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The essence of the Liberal outlook lies not in what opinions are held, but in how they are held: instead of being held dogmatically, they are held tentatively, and with a consciousness that new evidence may at any moment lead to their abandonment. - Bertrand Russell
Listen to your Mother
I was driving to work earlier this morning, and heard an interesting piece on NPR.
The discussion centered upon the almost bombing of the NorthWest Airlines flight to Detroit...and what security measures could have been improved.
In addition to increased communication between international intelligence agencies, to say nothing of improved sharing of domestically gathered intelligence, one fact stood out: the ease with which someone can obtain a U.S. Visa.
In the United Kingdom, Visas are not gathered by an immigration/naturalization agency; Visas are granted by MI-5. MI-5 is responsible for domestic security and intelligence (James Bond is part of MI-6), and to support its domestic security mission, MI-5 maintains overseas offices in nations of, shall we say, "interest".
If we did the same thing here in the United States, the FBI would be granting Visas, partly dependent on information it gathered overseas.
Having the FBI be the granting authority for VISAs makes sense to me for two reasons. First, the obvious security benefits that come with a mature, crime-fighting organization considering national security as 1 of the criteria for receiving an American Visa. The second benefit would be the reinforcement of terror suspects as the criminals they are, not some glorified "War on Terror" soldiers.
Of course, the UK has a different governental system that we do....monarchical/parliamentary democracy...the so-called "Westminster" system of democracy. Power is more centralized in the national government than in the U.S., and policy and legislative decision-making is easier (imagine no Senate...or one that was a rubber stamp like the House of Lords). I do not think that those aspects of the UK political culture are necessarily worth emulating. Well, maybe the neutered Senate idea is OK...
But having a security service be the gatekeeper for Visas? In this case, I think America should listen to its mother.
Now....anyone want to discuss El Al's record of terrorist hijacking (only 1...EVER...42 years ago) and the proficiency of its security measures?
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4 Comments
Carl Hicks - Jan 06, 2010 7:40 AM
Victor Ponelis - Jan 06, 2010 9:19 AM
2nd point: One of the 5 people who reads my blog, an British ex-pat, emailed me regarding some factual errors, which I now reprint here: there is a UK Border Agency which issues Visas, and it is also part of the British Home Office. MI-5 has input into the visa process, but does not issue visas. Also, the Lords may reject legislation and send it back to the House of Commons. Mea culpa.
Carl Hicks - Jan 06, 2010 10:30 AM
I will say that I agree with this wholeheartedly..."The second benefit would be the reinforcement of terror suspects as the criminals they are, not some glorified "War on Terror" soldiers." This approach seemed to work quite well for the shoe bomber and that Padilla(sp?) guy.
Victor Ponelis - Jan 06, 2010 11:29 AM
I think Obama should start inspiring a little fear, starting with the firing of his head of SS and that diva-moron who is his social secretary. Then he should start threatening legislators with retribution....or simply whack a few with any tools he has...keep 'em guessing.
I chuckle at my fellow liberals who thought that we were entering some golden progressive era with Obama....it shows how ignorant they are of our change-averse political system. However, I also wish that Obama kept "The Prince" next to his bed. A better how-to has never been written.