cigarman: EXACTLY. Every checkpoint I've been through in the last four months has been teeming with Armed soldiers. What's to fear?

Bouncer: I didn't say the FAA representative was at fault for not "challenging" the intruder; the whole point of my post is that the federal government is already running a screwed-up system if positive ID of one of their elite (sky marshal) depends on some local Barney Fife and not a fellow FAA EMPLOYEE.

I don't necessarily fault the vulnerable and defenseless FAA rep., I want to know why the poor FAA rep is so defenseless and, more importantly, whether the TSA will change any of that nonsense next week or in November or at least if they're planning to improve it sometime in the future. Keystone Kops antics like these (of course it's Argenbright's fault) make for great newscasts but they convey the impression that even our vaulted federal officials have their thumbs up their &%@.