Washington seeks power to ban air travellers - even if they are only flying OVER the U.S.

[kskiska]

Source: Evening Standard

The US government is demanding the right to ban British air passengers from flying over America en route to other countries – even when the flights will not land in the United States.

Under anti-terrorism measures due to come into force within two years, the US authorities insist they need to do background checks on all UK air passengers travelling to Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.

Direct flights to popular holiday destinations such as the Bahamas, Barbados, Toronto and Mexico City would all be covered by stringent US security checks examining people's passport details, travel plans and even how they paid for their ticket.

US security officials insist the checks must be completed 72 hours before departure or the flight will be banned from US airspace.

(snip)

Almost every flight leaving Britain and Europe for North and South America will be affected.

Read more: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23450611-details/Washington+seeks+power+to+ban+air+travellers+-+even+if+they+are+only+flying+OVER+the+U.S./article.do

[aquart]

1. The War on Tourism continues.

[OKthatsIT]

11. ROFLOL......GAWD, and they got caught flying nukes over US airspace

give US a break.

[bluesmail]

18. that's a keeper

[B3Nut]

2. Aw fer cripes...

someone needs to see a damn psychiatrist already. This is becoming hideously absurd, and if it wasn't real life it would be absolutely hilarious. You can't make this stuff up, I swear...

[truth2power]

6. I've been saying right along that Bush is mentally ill, and Cheney..

well, I think his cardiovascular problems have limited the amount of oxygen getting to his brain. :P

On second thought, Cheney's always been a worthless POS. I'll stand by what I said about the Monkey, however.

[fascisthunter]

3. Welcome to Soviet America.... the Fascist Way, right Conservatives? (nt)

[KT2000]

4. Empire includes airspace too?

We must start impeachment - this insanity must not stand.

[silverweb]

5. What absolute bullshit.

There is NO possible justification for this. None.

I can't wait until we have sane people in charge of our government again.

[phantom power]

7. I can only hope that Britain tells us to go pound sand.

[drmeow]

8. Man, I wish the rest of the world would just

tell the US government to f**k off when they try to do shit like this!

The one response to the article was "The paranoia of our cousins across the Atlantic has no bounds!"

Its not our paranoia, it is the arrogance and fascism of our current administration.

[DBoon]

19. I think this is already happening

Have you been following the dollar vs. the Euro (or the UK Pound, or the Japanese Yen, or the Canadian Loon...)

The rest of the world is voting with their currency.

[drmeow]

22. Good point

I guess it would be more accurate to say that I wish governments would say it and that they would say it out loud. As in, "Dear US State Department, Unfortunately your most recent request interferes with our sovereignty (although your president doesn't know what that means, I hope some of you do). Therefore we hereby refuse to comply. Have a nice day."

[ananda]

20. Aint t h a t the truth!

"Its not our paranoia, it is the arrogance and fascism of our current administration."

And I'm getting SO sick of it!

[dipsydoodle]

9. I should think

trans Atlantic travel could grind to a halt which wouldn't bother me none.

Maybe the EU will reciprocate by asking for the personal details of all USAF aircrew using Europe's airspace.

[Karenina]

10. WHO wants to go there anyway?

The Amis are FUCKING NUTZOID. There ARE other routes.

[Bush_MUST_Go]

13. Let the Mexican truckers drive all thru our country but don't let Brits fly OVER?

[kimmylavin]

12. Correct me if I'm wrong...

But weren't the British our ALLIES in the "war on terror"?

[Bush_MUST_Go]

14. Maybe that's payback for withdrawing troops when bush wanted MORE war?

[kimmylavin]

15. Ha!

I literally JUST said that to my husband when he got home!

Great minds think alike, huh? :hi:

[lonestarnot]

25. Poland gets a pass.

[TechBear_Seattle]

16. Thank goodness they hate us because of our freedoms

If it weren't for that hate, I would be convinced we didn't have any freedoms.

[CatholicEdHead]

17. Just when you thought their paranoia was getting better

This comes along. What a joke.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

21. That'll help the dollar catch up to the Euro

:eyes:

[Hekate]

23. The rules read so much better in the original Soviet jargon. Christ on a Trailer Hitch.

We are going to be socially isolated from the rest of the world in our armed encampment. Rather like the Chinese -- plenty of money and trade going back and forth, but people and ideas not so much.

Hekate

[Xenotime]

24. Typical pug control.

This shit really needs to be stopped.

[elleng]

26. Washington seeks power

over EVERYTHING!

[Solly Mack]

27. The terrorists will attack us with "blue ice" unless they are banned from flying

over America!