Abu Dhabi prescreening
 

Please tell your congressmen/women to not support the DHS's request for a passenger pre-screening facility in Abu Dhabi.

Below is a letter I sent to Hon. Mr Schweikert, you may go to The United States House of Representatives · House.gov to contact your representative.

Thank you,
-------------------------------
Sir,

Please do not include an approval by the Department of Homeland Security of an airline security pre-clearance facility in Abu Dhabi in the omnibus appropriations bill that is coming up.

-No US airline currently flies between the US and Abu Dhabi.
-This pre-check facility is located in a region hostile to the US and it’s citizens.
-This presents an unfair competitive advantage for foreign airlines against US airlines.
-There is no benefit to US national security.

For these economic and security reasons, I implore you to disallow the approval of an airline security pre-clearance facility in Abu Dhabi.

Thank you,

Marco Rubio told me basically he doesn't GAS.

T,

If you would, please repost Rubio's response to you here for the benefit of the people who don't read the L&G thread. It deserves a wider audience.

Hostile to the U.S. and it's citizens? Ya, we just took the kids to the zoo their a couple days ago. And went to the golf tournament this week. Phil and Rory were under heavy fire.

Ten characters.

Abu Dhabi prescreening
 

If ALPA is for it, then I am against it. They are a group that has been hostile to me.

Why do we need a facility in ABu Dabhi???? Just a couple of middle eastern airlines flights a day. Why not London or Paris or Amsterdam or Tokyo? The whole thing reeks of MONEY

As T and I live in FL, we both got the same canned response from Marco Rubio, here it is:

Thank you for contacting me in regard to the proposed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance facility at AbuDhabi International Airport (AUH). I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this opportunity to address your concerns.
As you may know, in 2013 the Department of Homeland Security proposed a CBP preclearance facility at AUH in order to mitigate security threats by extending our zone of security and in collaboration with international partners, prohibit potential threats before they reach the United States. The U.S. has operated preclearance offices beyond our borders since 1952; today our government operates a total of 15 international facilities. Screening passengers abroad, rather than upon entry into the U.S. reduces the risk of attack by helping to keep dangerous people and goods off aircraft bound for our country.
In addition to keeping our country safe, any preclearance facility should also seek to reduce congestion at major airports in the U.S. and enhance our domestic aviation interests. I strongly support preclearance operations and the benefits they provide to facilitating travel into the U.S. However, the establishment of preclearance operations should not jeopardize jobs in the U.S. or provide a competitive advantage to foreign interests.
Although I am not a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee which allocates funding for CBP preclearance facilities, please know I will keep your concerns in mind should relevant legislation come before the full Senate. Thank you again for contacting me. It is an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Florida in the United States Senate.



Sincerely,

Marco Rubio
United States Senator

You can't be that stooopid!

BingfreakenO!

Of course it reeks of money. Following Rubio's logic we should have the preclearance facility in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan (both with direct service to the US.)

This is about foreign governments greasing the wheels for their state-owned airlines, and the blatant corruption of our politcians.

Emb145: if ALPA is against clubbing baby seals, does that mean you're for it? :(

Timbo did in fact receive the same response. I didn't read his, but I will bet it is word for word. At least he responded though. I have yet to hear from the snare drum faced Bill Nelson..... I'm sure he will vote right in step with whatever harry reid tells him to, so we got that going for us.

It's gonna take decades to undo the damage this administration is doing....

Seriously???????? But please, don't bother to get informed, just vote emotionally the other way just because you feel you have been wronged. That'll show 'em. A little advice though: Make sure you have your resume updated... the one for any job other than aviation, because this is step one to cabotage, and it's YOUR job on the block.

unbelievable.

It's unbelievable that some morons can't see what a threat this presents.

Lucky seals.

Couldn't agree more.

if it's undoable.:mad:

Heck, my airline doesn't fly international, nor am I ALPA, but I wrote a letter. Waiting for an answer...

Yup. And we all know there are no Muslims there that vow to wage jihad against America, nor is there anyone from the ME that supports it. Interesting that you couldn't counter any of his other points.

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

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.

http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7f...QQP_232941.jpg


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.

http://www.fishchan.com/meta/src/131594301126.jpg

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?

Only took three pages to get 9/11 pictures, conspiracy theories, and terrorist are all over the U.A.E. Well thought out. My children have to wear constant bomb gear to go to school, it is horrible. Have you spent anytime in the U.A.E.? It sounds like you have.

How many? If we're going to spend tax payer's money, shouldn't it be on something that benefits a majority? I'm sure more US citizens fly to the US from say London, Paris, or Frankfurt then Abu Dhabi.

This...............

I remember when Ireland in 1986 was opened, everyone was wondering about that. What is in it for Americans? Damn Irish?!

I am not paranoid, but I do find it odd that the US gov't would choose Abu Dhabi as a site in which to open a preclearance facility...I only have to ask why.

I've done the desert. I don't hate it and I'm not "afraid" of "them", but all you guys flying in the desert are there because the opportunities weren't here at home for you. That is a huge concern of mine going forward...I have an 8 year old. I don't want him to have to expat in order to have opportunity. Back in my expat/diplomat days, there was a line DIA/CIA/NSA used to feed us "don't go native" because if you go native you lose perspective on what your actual goals are.

If you are defending the Abu Dhabi preclearance facility, gents, you've gone native. Now, I don't care if you are a sellout and love living over there. Just realize, this is a brick in the wall keeping you away from good options in the states.

Ahhhh, the ole insult non-answering type you are. Way to go. You must have finished at the top of your class. BTW, that tin foil hat is a little small for my enlarged head. Back to sleep with ya.

And...

Preclearance Locations - CBP.gov

OK I get Canada. But the rest? But lets face it... its a goverment paid vacation. I can't see Abu Dhabi being the first choice for US Immigration Officers.

I'm sure there are a lot more Irish Americans that travel back and forth between Ireland and the US than Emirate Americans traveling between Abu Dhabi and the US.

they will probably hire locals. Nope. Can't possibly see any potential problems there. :rolleyes: You know.. how much they love us and all.....

There is no upside to this. None. The handful of AMERICAN passengers that will benefit will be far outweighed by the potential security issues. I for one will not be surprised when there is an incident and it is traced right back to this.

I have not, but I will bet that any potential attackers have. Some probably are living right in your apartment complex. Glad they love you so much.