[JesseHousman]

''We don't consider this the proper way to treat our future king;...

Nor do I.

If the doltish screeners would profile properly instead of having every Average Joe remove their shoes and if they'd stop confiscating nail clippers, things would go much smoothly.

The TSA needs to be staffed by persons with some intelligence who are trained to look at passengers rather than personal effects. If this was done half of these screeners could go back on the dole or back to placing pickles on Big Macs.

I'm certain that this incident will be seen by Spaniards as an affront to Prince Felipe, regardless of the fact that their new socialist (communist) government is no longer an ally of the United States.

[mewzilla]

If what's good enough for Americans isn't good enough for these clods, they should've stayed home.

[tkathy]

The world needs to get rid of these gorified wefare queens and kings.

[cardinal4]

I disagree totally. Consider this scenario; someone kidnaps your two year old says they will kill her if you dont bring something onto an airplane. That scenario renders the "grandmother" everyone on FR is quick to refer to, just as dangerous as mohamed atta. Either everyone is screened equally, or its useless to do it it all.

[Diogenesis]

What did the Prince think he was, Saudi royalty?
Only the Saudi's should get special treatment. ........... [/sarcasm]

[BluH2o]

Mayor Penelas, calling the brouhaha a ''lamentable situation,'' immediately sent a letter of apology to the the royal family and pointed out those doing the screening were federal employees.

Yeah ... if only they had been Miami/Dade County employees it would have gone so much smoother ... after all, they speak Spanish, very little else.

[Quilla]

IIRC, recent reports outlined tactics to smuggle terrorists by cover of entourage.

To accommodate blue-blooded sensibilities, the TSA gave the group a choice of a quick public screening or a slower but private one away from commoners.

Commoners! My, my. Since I'm considered the queen in my household, I wonder if that trumps a prince.

[NewHampshireDuo]

DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM??!!

[MinuteGal]

Perhaps the royal train of Spain was traveling with cocaine.

Leni

[nightdriver]

''The prince and his bodyguard felt they should not be subjected to the screening, but if they do not have an escort from the State Department or the Secret Service, it is required,'' Stover said. ``It's the law.''

Hell yes!

If it's required for the rest of us it is required for these people too, THE ESCORTS FROM THE STATE DEPT. AND THE SECRET SERVICE, TOO, dammit!

[Archangelsk]

The Prince:

His bride to be:

Beautiful couple indeed.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Whether the prince gave U.S. diplomatic officials enough notice of his arrival is at the heart of the problem.

If a future king is going to take public transportation...he should know the rules. It's his mistake if he (or his "people") do not alert authorities and make alternative arrangements.

[Truth29]

The problem of TSA not profiling is caused by our PC political leadership, including Cngress, not TSA.

[livius]

It was probably very badly handled. We'd feel upset, too, if somebody important in our government were searched by some low-level employee at some foreign airport.

It says that the Spanish group didn't give enough advance notice, but I don't see why 6 hours notice was not enough for the airport people to get their "high level screeners" to the airport and ready to meet this group.

Part of the problem, however, was in transferring from a charter plane to a commercial flight, something that always seems to confuse airport personnel. Furthermore, Iberia is a horrible airline that probably did nothing to assist the situation, and may even have dropped the ball. Iberia must have known about the Prince's travel plans; why weren't they scurrying around trying to get things in place?

Still, I hope we smooth their feathers, because Felipe and his bride-to-be are very popular in Spain. They are both American-educated and I do not think they are known for being anti-American themselves.

[Calvin Locke]

I liked the line ... into what went wrong.

The bureacracy finally does what it's supposed to do, and it gets grief from a pandering pol.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Did we not tell him that we think monarchies are real stupid-especially ones that are upheld by socialists?

[dawn53]

Didn't Franken throw a similar fit a few months ago when he had to wait in line like the rest of the "masses" at an airport?

[Junior]

You know, a truly classy individual would have taken this situation with some aplomb, instead of throwing a fit like some spoiled-rotten brat.

[prairiebreeze]

The U.S. State Department requires 72 hours notice to arrange for expedited security screening in a private area. The prince's people called with six hours notice.

I'd say the "prince's people" screwed up. And the screeners responded appropriately.

Royals are no better than anybody else. Despite what they've been told since birth.

Prairie

[Papabear47]

And what would be said if someone managed to sneak something into the "Princes" luggage and blew the plane out of the air killing all on board....Would it be said by those elitists among us that those stupid amateurish dolts at TSA permitted or actually abetted their needless demise through gross criminal negligence....You betcha....And why should anyone be free from search.We depend on each other for our safety.Any individual or group (Special People) routinely exempted from said would become a prime candidate for a C4 suppository.

[MrBambaLaMamba]

Protect the fragile psyches of VIPs, Princes, Princesses, Kings and Queens.


End terrorism, kill terrorists.