Question:

If the danger of terrorists smuggling explosives in their underwear or elsewhere on their person is so great that we have to have these new strip search machines backscatter scanners in order to detect the aforementioned explosives, then why did the TSA  wait until now to begin the strip searches if a flyer does not want to enter the scanner? Why are we not doing the more invasive search at those airports where the scanners are not yet implemented?

Why did we not strip search everyone from 12/25/09? (the day of the unsuccessful underwear bomber) Why now, after nearly a year, are we implementing searches that could/should find explosives concealed inside clothing/worn next to the skin? Why not on 12/26/09? If the danger is so great, then why wait nearly a year?  Why did the TSA ignore the danger for months and let all those potential bombers slide past without a search?

If this is really something other than a jobs program/pocket lining exercise for equipment suppliers (and let us not forget the ongoing training and maintenance programs above and beyond the (exorbitant) purchase price, then why didn't we begin the groping hands on searches shortly after 12/25/09? If the threat was/is real, then those searches should have been implemented immediately, or the TSA has put untold millions of passengers and thousands of airlines at risk in the intervening months.

The thing is, many firms have sold many backscatter scanners, resulting in millions of dollars in profit. And once you have purchased them, you gotta use them, in order to justify the cost and in order to justify the purchase of more machines. Therefore the alternate searches are made to be as humiliating and irritating as possible, in order to cow the rest of the waiting passengers into taking the trip though the scanner.

But think about it. If the threat was real, if there was any significant need for these scanners, then as an interim solution, people should have been felt up ever since the "need" materialized nearly a year ago.

Why wasn't it? And if the threat of a bomber is real, why should we not expect them to change their plans and carry their explosives internally? Breasts, anal cavities, uterus, all can carry enough explosives to do enough damage to an airliner. think of the damage a "fat" man could do with 20 lbs of explosives rather than fat in his belly.

And what is to prevent a terrorist from detonating him.herself either in line for the scanner/search, or at the scanner itself (especially during a busy time when things are exceptionally crowded)? The result would be the same as an exploded airliner.....terror, death/injury of hundreds, and further paralysis of our air travel system. Think of the headlines and the fear if they did so at a place like....Orlando FL? All those kids and their parents....Just the result they'd like to get from the media and the public.

Or am I missing something?