect explosives without the intrusive privacy issues involved in full
body scanning. It is not certain that even with a high resolution image
of a traveler's groin region that a half cup of explosive powder would
be detectable."
He
continued, "I have conducted research with canines for nearly two
decades and these biological explosive detectors continue to be the
most reliable method for locating concealed explosives. These
orthogonal instrumental detectors under development should be
considered as potential complements rather than replacements for
canines' proven ability to detect vapors emanating from concealed
explosives."
Kate
Hanni, President of FlyersRights.org, added her voice to Furton's on
this issue: "Michael Chertoff has marginalized himself in the worst way
possible by 'selling' the flying public on claims that these Rapiscan
full body scanners are a panacea. While these body scanners detect
'anomalies' that are between the skin and clothing, they will NOT
detect anything in a body cavity that is deeper than 1/10th of an inch,
which experts warn will likely be a part of future attacks. This just
adds insult to injury, as Mr. Chertoff shamelessly peddles his wares using the nation's airwaves and a near-national tragedy."
As
of October 1st, 2009, 150 of these units were ordered by the
Transportation Security Administration costing the American taxpayer
$25 million in stimulus funds, with another 300 on order at a cost of
$51 million. As Hanni's sees it, "half measures avail us nothing. It's
time to hit the pause button and do a wholesale review of what we have
today so we can implement policies that will offer the flying public
the most secure and efficient travel process possible under the current
circumstances."