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CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush Asks for More National Guards Troops at Airports

Aired November 10, 2001 - 08:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Another move to increase security at airports nationwide: send in more National Guard troops. But is flying any safer today than before 9/11?

CNN's Charles Feldman takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since September 11, more than 6,000 members of the National Guard have been standing guard at U.S. commercial airports, but President Bush wants more.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will increase by 25 percent the number of National Guard personnel to protect our airports and airlines and American travelers.

FELDMAN: The call up, the president says, is needed throughout the holiday period. But the Guard is clearly a stopgap measure. The House and Senate are trying to work out differences in legislation that would, in some fashion, change the role of the federal government in airport security.

The National Guard troops play different roles at different airports. At some airports, such as busy Los Angeles International, they appear to be mostly window dressing, while at other airports with smaller or no local police forces, they may actually get involved in basic screening of passengers and their luggage.

ADJUTANT GEN. PAUL MONROE JR., CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD: It just depends what the airport needs, what local law enforcement at the airport needs in order to supplement their activities.

FELDMAN: Some airline employees question whether the Guard really increase security.

LOCKE CRAIG, PILOT: What will it do to actually make the airplanes more secure? I mean they can stand there, but what will it, what effect will they have as far as the passengers getting on the airplane and the security?

FELDMAN: At least one aviation safety expert, a former government official, while praising the work of the National Guard, doubts that flying is any safer now than it was before September 11. MARY SCHIAVO, AVIATION DISASTER ATTORNEY: And we don't even have explosives detection equipment in most American airports. We don't even have X-ray machines in the baggage areas of all airports. People still get through while the National Guard is standing at the checkpoint with seven knives, mace and a stun gun.

FELDMAN: Since the terrorist attack, many aviation experts have pointed out that the Federal Aviation Administration already has plenty of rules on the books to better maintain security at the nation's airports. Perhaps it is with this in mind that President Bush also announced Friday that undercover audits of security will be done at airports nationwide.

Charles Feldman, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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