WASHINGTON - June 22, 2008 - Judging from the reaction of travelers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a new device that enables security screeners to peek through their clothing is likely to become a permanent fixture at airports across the United States.

The image of a TSA-supplied model who has gone through the millimeter wave portal screening machine at Reagan National Airport on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 is seen on the computer monitor in the viewing room, which is located away from the machines. The person's face is also always blurred out for added privacy.

While civil libertarians and privacy advocates complain the new millimeter wave scanner conducts a "virtual strip search," travelers told The Washington Times during an informal survey that the phone-booth-sized machine has saved them time and reinforced their sense of security.

"It was quick," said Charlene Cerzear of Prince Frederick, Virginia, as she gathered her belongings to catch a recent flight. "I travel all the time in my job, so anything that cuts down on time works for me."

"I hope they do it more often, because I'll feel more secure when I get on a plane," said Stephanie Scaglione of Seminole, Florida, as she joined her husband and daughter on the way to their terminal.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently installed the device at Reagan Airport as part of a pilot program to test the machine's efficacy - and the public's reaction to it. The machine is being used to examine passengers at major airports in Baltimore, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Detroit, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In coming months, the scanner could be employed at dozens of other airports, said TSA spokeswoman Lauren Wolf.

"We're still looking at it in the pilot phase, and it's difficult to predict where it will be placed," Ms. Wolf said. "But we see it is important technology, a great layer of security, and it is certainly very promising in its protection capabilities."

The millimeter wave scanner bounces radio waves off passengers' bodies to "see" under their clothes and produces near-nude images of travelers to detect weapons, explosives and other contraband.

"The technology is far more intrusive than people understand," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a nonprofit public-interest research group. "The real issue is that the machines essentially act as digital cameras, and these images can be stored and distributed."

However, the TSA, which operates the scanner, says its policy is to delete a photo as soon as it is cleared by a security screener.

Ed. Note: So in essence, the TSA, Department of Homeland Security, and United States government are asking us to trust them.