I think they need to allow liquids past checkpoints like in Israel. If you answered questions and using the interline baggage machines to see if there are illegal materials etc. In Israel you don't need to take your shoes or belt off. You can bring liquids.

Israel is a master of Behavior detection and I'm almost sure the TSA agents went to Ben Gurion Airport for training.

Lets see how this pans out. Maybe with this we will be allowed to take liquids through security, keep our shoes on, and not worry about these patdowns unless you have a secondary chat with the behavior screening official.

I don't mind answering some questions if I can bring liquids on and not have to remove my belt,shoes etc.

You're not even close to sure.
Israel is a nation of about 1/3 the population of New York City. They have one major international airport. They have a viable well known terrorist problem. We don't.
We have a bill of rights, they don't.
Trying to use their system NOT possible. This myth must end.

I think they need to allow liquids past checkpoints like in Australia. Even without answering questions about your travel plans, in Australia you don't need to take your shoes or belt off. You can bring liquids. You can bring a whole bottle of wine or two.

Australia doesn't waste taxpayer money on Behavior detection pseudo-science. (Although I'm sure that most (American) TSA "agents" couldn't find Israel on a world map if you gave them three tries, and I seriously doubt that they went to Ben Gurion Airport for training.)

Maybe with this you will be allowed to take liquids through American security, keep your shoes on, and not worry about these patdowns unless you have a secondary chat with the behavior screening official. Or maybe the screener will just continue to make up their own rules "out of an abundance of caution" and say that at THIS airport you have to take your shoes off, surrender your liquids and get the full monty groping. Or maybe those who have hearing problems or speech problems or don't speak much English will be unable to play the BDO's little game and get the full treatment every time.

I don't mind flying in Australia where, even without answering questions, I can bring liquids on, not have to remove my belt, shoes etc and still know that no planes are falling from the skies.

And don't forget. You don't even need a ticket to get through security so no ID checks either.

They do have an ETD clerk per lane in Australia though.

Bolding mine: Which agents went to Israel? The line agents at the interrogation airports?

I think the more appropriate action is to allow liquids, keep our shoes on, not worry about patdowns and not have to chat with someone with whom you don't really feel like talking.

It is a complete and total myth that anything that the TSA does is even remotely related to the way TLV operates. I understand that the TSA and media is trying to portray the interrogations as a step toward TLV, but it isn't. Not even close, in terms of training, background, airport and behind-the-scenes participation, etc. The sooner we destroy that myth, the more secure we will be, both on the airplanes and in our civil rights.

Mike

+1. It is a perfect example of how people just want to cling to simple ideas instead of looking deeper into an issue. I agree with *aspects* of Israeli security (baggage screening, behind-the-scenes work against organized terrorism.)

The Israeli agents are trained to detect "covers" because their situation is much different. For instance, I could tell if you were actually a doctor by asking you a few questions and having a brief conversation. It would not be hard for me, and it would almost be impossible for you to study to fake this (without actually going to medical school). Similarly, although I may no some facts, etc., there is essentially no way I could pretend to be, say, a lawyer, or a diplomat, or even a oil rig worker, without a great deal of study and briefing. It would be very, very difficult to assume these identities. Israeli agents are trained to get holes in people's stories, and detect travel on false pretenses, which is similar to what a CBP agent interview does.

This is NOT the role of the TSA, who implemented some half-a$$ implementation that more relies on voodoo and "mind reading" instead of detection of inconsistency. We allow people to travel freely domestically, which is not necessarily a right for Israel, who is primarily servicing international flights too. The two situations are not remotely similar.

Part of the tradecraft of setting up a cover is to play to a person's strengths in order to eliminate blowing one's cover based on what you've described above. I have no doubt you could detect a fake doctor because you (based on your handle) are one yourself.

Indeed, but what I'm claiming that elementary detection of this kind of deception may be taught. I have a few colleagues who travel to Israel extremely frequently. If they say they are going to a conference in Tel Aviv and have a poster in a rolled-up tube, the agent asks them what they will be doing. They say so, and they have each been asked a question about their research, relatively specific, something that was obviously studied / researched, and relatively in depth. It would be entirely possible to instruct an intelligent person to "detect" major deception regarding the purpose of travel.

I could instruct an agent to memorize 5 questions that every doctor could answer, but a layman would not know what I was even talking about. That is true I'm sure in every profession. Every airline pilot could tell you what "ATIS" is but most passengers could not.

This is NOT the same as the "voodoo" nonsense at our airports. Our country is fundamentally different from Israel.

My colleagues each looked really surprised the first time they were interviewed, and of course answered the questions well and were sent on their way.

If somebody says, "I'm going to Israel to work in xxxxxx field, or I'm from xxxx area, or I'm going to visit xxxxx," interviewing agents are prepared to ensure that the person isn't poorly bluffing. This is useful *for their purposes.* It is NOT useful for ours.

What is an 'interline baggage machine'?

I'd guess it is a robot that takes your bag from one airline to another.