Building Security Evaluation: Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport
Just a couple of decades ago, travelers, visitors and virtually anyone else could walk freely through the nation's airports without being challenged at any point, and security considerations were generally restricted to concerns over possible so-called "skyjackings" to Cuba, but even these were rare. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, though, all of this changed in fundamental ways as airports across the country implemented a wide range of security measures intended to prevent a recurrence of these deadly security breaches. Indeed, today, security at the nation's airports has never been stricter, and despite the time and trouble these initiatives have created for air travelers, most passengers today appear to accept these measures in stride as part of the post-September 11 climate. To determine what security measures have been taken in a specific airport facility, this paper provides an evaluation of building security measures currently in place at Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport to identify what types of lighting, fire/smoke alarms, perimeter security, internal security, access control, security response availability, are place. A diagram designating where publicly available security elements of this airport facility are located is also provided, followed by a summary of the research and salient findings in the conclusion.
Review and Analysis
Background and Overview
One of the downsides of living in a free society is that those who would threaten the nation's security interests can take advantage of these freedoms and the complacency they engender among the citizenry and policymakers alike, and this is precisely what happened on September 11, 2001. For example, according to Wallis (2003), "Those who flew the two airliners into World Trade Center towers and their co-conspirators who attacked the Pentagon in Washington and caused a fourth aircraft to crash in Pennsylvania had to know that in 2001, U.S. domestic aviation security programs fell short of the international levels. Domestic aviation security in the United States was inadequate and ineffective. There was no adequate government oversight of airport security" (p. 10).
In response to these terrorist attacks, though, much has changed in the intervening years and airport security represents a key element in preventing another such an attack today. As Wallis points out, "The events of September 11th questioned, as no other event ever could, the adequacy of airport security in North America" (p. 65). Not surprisingly, airport officials at Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (hereinafter "BWI") are reluctant to divulge the precise nature of all of the security procedures they have implemented in the past few years, but an indication of what has been done can be discerned from the literature concerning federal mandates for international airports in the United States and publicly available information about BWI and these issues are discussed further below.
Internal security and access control
It is reasonable to posit that the airport managers at BWI have complied with the mandates from the U.S. federal government and the Aviation and Transportation Safety Act concerning general airport surveillance using direct observation as well as covert monitors throughout the airport facility and its grounds. In this regard, one of the most publicly visible security procedures that is in place and monitoring of individuals who are featured on the federally provided list of known terrorists and suspected terrorists. Therefore, the check-in desk personnel at BWI represent the front lines of security when travelers arrive at the airport. As Wallis emphasizes, "Here, staff have shown an ability to sense behavior patterns that separate a potential risk passenger from the millions of law-abiding people who use air transportation every day. This has worked well for airlines in uncovering ticket and travel document fraud" (p. 157). In fact, this front line of defense has become even more effective over the years as check-in desk personnel become practiced at identifying travelers who may not be what they seem. In this regard, Wallis adds that, "What at first consideration may seem a...
S. effort must follow certain guidelines in any such efforts, like for example, it must perforce be for the innate purpose of changing, or propping up the regime. It must also deploy large numbers of U.S. ground troops, and it must also involve these troops, as well as large numbers of civilians in the basic political administration of the country. (U.S. Involvement in Nation Building before Iraq) If all three
Policy Advisement on Efficacy of Nation Building in Iraq Dear Mr. President and Mr. Secretary of State, After a decade to examine the consequences of America's decision to invade Iraq -- and engage in a massive nation building effort after successfully ousting the brutal Baath Party dictatorship of Saddam Hussein -- it has become abundantly clear that a war fought under false pretenses can never be productive in a geopolitical sense. As
Building and Nation building in Iraq -- Present and Future Perspectives Over the course of the current United States administration's involvement in Iraq, President Bush has paid much lip service to the importance of multilateral action and to forming an international coalition when establishing a democratic regime within the nation, after the ousting of the tyrant Saddam Hussein from power. However, the lack of international support for the Iraqi mission 'Operation
This includes putting in place international legal systems, dispute resolution mechanisms as well as cooperative arrangements.14 The call this approach social peace-building or structural peace-building. Such peace-building involves "creating structures -- systems of behavior, institutions, concerted actions -- that support the embodiment or implementation of a peace culture."15 This is what the author's call multi-track diplomacy. It involves individuals who are not normally involved in the peace process, particularly business
He proposed that in this kind of government, it will do away with the tradition of 'monarchy,' likened to the British form of government, wherein powered is concentrated on one individual alone. Moreover, in advocating for the new American government, Madison argued that with the British ruling over the American people, the new government is a better option, the 'lesser evil' of the two: "[t]he bulk of the people
North Africa Nation Building Authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and North Africa have been collapsing unexpectedly over the past year, or at least are under severe challenge by their own people for the first time in decades. In Tunisia, the first North African country to overthrow an entrenched dictatorship, the recent elections appear to have been free and fair, resulting in the election of a moderate Islamic government and the
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now