| lakjaw |
| (Veteran) |
| 02/08/03 02:04 PM |
 Re: Terrorist threat assessment level "orange"
|
Quote:
With the "Terrorist threat assessment level" raised to "orange" or high risk, part of the governments response to this alert is that US Customs is ordered to take concrete steps to increase vigilance at the ports of entry. We can safely assume that US Customs is operating somehow differently today than they were a week ago. I wonder if this has any direct impact on overseas orders? Delays? Increased seizures? Decreased seizures due to agents who have more important things to worry about? It's an interesting topic.
I thought about this, as well, as the babbling proceeded. While I place almost no trust in our current government (and haven't for many years), I would hope that heightened alertness would be directed toward suspicious-appearing parcels. What we get is hardly suspicious, and I think we already know that packages are examined much like our carry-on luggage is examined in airports, with scanners.
I really do think that the Sturm und Drang is designed more to work certain elements into a lather, in order to gain support for the proposed Middle East debacle we seem unable to avoid. Until I see otherwise, I'm not going to be too concerned about parcels from Australia, Spain or South Africa causing customs agents any undue palpitations. The likelihood of us getting our orders will probably remain just about the same. I'm a little more concerned about DC people urging the prols to "watch" their neighbors. . .shades of 50's McCarthyism and the Red Menace scare-a-thon! Blech.
