Just as old masters often depicted sages and poets as tiny figures amid mountains and forests, he saw current events and players as just one more element in his vast land.
It might seem illogical to address the current system's flaws by adding another flawed element, which needs to be applied selectively to deliver an improvement.
Current and former marshals contacted by CNN took exception to Napolitano's claims, saying that although there is an element of randomness to increase unpredictability, the assignments of air marshals are largely based on intelligence and an analysis of which flights are most vulnerable or most attractive to terrorists.