01/11/10

from Jihad Watch

Saudi students studying in U.S. whine about "unfair" airport security measures

Unfair? Why? Do they have something to hide? "Saudi US Students Fear 'Unfair' Enhanced Security," by Hadi Faqihi and Mina Al-Oraibi for Asharq Al-Awsat, January 10 (thanks to Twostellas):

Dammam, Washington D.C., Asharq Al-Awsat- There is deep concern among Saudi students with scholarships to study in the United States, following the introduction of enhanced security search measures affecting passengers from 14 states, including Saudi Arabia. These measures have been taken against the backdrop of the attempt by a Nigerian extremist to blow up an American airliner on 25 December 2009. The fear of these students is all the more acute as they have returned home to spend the New Year holidays with their parents. Groups of these students have started to return to the United States as the New Year holidays come to an end. Meanwhile, the sequestration of a Saudi student at Amsterdam airport in the Netherlands, for two days, has fueled these fears. In fact, many students fear a return to the measures that were taken in the wake of the 11 September incidents: enhanced checking of Saudi passengers, delays in granting entry visas, and other complications that followed the blowing up of the World Trade Center in 2001.

Ahmad al-Kaabi, a Saudi scholarship student in the State of Texas, in the United States, returned to Saudi Arabia a few days before the attempted airliner bombing. He said that he had noticed a great deal of concern among his fellow scholarship students, and mainly the fear that the enhanced security checks would affect their entry into the United States and their return there to finish their studies. Al-Kaabi pointed out that the particular treatment of Saudi nationals at checkpoints on their way to the United States is not the result of this incident; in fact, it has been in force for years, but the announcement that Saudi travelers are part of the list of the nationals of 14 states who will be subject to enhanced security searches will further complicate the situation. Al-Kaabi added: "During our trips to the United States we notice that we are treated differently by the security agents as soon as they see the green passport," which is a sign of Saudi identity.

In the same context, Osama al-Naqli, director of the information desk at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, said in a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat that the ministry, through the Saudi Embassy in Washington, has asked for clarifications about the enhanced security checks that will be imposed on Saudi nationals traveling to the United States. Asked about the details of this clarification request and the measures that will be taken to follow up the situation of Saudi scholarship students, Al-Naqli said that an answer to this question will be given later.

For his part, Dr Muhammad al-Isa, cultural attaché at the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said that these measures will not affect the situation of Saudi students who are sent to study in the United States. This will not affect students and should not frighten them, and the measures in question are quite normal, he said....

Posted by Robert on January 11, 2010

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You know, asshole Ahmad, the article says you're a student in Texas on a Saudi scholarship. It doesn't identify the school, but I had a flash of recognition at that description. A little over 30 years ago I earned an MBA at a university in Austin, Texas (not UT). There were a lot of Saudis and Kuwaitis and whatever there, all on government scholarships paid for by petroleum. In addition to being a grad student, I was helping to pay expenses with a half-day job as an assistant to the Dean of Business. I remember posting grade slips in the record jackets. None of you did very well, - low IQ, lack of study, or language barrier? - How does that account for other international students who excelled?

The most vivid memory I have of the middle-eastern students comes from the Fall semester of 1977 when the air conditioning broke down in Moody Hall, the classroom building which some architect had designed with few windows, none of which opened. Without air conditioning I quickly discovered that soap, showers and deodorant are not part of your culture. I have read that you carefully clean yourselves before a suicide bombing mission. If I had known that back then I would have thought of it as the "stench of safety". I don't know where you people ever got the idea that pigs are dirty.

Anyway, about "unfair airport security measures": The article didn't say whether you were an undergrad or a grad student, but if you put a lot of effort into it, you should be able to finish your degree in 6 or 7 years and go home to the job that the family has picked out for you as president of some company. Then you won't be inconvenienced by US airport security anymore. Millions of Americans though have had to put up with increasing bullshit for years now and it gets worse every time one of your "brothers" in the "religion of peace" tries to blow up another plane.

So, asshole Ahmad, I'll leave you with some free advice. Man up and quit whining about the security measures that your people caused. I'm so pissed off at DHS, TSA and everything else, that I'm tempted to come down to Austin to look you up and give you a fat lip. Then the Federal Government will probably prosecute and persecute me to the fullest extent of the law but it will be worth it.

EnemyoftheState