U.S. tightens entry rules for travelers from Japan, Europe

Wednesday 04th June, 05:09 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 42 Total Comments Show All

super delegate at 08:08 PM JST - 4th June

After all, other than Tim McVeigh, Ted Kazinsky, Terry Nichols and the damn near the entire IRA, all terrorists look middle eastern, right? Taka

You forgot Barack Obama's friend and mentor, Bill Ayers.

And on Barack's Big Day.

How could you?
Taka313 at 08:12 PM JST - 4th June

Forgot your dear leader too, but I was trying to be polite.
Taka313 at 08:41 PM JST - 4th June

I'll take that as a "no" then.

Taka
presto345 at 10:02 PM JST - 4th June

The majority of those traveling to the U.S. of A. from the countries mentioned do not undertake this adventure on very short notice, so registering a few days in advance is no big deal.
WMD at 10:33 PM JST - 4th June

Who cares? I have absolute zero desire to go paranoia land.
Sarge at 10:44 PM JST - 4th June

WMD - We won't miss you.
OssanULTRA at 12:15 AM JST - 5th June

"Did not 911 happen? Did it not expose our lax entry system?

"No, actually I believe it didn't expose "your lax entry system". Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the hijackers have LEGAL visas, didn't they use their REAL passports and weren't all their documents in perfect order?"

Exactly. And that was LAX. Today the issuance of Visas and background checks are on a different scale from pre-911. The background verification of Visa-Waiver entrants has been a loophole because there has been insufficient time to complete a check, a situation which will, all going well, be corrected by having a minimum of 72 hours to complete.

"As to why it's paranoid - statistically you have a much bigger chance to be killed by a stray lightning, in a car accident or, if you live in Alaska, by being trampled by an angry moose. The "security" measures proposed by various governments (and by that I also mean the fingerprinting in Japan, by the way) have very little to do with actual security - they're just there to provide the illusion of it."

So you would advocate doing NOTHING? Those like you who whine incessantly about how "this mesure doesn't do anything" are always the ones who have absolutely nothing to suggest as an alternative action. Am I wrong? And don't give this "statistically" garbabge about getting hit by lightening because I personally was in Manhattan on 9/11/2001 and it was no joke or theater.
timeon at 12:46 AM JST - 5th June

I quote from my DS156 form (I had to go to US for a joint research program):

"Do you seek to enter the United States to engage in export control violations, subversive or terrorist activities, or any unlawful purpose? Are you a member or a representative of a terrorist organization as currently designated by the US Secretary of State? Have you ever participated in persecutions directed by the Nazi government of Germany; or have you ever participated in genocide?"

so stay assured, citizens of US, we the terrorists and genocide masterminds are shaking with fear at the tight security.
Zen_Builder at 06:40 AM JST - 5th June

If the US wants to tighten border controls to prevent foreigners from coming in, so be it just don't use 911 to justify it. 911 is NOT the magic pill to sort all your problems.

Yep, 911 happened the rest of the world has terrorist attacks nearly daily and has done so for a few decades. I remember the PLO, etc blowing stuff up in my home-town, etc.

Ok, lets tighten the entry restrictions from europe, japan, etc "7 yrs" after 911, this means in the 7yrs the terrorists could have put an army in place in the US via that route. Huh? Also the 15 that did 911 I can assure you had help from people already in the US.

So it don't make sense to use 911 to justify things. Maybe the US realized we didn't do enough earlier on and is now scrambling to cover their behinds.

But as I and other(some Americans) said it will most likely hurt you guys more than it will do to prevent terrorists from getting in. Some of my US-friends are so fed up now that even they don't want to go back home.

Fewer tourists, students and business-travelers will come to the US, fewer non-US citizens will feel good about the US and be wiling to buy their products, etc.

Ask, yourself. Can the US afford it? With the current recession, etc.

Just my view.
DoctorTofu at 07:18 AM JST - 5th June

So you would advocate doing NOTHING? Those like you who whine incessantly about how "this mesure doesn't do anything" are always the ones who have absolutely nothing to suggest as an alternative action. Am I wrong? And don't give this "statistically" garbabge about getting hit by lightening because I personally was in Manhattan on 9/11/2001 and it was no joke or theater.

Yes, that's precisely what I would advocate - doing NOTHING more than standard measures. Look at what you're writing - just because you were there and have a STRONGLY EMOTIONAL attitude towards it all means that STRONGLY LOGICAL statistics is garbage? Isn't that precisely what the government (or governments, rather - as I said the situation is not uniquely American) want? Screw logic, screw reason, BE AFRAID!

I repeat - I do not propose alternative action, because I believe NO alternative action is needed. None, zilch, nada. An isolated (tragic, I agree, but still isolated) incident DOES NOT justify the measures taken. If people overwhelmed by emotions had (even more) power, they would probably want to tighten control on shaving machines (razors! danger! suicide prevention!), kitchen knives (stabbings!), forks (likewise! painful stabbings!), chopsticks (I'm sure they were used to attack someone once or twice in the history of humankind!), plastic bags (you can suffocate someone with it!), shoes (shoe bomber! oh my god, the shoe bomber!), stockings (bank robbers use them a lot!), cars (used in getaways!) and so on and so forth...

So, while I understand you're emotional, please don't let emotions cloud your judgment...
Zen_Builder at 07:28 AM JST - 5th June

I am with DoctorTofu.
Reminds me of when I traveled to Thailand with my Wife after 911.

Only flights bound to the US from Bangkok had way heavy security measures and most people said "thanks god" we are NOT on those flights.

Point of terrorism is that it can happen anytime, anywhere and from any quarter. That is the frightening thing but right now I think the terrorists have won in the US as everybody is paranoid, etc and that is the goal of terrorism.

It is NOT about the body-count but about the reaction you can get from your attack. And, IMHO, the US goverment has used 911 to push through measures, Iraq, etc they wanted to do but couldn't have done without 911.

Just my view.
WhiteHawk at 07:34 AM JST - 5th June

Oh great, tighten the restrictions on Japanese executives and tourists, but leave the southern border wide open, eh? We need more drunken gardeners and MS-13 gang members killing people (after all, they're only doing the jobs Americans just won't do), but keep an eye on that Nissan executive!

And some Americans want the same bureaucratic group-think running the nation's healthcare system. Maybe even the petroleum industry too!
WhiteHawk at 07:37 AM JST - 5th June

RichardIII:

As soon as you get to the airport you're treated with suspicion. I can imagine for muslim travellers that it's twice as bad.

Actually, they tend to get treated with kid gloves (if not ignored altogether) because security personnel are afraid to be disciplined or sued for "racial" profiling.
rtrhead1 at 10:48 PM JST - 6th June

No, taka, they don't all look middle eastern. But then again, when is the last time the IRA has ever struck at either America, or it's interests, or it's people? Secondly, Tim Mcveigh, Terry Nichols, Ted Kazinsky don't look middle eastern. But, the bulk of the ones in this world that we live in who are screaming for American blood, who have said that they wish to kill us where ever we may be, and who have told us specifically they will come and try to attack us in the US, ARE MIDDLE EASTERN!!! And as far as my "dear leader", he's a moron and a liar. Horrible combo. Thank God he's out this year. At least we can agree on that.
rtrhead1 at 10:51 PM JST - 6th June

zen builder, the goal of terrorism is not to get us to tighten our security measures and become paranoid, the goal of terrorism is to further political or idealogical beliefs through the use of violence and terror inducing actions. The tightening of security measures is just another added benefit for them.