ENJOY YOUR VACATION – AT 8:02 A.M. ET:  Another undercover study of security at U.S. airports has turned up troubling problems.  From Fox: 

A federal watchdog told Congress on Tuesday that a recent covert audit of U.S. airports found layers of security were “simply missing,” in the latest undercover investigation to expose gaps in Transportation Security Administration procedures.

The findings were revealed by Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth during a House hearing on TSA problems where new Administrator Peter Neffenger also testified on what he's doing to fix them.

Roth said the tests by federal auditors found "troubling" problems related to technology, procedures and human error at security checkpoints. He said the findings were “consistent across every airport.”

However, he also said new TSA leadership promptly began addressing some of the issues and he is optimistic about airport security being improved.

“I am hopeful that the days of TSA sweeping its problems under the rug and simply ignoring the findings and recommendations … are coming to an end,” he told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

COMMENT:  That's a pretty frightening accusation about past practices.  The attacks leading to the Department of Homeland Security occurred 14 years ago. 

Why are other countries, particularly Israel, so much better at airport security?  I suspect it's because they take it more seriously.  We take it seriously only after a major incident.  Also, I suspect some other countries are more selective in their choice of personnel.

Every one of these discouraging reports gives hope to our opponents, hope that if they try something big, they'll get through.

November 4,  2015