It's hilarious to watch how paranoid some of you are. Carry on please

 

Actually, I did counter his point. There are people in every country around the world that don't like America, including in America. Or maybe you just don't like Muslims? Maybe the war zone in Abu Dhabi is so bad, that the world class musicians and golfers decided to drop by to entertain? You ever been to the U.A.E.? Yes, it is nothing except polite expats, diverse living, crazy driving, and hot summers. I will continue to have my American flag in my yard, and we aren't scared in the slightest.

 

As long as we're looking at this on the national security angle, why is it that this is the first pre-clearance facility proposed (or maybe considered) in the middle east? The greatest limitation of pre-clearance facilities hosted abroad is that US officials don't have the power to make an arrest on foreign soil, so it is up to the host country to enforce their own laws. Theoretically, a potential terrorist could fail the security pre-clearance with nothing to lose but boarding privileges. This could allow them to get through a "learning curve" of what will make it through without the risk of arrest.
Obviously this is a worst-case scenario, but how many attacks happened when worst-case scenarios were both considered and acted upon?
So if we took this thought out to an extreme angle, how about this: If we had to choose what country in the middle east should be the first to have a pre-clearance agreement, why not Israel?
I agree with earlier suggestions that this has more to do with $$$ than anything else - it seems that too many decisions in the interest of either saving or making lots of money in the short term with little consideration of long-term implications get us in so much trouble at so many levels.
Given that many M.E. countries are looking to position themselves for "post-oil" futures, how do we know how much their friendships will last (or be worth) in such a future without guaranteed revenues at little cost?
Seems to me the potential downside far exceeds any benefit. Just my $.02
In any case, my elected representatives (whether I voted for them or not) will be each getting letters soon.

 

Please read my post again. I said "counter any of his other points." You failed to do so. As usual, you focused only on a point that speaks poorly of the UAE. And I have no problem with Muslims. I do have problem with someone who uses the Muslim religion as an excuse to kill American citizens. You can quote me on that. Just because Abu Dhabi can host golf tournaments doesn't mean that terrorism or terrorists don't originate from there. But that's not really the point. This CBP facility serves no purpose for US airlines. Heaven forbid I don't want my tax dollars to be spent on a facility that in no way is advantageous to myself or my fellow citizens. We have enough issues staffing CBP facilities in the USA as it is. Money does not need to be wasted on a useless CBP facility in Abu Dhabi. My protest of this proposed facilty has little to nothing to do with security issues.

 

Apparently you need a reminder.

They.... will.... not... stop. Why make it any easier for them?

 

Where are those pesky Black boxes?

 

With your hat.

 

It's actually quite simple. Why spend tax dollars on a facility that does not benefit an American carrier?

The security argument can be made either way, but the bottom line is that there is no need to do this other than for the benefit of Etihad.

 

It benefits American citizens.

 

whot?

........


...how?