Update: Airport Security

President Obama has called for tougher security screening of persons flying to the U.S. from 14 specific countries, but is anyone listening?  According to an aviation official in Lebanon, “Everything is the same.  There is no extra security.”  And it seems as though he is not alone.  Lebanon, Syria, and Lybia all appear to be ignoring the President’s request.  Observers were unable to spot any changes in security procedures in those countries.  Even in Europe, nations such as Germany, France, and Spain are still uncertain as to whether or not they will alter their screening processes.  Four of the nations on the list (Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria), are considered state sponsors of terrorism.  The rest of the list, which includes Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Yemen, are no more comforting.  While they may not be considered official “sponsors” of terrorism, most of these countries certainly have a reputation for a thriving terrorist population. This puts President Obama in a difficult position.  Should he ignore the indifference of these countries?  Should he threaten to only allow airlines who follow these rules to enter the country?  When one considers that he spent most of his first year in office apologizing for America’s tough foreign policy and telling other nations that their affairs are none of our business, can he really expect them to listen to us now?  It will be interesting to see how he chooses to handle the situation.  All we can do is watch closely and pray the President finds his inner George W. Bush.  ….but I doubt it.