Shortly after 9/11, twelve years ago, the federal government created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to protect air travel and prevent similar attacks . In 2012, the TSA had a budget of $8.1 billion, and while it claims to improve airport security, it fails to do so. Furthermore, their checkpoints are invasive of privacy and cumbersome, negatively impacting the air travel industry. For these reasons, the agency should be abolished. In response to the September 11 attacks, one would expect the TSA to improve airport security. In reality, it's just security theater. Initially, the use of metal detectors and baggage x-rays at airport security checks was sufficient. However, on December 25, 2009, an arriving international flight was the target of an attempted bombing. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab cleared security checks and successfully boarded the plane with the explosives packed in his underwear. He almost succeeded in detonating the bomb, but the detonation did not go as planned and the passengers overpowered him before he could repair the detonation[0]. As a result, the TSA has increased the use of full-body scanners to replace metal detectors. Before the 2009 attack, only 40 body scanners were in use at 19 airports. After the attack, the government planned to have more than 1,000 machines in operation by the end of 2011. However, the expensive machines are ineffective. In 2010, TV personality Adam Savage unintentionally managed to slip two 12-inch-long razor blades through security[1]. In 2011, an undercover TSA agent successfully walked through scanners with a gun in his underwear, repeatedly[2]. The TSA is clearly incapable of creating a truly secure airport checkpoint and is becoming less and less effective as time goes on... middle of paper......ate its transportation security program. Works Cited[0] http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Christmas_Day_bomb_plot[1] http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20023820-71.html[2] http://www.nbcdfw .com/news/local/TSA-Agent-Slips-Through-DFW-Body-Scanner-With-a-Gun-116497568.html[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millimeter_wave_scanner[4] http ://news.travel.aol. com/2011/06/26/tsa-pats-down-elderly-woman-removes-adult-diaper-video [5] http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/05/11/baby-receives- pat-down-at-kansas-city-airport-video[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/business/airport-screening-is-still-a-pain-fliers-complain. html [7] http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/travelers-say-y%E2%80%99ll- skip-the-airport-and-hit-the-road-in-2011 [8] http: //edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/12/travel.screening[9] http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/airlines-profit-more-by-flying-less