NEWSLETTER

Straight-Talk

It's (Not) The Size, Stupid

January 20, 2011

You'll all be happy to hear that Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano is back in the U.S., after a grueling, week-long "security-focused" trip to Europe and the Middle East (including a stop in Afghanistan, where she counseled the Afghans on border security, an area of great expertise on her part, which border states such as Arizona and Texas will no doubt confirm).

One of her stops was in Israel, where she received a guided tour and detailed review of security procedures at Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport, widely-considered among the best in the world.

So what were Sherlock Napolitano's findings?

"There are real differences...in size and scale between Israel and the United States," she said, noting that the U.S. has 450 international airports, while Israel has only one major international airport, and what's effective in Israel, a nation of 7.3 million, would not necessarily work for America, with 310 million.

Got it? According to Sherlock Napolitano, it's the size that counts, not the system.

For those interested in hearing/learning more than a simple it won't work 'cause we're big and they're small, check out this radio interview (below) with Israeli airport security expert, Rafi Sela.

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