President Obama and U.S. transportation security personnel are scrambling to address holes in the nation's intelligence and safety systems in the wake of the failed Christmas airline bombing plot. New revelations about Transportation Security Administration (TSA) breaches emerge daily, the latest being the failure of the Newark airport's video surveillance cameras and the lax attitude of TSA personnel, who allowed a nonpassenger through to the boarding gates.

What has become abundantly clear is that there are systemic failures at play, and the U.S. has not yet assimilated the lessons of

9/11. As a country, we would do well by emulating the tactics employed by Israel to ensure greater security.

The first level of security is a general awareness of vulnerability among the population.

In Israel, any bag or item left unattended for more than a few minutes is suspect and the subject of scrutiny - and if more than a few minutes elapse without someone claiming the item, a bomb squad is likely to be called.

Screening passengers is not limited to airports but is widespread and also occurs routinely when entering buses, trains, and buildings. Additionally, unlike the United States, Israel is proactive in its security measures, not reactive.