Two bombs found over the weekend in packages stowed in cargo planes bound for the United States were ingeniously hidden and expertly constructed.
Thankfully, an intelligence tip from the Saudis led to the discovery of the bombs before they detonated.
The plot underscores the ongoing reality that this country’s security efforts are in a race to keep up with the malevolent intent of those who want to wreak havoc on the west and its allies. As difficult and complex as these matters are, the Obama administration needs to make greater progress in encouraging other countries to become better partners in screening air cargo and other security measures.
The vulnerability of air cargo has long been recognized. Rep. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, was a main proponent of legislation in 2007 that mandated all air cargo be checked before it is loaded onto passenger planes.
But by August, only about 65 percent of cargo on passenger planes coming to the U.S. was being screened. And when it comes to planes carrying only cargo and a crew, the percentage of packages screened goes way down.
The issue, as it turns out, isn’t defining the problem, but getting past the complications that make implementation so difficult without disrupting commerce.
The task is enormous. Every day, 20 million pounds of cargo is shipped on domestic and incoming international flights, according to a Government Accountability Office report issued in June. Of that, 16 percent is carried on passenger planes.
The cargo is diverse, ranging from fresh produce and medical supplies to automobile parts and human remains. There is no easy way to screen all of it without slowing the way goods move around the country, and the world.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has made inroads in getting domestic cargo screened, but material that comes to this country from other countries is a more difficult matter. The truth is, the TSA doesn’t have the power to order other countries to screen to the same standard as required in this country. And the more difficult reality is that not every nation shares the security concerns that this country has.
The administration is working with other governments to adopt similar standards and screening agreements.
One could argue that the U.S. should just refuse cargo not screened to our standards. Perhaps the time will come when that is the only alternative. But if the U.S. were to do that now, it would likely result in retaliatory actions, such as other countries refusing to cooperate on passenger screening.
This incident makes it increasingly clear that guarding against terrorist attacks takes a blend of diplomacy, technology, intelligence and a good dose of luck.
