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New checks set for travelers to U.S.

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Blithering idiots. This should have been in effect 10 years ago, after al Qaeda blew up the USS Cole.

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While I see this measureas necessary, US surely will lose votes for the next big tourist attraction it's bidding for: 2010 Soccer World Cup, as FIFA requires that the host country somehow "relax" its visa policy.

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LostinNagoya at 08:45 AM JST - 3rd April

While I see this measureas necessary, US surely will lose votes for the next big tourist attraction it's bidding for: 2010 Soccer World Cup, as FIFA requires that the host country somehow "relax" its visa policy.

Don't you mean FIFA World Cup 2018 and 2022 are up for bids since 2010 (South Africa -host nation) is upon us already? The World Cup takes place every 4 years? World Cup 2014 will be hosted by Brazil.

If I was a player in a sport event I would like to think my safety along with my teammates, the opposing team, judges, and the audience safety is the number 1 concern by the host nation. The top priority of a host nation is to prevent a tragedy . In this case, the U.S. have taken measure to prevent a tragedy from occurring.

The United States lacks the authority to screen passengers in foreign airports. If air carriers do not agree to follow the U.S. guidelines for international aviation security, however, they could be fined and potentially banned from operating flights to the United States.

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Thanks Skip, yes, it's the 2018/2022. I mistyped here. Yes, as I wrote before, security comes first. However, have you seen the debacle in Australia about their same 2018/2022 bid? One of the main points opponents of the bidding are hammering is this article in the Bid Book that FIFA asks governments to have relax customs and visa policies during the tournment. Something I don't see USA doing as it did in 1994 - when terrorism was a "european" thing, and that surely will cost US bid the African and Asian votes - given the nations on that list.

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After posting the screening procedures a few months ago they had to design a new criteria to use.

Don't screw up again TSA. < :-)

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It's a good thing our American friends have understood our presumption that all foreigners are criminals until proven otherwise with respect to immigration protocol.

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Those rules required extra screening, such as full-body pat-downs, for everyone from, or traveling through, any of 14 countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

So the old rules allowed a Nigerian terrorist to board the plane with explosives. SO lets throw them out, and look for poeple matching the description after the fact. Brillaint, simply brilliant, now we will focus on 17 year old Muslim widows.

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Israeli airports actually have an incredibly secure and efficient system based on "behavioral profiling". Apparently there has not been a successful attack on their airlines in many years, yet American security refuses to overhaul their system to match.

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If FIFA asks World Cup host nations to relax customs and visas, then countries like China has no chance; yet China eventually plans to bid anyways.

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No matter what America does, it will always be several steps behind the terrorists who are more creative and cunning in their ways of attacking.

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nods to kolohe That's the point. Regardless of what you look for, terrorists who are successful will fit a profile you were not looking for. There is no way to truly secure an Airplane or an Airport. If you put a lock on your front door, and someone wants to get at you, they'll drive an old truck through your bedroom wall.

The problem that the TSA is facing is a bunch of spoiled Americans who demand "safety" and "convenience" in the same sentence. They're not compatible. But they do force politicians trying to be re-elected to action.

The best you can do is mitigate the risk. Which the TSA is doing at the cost of angering passengers. Ah well, I guess the one's that have been blown up at 30,000 feet didn't die angry. Pick your poison: less hassle, or more death.

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Policies like this are only for media use. Any real terrorist will use the cover of a friendly western passport, like British, and so on. But they want to humiliate a number of countries and send a media message that we dont want you on our soil!

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Yet more reasonw why NOT to visit the US. I gave up going there 5 years ago after being treated like a crimial on arrival, and Im from the UK.

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"I gave up going there 5 years ago after being treated like a ( criminal ) on arrival"

Oh, for cryin' out loud, we have the tight security for your safety as well as our safety. I'd bet a week's pay you were acting snooty.

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"No matter what America does, it will always be several steps behind the terrorists"

I dunno, it's been over 8 years since 9/11 without a successful attack.

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I'd like to hear more about Israel's modus operendi. Perhaps they have this one right, at least.

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Of course I appreciate safety, but so many times the enforcers of "safety" are simply ignorant.

My cousin, an 18 yr old fair skinned & light brown haired female, was born in Luxembourg to Italian parents (thus being an Italian passport holder) and is an international student in Ohio. She's stopped for additional screening without fail on domestic and international flights to and from the US.

Another friend was born in Japan to American (Caucasian) parents. He now lives in California and is required to go to visit Japanese manufacturers in Mexico for work. He's been detained at the border after being asked where he was born. The border patrol agents COULD NOT understand that a person's nationality is not determined by their place of birth.

Safety? I think not. If more money is to be invested into "safety" it should be done on educating the people who are in charge of enforcing these measures.

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Yet more reasonw why NOT to visit the US. I gave up going there 5 years ago after being treated like a crimial on arrival, and Im from the UK.

Maybe it was because of your spelling.

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