US Imposes Stricter Security Screenings At Foreign Airports, But Won't Expand Laptop Ban Yet (theverge.com) 64
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: The United States will require foreign airports to implement stricter security practices and screenings for any passengers headed to the U.S. John Kelly, the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, announced today that the new measures were being put in place. Though he didn't go into specifics, Kelly said the new requirements would include further screenings of electronics, more thorough vetting of passengers, and measures meant to stop "insider attacks." The U.S. is also encouraging the use of more bomb-detecting dogs, "advanced checkpoint screening technology," and the addition of "preclearance" locations, which station U.S. customs officers overseas, allowing them to screen passengers before boarding instead of after they land. One thing Kelly didn't announce was an expansion of the tablet and laptop ban, which is currently in effect on flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa. If airports don't comply with the new screening rules, Kelly said, they may be subject to additional electronics bans. But for the time being, it sounds like the ban will be kept to those 10 locations. According to Reuters, airlines have 21 days to comply with the new rules for explosives screenings and four months to comply with everything else.
2nd security checkpoint (Score:2)
So this means that every airport with US-bound flights needs to have a 2nd security checkpoint just for the US-bound gates ?
Re:2nd security checkpoint (Score:5, Informative)
So this means that every airport with US-bound flights needs to have a 2nd security checkpoint just for the US-bound gates ?
Many of them already do. When I flew from Munich to the US last time, I went through three different security screenings. And I'm not counting the interrogation that takes place before they even let you into the check-in line, or the outbound customs and immigration folks.
Re:2nd security checkpoint (Score:4, Interesting)
Yea, Munich has quite the security whenever I visit home.
Not all of them do though. Iceland is pretty relaxed, and they are ramping up flights to and from the States.
However, this is pure ridiculousness. I absolutely hate traveling home, I'm going to hate it even more now and I'm an American. I can't imagine how many foreigners just won't even bother anymore.
I'm not even sure I want to bring my hard drives for work any more. I encrypt them of course, but just the thought of an image they could spend limitless resources trying to break, for god knows what reason, I think I'll just keep stationary hard drives and find a more private and secure cloud service.
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I'm scheduled to go to the US in April. We have put the trip on a wait and see list and are looking at whether the venue can be moved to another country.
One of the people scheduled to attend had major issues going to the states in January because he is a Sikh and wears a turban.
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The message is what is received, not what it sent. If you explain the difference between a raisin and a grape ten times to a monkey, he will still not give a fuck and eat them both.
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Those with an IQ above room temperature do.
But they are also the ones that can have actual jobs.
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Re:2nd security checkpoint (Score:4, Insightful)
Not the world, just the people willing to put up with this shit by travelling to the US, just go else where done and finished. No strip search, no stolen digital gear, no interrogations, not data mining, no illegally installed software on your devices, no rude and arrogant customs, just don't go.
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Many already do, many airports say "go to security at least 1 hour before your flight, or if your flight is to the US, at least 2 hours before your flight" or something similar to allow time for the second screening.
Where is this terror over terrorism coming from? (Score:5, Insightful)
Something like 10,000 people are murdered with guns every year in the US, [fivethirtyeight.com] yet we hear NOTHING about banning laptops on guns!
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You do realize that the TSA has a 95% failure rate for detecting weapons? The TSA has been asked by congress how many terrorists were caught. Their answer is always the same, they can't tell you due to national security. In other words that number is a big fat ZERO.
Re:Where is this terror over terrorism coming from (Score:4, Insightful)
Ahahahahahahaha, nice one! You do mean this satirically, right? Because otherwise you would ignore overwhelming evidence that all this security theater has no relevant effect except inconveniencing travelers and keeping people out that are not dangerous but have opinions the US administration does not like.
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Suicide attacks are not done by "opportunists".
Re:Where is this terror over terrorism coming from (Score:4, Insightful)
I have a rock here, it protects you from tiger attacks. I have never been attacked by a tiger, since I had that rock.
Aside of that, no. The airline industry would not disintegrate. Traveling by plane is about as uncomfortable, as inconvenient, as cumbersome and as fucked up as it ever was. Especially when traveling to, from or in the US. I honestly don't know a single person who enjoys it. Not one. Anyone who can somehow avoid traveling by air already does so. People willingly replace air travel by train or even bus if at all possible. We do have airport bombings, which is pretty much the same deal as far as travelers are concerned since they have to go through airports to get to planes. And still people travel by plane.
People already don't want to travel by plane. They pretty much have to.
