http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/05/2785368.htm?section=justin
Common sense might have finally made its way into our security procedures at airports. Although Nigeria complained, it has been placed on a list of countries from which airline passengers will be more completely checked out before boarding flights into the United States. Nigeria feels insulted because they claim that only one of their citizens, the underwear terrorist, has threatened a U.S. airline and that they have many people who have NOT threatened anyone
Nigeria is suggesting that such screening is discrimination. However, the extra screening did not come out of the blue. If the bomb hadn’t failed, over 200 people flying into Detroit would be dead. Rather than worrying about bruised feelings, even when it is a national ego, most of us who fly would understand the need for this type of scrutiny. There is no reason NOT to double check people flying into the United States. Nigeria’s reaction focuses on the wrong element of the increased security measures and is based on emotions and political gamesmanship, not good intelligence factors.
It’s time to get realistic about how to maintain our security and, Nigeria notwithstanding, our security should always trump political decisions. The TSA should use statistics like insurance companies who figure out insurance rates based COMPLETELY on statistics, not whether they like someone or not. If you insure a home in a statistically safe area, your rate is lower than someone who has a home in a flood plain! This is not only logical, it is the only truly fair method of determining a fair rate. The same rule should apply with airport security. Statistically speaking, some countries produce terrorists. For them, ALL people leaving their country should face the stiffest security checks.
By using numbers rather than abstract concepts we will increase the security of the flying public and also have a reasonable basis for our decisions. This is not discrimination. It is common sense.