goodfielder wrote:Brandon - from outside the US it looks pretty crook. When sufficient Americans wake up to the fact that it's pretty crook and also counter-productive they'll toss out the Republicans. Mate they've got it wrong. They went about it the wrong way completely. They haven't made America safe, they've made you more vulnerable and they've made you scared.
Let me give you an example. Earlier this year I flew from Australia to Toronto. I went via Hong Kong. I spent a night in Hong Kong. Great place. The airport is fantastic. And totally relaxed. Security was as one would expect from any major international airport but not intrusive. Then I flew to San Francisco. I spent a night in San Francisco. I was searched, had to take my shoes off etc. That didn't fuss me but I did note how different it was from Hong Kong. There was fear. The pleasant voice of the woman over the pa warning me every ten minutes or so to keep a watch for unattended baggage and what have you got really annoying after a while. But it also made me think "well, if it takes this it has to be done." Then onto Chicago O'Hare and on to Pearson. On the way back I was shunted into the US security at Pearson and while technically still in Canada was welcomed to the US and went through immigration and security. Searched again. Shoes off etc. Then back through O'Hare and back through San Francisco. Searched, shoes off, voice of the lady warning me about unattended baggage. Pretty soon it disappeared into the background. I've been to North America a few times but never have I seen the fear I saw on this trip.
Your enemies don't have to lift a finger. Your administration has done the work for them.
A flimsy argument at best.
First of all, Hong Kong is hardly on the top ten target list of Islamic terrorists, but if and when they should be the target of terrorists, watch the change in security.
Secondly, there is hardly a paralyzing wave of fear produced by the requirement of removing one's shoes at a check point. If you were personally searched it was either a random occurrence or precipitated by some red flag trigger. I travel by air to different points in this country and others with excessive frequency, and I have never been personally searched in a US airport, and frisked only twice (both times were when I had a one way ticket).
On the other hand, I was personally
searched in Gatwick and Sydney, and I have noted the presence of sub-machine gun armed soldiers in most European airports.
I have also yet to be in an airport throughout the world where there are not warnings about unattended baggage, and that included Canada. I should add, though, that I have never yet seen anyone gasp or sweat in fear whenever such an announcement was made, no matter where the airport.
I do see fear from time to time in American airports, but most often it is simply the usual fear of flying. People do tend to get a bit edgy whenever young men of obvious Middle Eastern origins stand in line to board, but I doubt that has much to do with the Bush administration.
The notion that Americans, whether in their airports or malls, are fearful is simply ridiculous. One might argue that Americans have become too complacent about terrorism, but not that they are too fearful.
The notion that the Administration has made America more vulnerable is even more than ridiculous, and I would be most interested in your providing us with some support of this claim beyond personal impressions about two trips through American airports...Mate.
