The Last Ditch by Tom Paine

Link: Afghan aeroplane hijacker is working at British Airways training centre – Telegraph.

Today, as I return to Russia, I shall face the manifold annoyances and humiliations of "security theatre" as losers in uniforms at the airport revel in their power to call me "mate," give me hell and generally make themselves feel important. Allegedly, this is all in the interests of my safety. At the same time, hijackers are being given security passes to Heathrow Airport. It’s infuriating, but not surprising. During my recent trip to Europe by car, I was stopped and searched only once – on my way out of England.

If there were any logic at all to the British approach to security, I would have to conclude that the French, Swiss and Italian authorities don’t care at all how many of their people are blown up by terrorists. I prefer to hope that their unobtrusive security measures are intelligently targeted on people who pose a real threat, rather than designed to cause maximum inconvenience to the travelling public.