US Security Needs Anger Some Europeans

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 1-8-2004 | Jill Lawless

[tsmith130]

The Wall Street Journal recently tallied the costs to our country and economy, of the September 11th attacks.


They include:


$7.8 billion in lost income for the families of the more than 3,000 victims-money that would have gone to pay for braces and summer camps, schools and colleges.


$21 billion sent to New York City for direct damage costs.


$4 billion for the victims fund.


$18 billion to clean up the World Trade Center site.


$700 million to repair the Pentagon.


As much as $6.4 billion in reduced or lost wages and salaries for workers in New York industries.


1.3 million net jobs lost nationwide.


$150 billion in reduced GDP.


$50 billion in costs to the insurance industry.


$11 billion in lost business to the airline industry.


The bankruptcy of two airlines, even after a $15 billion federal bailout.


$38 billion in costs for new border security, protection against biological threats, and emergency preparedness.


$1.3 billion in costs to state governments for homeland security, and


$33 billion in spending by the private sector for new protective services.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..hey Europe, it's a new ballgame today. Get over it...

Actually, it's an old ballgame, which Europe knows only too well and doesn't want to see again.

Wasn't it East Germany, where gatherings of more than three people were deemed to be a potential conspiracy?

[Arpege92]

"Wasn't it East Germany, where gatherings of more than three people were deemed to be a potential conspiracy."

You can't compare that to today's situation. Our aim is to stop terrorist attacks not make Europeans uncomfortable. You'd think they would be a little more tolerant considering the hell we went through on 9/11....but we are talking about Europe, so their selfishness doesn't surprise me.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...it's war and if the Europeans don't want to follow OUR rules, then they can just stay home. It's up to us to protect ourselves....not Europe!...

Banning Aussies from queueing for QANTAS toilets won't protect anyone, Arpege. It's just another bit of rank stupidity which'll make travellers' lives more difficult and accomplish nothing, security-wise. You guys arguing that this craziness is somehow of benefit remind me of a liberal who's never been mugged. You'd change your mind about this pretty quick after a cavity search at LAX. Trouble is, most of you have never left Peoria and don't give a stuff about air travellers, or anyone but yourself.

[waterstraat]

I can remember when the United States was the freest country in the world. We used to scorn at other countries that had gestapo police make citizens "show their papers" before they could enter government offices, or before they could travel. Of course, back then we had a lot of conservatives who would not let our government intrude on the freedom of the american citizen.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

Right. Thank you. Three hundred and fifty billion dollars, one and a half million jobs lost (at least) and Ridge keeps right on regulating those toilet queues.

Gee, I feel so much safer.....

[Fenris6]

Bullocks. This is a new age with a new warfare.

And we see the BS on euro tv - you guys despise us. So why should we trust you to consider our safety? Like you did for the Czechs at Munich? Or when you turned your back on the Poles when they were invaded, despite FOUR frickin "treaties" promising support?

You see, its not that we don't trust International Law or treaties or "firther UN negotiations" - its simply that all these pieces of paper have as much value as the one Chamberlain brought back from Hitler.

Stay home. Stew in your Socialist sewage. We don't trsut you.

[DocJ69]

Byron, I have traveled all over Europe, and I don't mind my country's new desire for security. I have been to your beautiful country, on R & R back in 69. You have as much too protect that we do. I do not mind a security check three times taking off shoes, belts, even once down to my undershorts. It was somewhat uncomfortable, but it was even better that the plane did not get flown into a building, or crash om a hillside. Life has changed for all of us since 9/11. Let's live with it as we strive to catch the bad guys. If not don't come to the USA,

[tsmith130]

Right...that's all he's doing, regulating toilet queues. (roll eyes)

[caisson71]

Are you saying that the reason for the job loss is europeans not flying on US airlines? Or, maybe, do you think 9/11 had anything to do with it?

[caisson71]

Do you expect things have changed? Any reason for that, do you think?

[Arpege92]

"It's just another bit of rank stupidity which'll make traverlers' lives more difficult."

Oh well then....lets keep these people happy because we aim to please. How selfish of us to force inconvience onto you.

"Trouble is, most of you have never left Peoria and don't give a stuff about air travelers, or anyone besides yourself."

Horse Hockey....Although I don't have the exact number yet, thousands upon thousands of US citizens died fighting foreign wars. We don't have to prove a damn thing to anyone anyway.

BTW....as a "Peoria" person, I have traveled greatly. As do thousands of Americans serving over sea's!!!!!

[LouD]

US Security Needs Anger Some Europeans

Hey, paying for the security needs of Europe for the last 50+ years was kind of annoying to us, as was bailing out Europe from two world wars, but we didn't complain, did we?

I'm sure the thousands of Americans buried on European battlefields were a little inconvenienced, too.

What amazes me is that people like the Eurotrash that spout this crap can even look their ungrateful selves in the damned mirror.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..and we see the BS on euro tv - you guys despise us. So why should we trust you to consider our safety?...

You see what you want to see, bozo- but the facts are that these ridiculous measures don't make anyone safer. What you want is to feel safer, right?

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..Byron, I have traveled all over Europe, and I don't mind my country's new desire for security...

There's no 'security', Doc. There's just regulators, regulating. The only security is their own jobs, as long as those regulations keep flowing.

Thank heavens Homeland Security wasn't created straight after the Cole attack. You'd need a cavity search and biometric tag to buy an outboard, now.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..are you saying that the reason for the job loss is europeans not flying on US airlines?...

A part of it. Domestic paranoia's a big part, too.

How about one of you guys answer the questions, for once? You, Caisson- tell me, please, how banning queueing for toilets on flights from Sydney to Hawaii makes you safer. Thanks in advance, Byron

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...I do not mind a security check three times taking off shoes, belts, even once down to my undershorts. It was somewhat uncomfortable, but it was even better that the plane did not get flown into a building, or crash om a hillside...

Doc, have you ever considered that the success of Bin Laden's attacks is based in part on the way the security services are always responding to the last one?

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..hey, paying for the security needs of Europe for the last 50+ years was kind of annoying to us...

Well, it's not annoying to Australians. Fighting in other people's wars is a sad part of any commitment to freedom. But I'll tell what is annoying: being told by an ally with whom we fought in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, you name it, that because of ridiculous paranoia we can't queue for the toilet on flights to your country.

[Arpege92]

How come an ally such as you can't lend a little tolerance and support to the US? Are we asking too much and if we are then too bad! Better to be safe than sorry.

[LouD]

ridiculous paranoia

What are your qualifications to judge these actions "ridiculous?" Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, FAA and others spent a lot of time and brainpower assessing vulnerabilities. I know for a fact that some of our best SpecOps guys gamed the system in Red Cell exercises to see what they could accomplish if they had been terrorists.

That kind of analysis has driven the security measures we have taken, and, if the reasons are not immediately obvious to you, that's too bad. You do not have "need to know" for every detail and rationale behind our counterterrorist measures. You have a choice: Comply with the conditions, or stay out of my country.