> It would be great if governments were more explicit about precisely what all of this theater is intended to prevent. The liquids requirement was in response

> It would be great if governments were more explicit about precisely what all of this theater is intended to prevent. The liquids requirement was in response to a famous (at the time) plot by people in Britain to smuggle a two part liquid explosive onto the plane. So the context was, at the time, obvious and needed no explanation.