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Take a look at the train sleeping cabins. Sometimes you can get sleeper cars for less than the plane ticket and unlike on the plane you sleep in something like a rolling hotel room.
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Aside of that, no. The airline industry would not disintegrate. Traveling by plane is about as uncomfortable, as inconvenient, as cumbersome and as fucked up as it ever was. Especially when traveling to, from or in the US.
You need to fly some better airlines. Not everyone crams people in like sardines, charges them for every little thing and then ignores them. Try flying an Asian airline like Singapore. I've flown LHR-SIN a few times and really, I'd hapily pay another $pound:100 over their competitors to fly them again. A standard seat is what other airlines call "premium", food is excellent, service is without peer and Changi-Singapore airport I would consistently rate as the worlds best... and this is a pale shadow of what
Re: Where is this terror over terrorism coming fro (Score:2)
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When the fuck are voters going to grow up and realize it's not something anyone should worry about?
Honestly, it's when the media stops showing stories about it all the time. We're pretty screwed for the foreseeable future on this issue.
ISIS = USA, Israel, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, NATO (Score:1)
The Most Important Question About ISIS That Nobody Is Asking: [zerohedge.com]
Who is buying ISIS oil?
U.S. General: West Created ISIS [americanfreepress.net]
General Wesley Kanne Clark, Sr., former Supreme Allied commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during the war against Yugoslavia and presidential candidate, revealed recently on CNN that the Islamic State (ISIS) was âoefunded by our friends and allies in order to fight Hezbollah.â
Top 10 Indications or Proofs ISIS is a US-Israeli Creation [toolsforfreedom.com]
How the US Helped Create Al Q [counterpunch.org]
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People are generally bad at assessing risks. Smart people can usually compensate by thinking about it, but most people are stupid. Hence most people are fearing entirely the wrong things. And politicians without a shred of personal integrity (the standard kind) are quick to take advantage of that.
Re:Restore sanity: screen by race and religion (Score:5, Insightful)
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Hey! That's how jobs are created.
Or at least vacated.
Re: Restore sanity: screen by race and religion (Score:2)
In the real world, there aren't any races, religions, or cultures that want to harm us. Not ONE!
Really looking forward to high speed rail (Score:3, Insightful)
I basically avoid airports now unless I am traveling more than 8 hours by car. It was barely worth it before, it's absolutely not worth it anymore. I submit to airport screenings for international travel, but travel is just miserable now, knowing you have to go through that degrading experience, and will have to do it again on the way home.
No! (Score:2)
What we really need is t(rans/ele)porters. :(
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If and when the US has high-speed rail, TSA will be waiting for you at the train station. The only reason they don't do it now is that because AmTrak cannot afford to lose any passengers for a mode of transportation that costs more than flying and takes longer than driving.
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This is stupid (Score:3, Insightful)
Because if I were a terrorist who wanted to reach my target in the US, I would just fly out of another country that isn't on the list. Maybe even one with less strict security. Problem solved. So, explain to me how this is going to protect us?
Re:This is stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
Tightening up on Medical procedures, Death by medical misadventure kills hundreds of thousands in the US each year.
Tightening up on motor vehicle safety and driver safety which kills tens of thousands in the US each year
Tightening up on pollution which kills tens of thousands in the US each year
Tightening up on sugar which kills tens of thousands in the US each year
Tightening up on Gun control which kills about 15,000 a year
etc etc etc then we get to
Provide better protection against lightening strikes which kills more US people than terrorism
Provide better protection against shark attacks which kills more US people than terrorism
Provide better protection against tipping vending machines which kills more US people than terrorism
The security theatre has zero to do with making US citizens safer, it is simply part of the system where by they over hype the problem, offer a solution and use that to actually remove peoples rights to freedom and privacy
Scared people will listen and obey anyone who seems to offer a solution that will make them "safe" , even when that means giving up their rights.
People are stupid.
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The ability to get access to all images, video, accounts, request passwords, the chat down is more interesting than having people know they have to travel without any devices.
Getting a person to lie when questioned about any or some aspect of the device use, history.
More questions can asked, help requested. No gov methods or gov intelligence has to b
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The worst part is that other countries react by introducing the enhanced screening for everyone, not just people flying to the US. So now even if I'm going somewhere that doesn't buy into the security theatre, there is a chance they will want me to go into the strip search machine. Then I have to explain that I can't for medical reasons, blah blah, eventually get sexually assaulted by some bloke and go on my way.
Top 'o the lap to ya! (Score:2)
Technically they can't require foreign airports to do this. However, they can stop planes there from coming to the US, so it will be done.