The recent brouhaha over SRK detention brings to notice an important issue which finds resonance across everybody. That issue being the effectiveness of intelligence gathering. What purpose does a multi-billion dollar security apparatus serve if they can't verify who SRK is?
The point is how do we trust these guys and what use do they make of all our legitimate information?
The phone-tapping, scans, frisks, bgc etc. Do they server any purpose?
The unwritten rule seems to be everybody inclusive of highly respected Dr. Abdul Kalam (never mind, he is a former president) and SRK (who is he? lol) is a suspect. I am sure they even take the pants down of Barack Hussein Obama when he boards air force one. No one is bigger then the law isnt it?
Most concerning, is the fact the US security apparatus seems to be paranoid post 9/11. Of course, we are all appalled and share the same grief. We know how it feels when we are attacked. our sufferings are well documented pre 9/11. We had our parliament attacked, blasts everywhere, our own centre of pride (mumbai) held at gun-point for 3 days. Yet, though with seething anger, we have gotten back to normal lives with lessons learnt. But still we are not paranoid. We dont detain every boat in the arabian sea. Nor do we block all humans from parliament..lol
Of course, the US guys seem a lot less hawkish now under a pragmatic president. But the fact is,every international traveller is shit-scared of entering US lest they be part of a detailed security procedure. Its like a short detention camp at every port of entry.
The US is too good a country to let these hawks ruin their free spirit, openness and the pursuit of happiness which is the corner stone of their declaration of independence. A couple of minutes on their history is ample proof and would assure is that they will bounce back and be the sun-shine country that everybody in the world wanted to migrate and call home.
At the same time, its a lesson to all of the other countries, that merely getting a illusionary procedure to harass its own citizens does not serve any purpose.
We all dread of any events of national importance becos we know we may be stopped for checks, ID's and what not. A national celebration turns into a nightmare for every reveller. I had it first-hand this independence day.
So wishing for common sense and pragmatism.
The point is how do we trust these guys and what use do they make of all our legitimate information?
The phone-tapping, scans, frisks, bgc etc. Do they server any purpose?
The unwritten rule seems to be everybody inclusive of highly respected Dr. Abdul Kalam (never mind, he is a former president) and SRK (who is he? lol) is a suspect. I am sure they even take the pants down of Barack Hussein Obama when he boards air force one. No one is bigger then the law isnt it?
Most concerning, is the fact the US security apparatus seems to be paranoid post 9/11. Of course, we are all appalled and share the same grief. We know how it feels when we are attacked. our sufferings are well documented pre 9/11. We had our parliament attacked, blasts everywhere, our own centre of pride (mumbai) held at gun-point for 3 days. Yet, though with seething anger, we have gotten back to normal lives with lessons learnt. But still we are not paranoid. We dont detain every boat in the arabian sea. Nor do we block all humans from parliament..lol
Of course, the US guys seem a lot less hawkish now under a pragmatic president. But the fact is,every international traveller is shit-scared of entering US lest they be part of a detailed security procedure. Its like a short detention camp at every port of entry.
The US is too good a country to let these hawks ruin their free spirit, openness and the pursuit of happiness which is the corner stone of their declaration of independence. A couple of minutes on their history is ample proof and would assure is that they will bounce back and be the sun-shine country that everybody in the world wanted to migrate and call home.
At the same time, its a lesson to all of the other countries, that merely getting a illusionary procedure to harass its own citizens does not serve any purpose.
We all dread of any events of national importance becos we know we may be stopped for checks, ID's and what not. A national celebration turns into a nightmare for every reveller. I had it first-hand this independence day.
So wishing for common sense and pragmatism.
