Attention politically correct devotees. According to NBC News the US is profiling. But not people; countries. As a result of an (alleged) incident from an isolated extremist, travelers entering the US from 14 countries considered high risk will be patted down and have their luggage searched plus be subject to more random, intensive screenings before boarding according to a new directive from the Transportation Security Agency (TSA).
And which are the high risk countries?
Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen are on the list as countries of interest. Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are listed because they have long been identified as "state sponsors of terrorism" by the United States, NBC reported.
Not much has been said about nationals from these countries who now live in other countries.
Meanwhile, Mark Matthews of ABC News reports some travelers are complaining that for some reason they have been pinpointed for extra scrutiny in light of the latest almost terrorist incident. And no, the complainers are not 88 year old grandmothers returning from a holiday visit with their families.
Some Muslim-Americans claim they are being profiled on the basis of their religion and that profiling is actually getting in the way of catching the bad guys.
(snip)As for the folks getting profiled, ABC7 spoke with a number of frequent flyers who say they get extra attention every time they fly.
"I see it as just a very unfair discriminatory practice," says Mahin Ibrahim, who works in online advertising at Google.
"I wish it was only patting me down. They first they search my clothes and everything I have and in many cases they actually take me aside and interrogate me," says Azzam Abdo, who makes semi conductors.
"They do a strip search and they search your luggage before the TSA will let you go," says Mahmood Khan, an I.T. consultant, formerly with Hewlett Packard.
Khan says when he's traveling 100,000 miles a year it becomes a huge waste of time and energy.
Hmmm, now why should the TSA be suspicious about these people instead of that 88 year old grandmother? Aren't they all just as likely to want to destroy a plane in midair?
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