US gov wants data on Europe air passengers – Boing Boing

The US government is pressuring 27 European Union nations to agree on new transatlantic air travel security measures which include armed guards on all flights from Europe to America operated by US airlines.

Wait, why weren’t we doing this in the period immediately following 9/11, when we became a nation of bug-eyed fraidy cats willing to hand over the Bill of Rights to the nice strong people in charge if only they would keep us safe from Osama the Boogie Man? I admit that on September 15, approximately when the national “ground hold” was lifted and planes started landing again, I might have thought there was a nugget of precautionary sense in this.

I do think I know why we’re doing this now: got to ramp up that Fear Factor in advance of the fall elections, and also to shore up the machismo of President Empty Flight Suit.