Newsstand - PJ O'Rourke interviews Colin Powell - Powell mentions travel.

OK, so it's only peripheral, but the interview is a good read.

SECRETARY POWELL: I think the public is worrying too much about terrorism. It's starting to affect us too much with respect to issues like traveling. I get all kinds of questions from people. Somebody came up to me at church yesterday and asked, "Do you think it's okay for my daughter to go to Singapore?" I said, "I can't think of anywhere on earth she's going to be safer." But they were terrified that their daughter was going to this faraway place and the terrorists were going to get her. I said, "Let her go and enjoy it."

And now everybody is running around and saying they're going to be bombing all the shopping centers.

here (http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200408u/powell)

But they were terrified that their daughter was going to this faraway place and the terrorists were going to get her.

This attitude helps explain, almost three years later, the window dressing we instituted in the weeks and months after 9.11.01 is still with us, even though it serves no purpose other then to inhibit legitimate travel.

Dunno about that. I guess I was just observing that SoS Powell, as a military man, has a rather more realistic view of threats than many of the hysterical media commentators we listen to.

I for one welcome that. :)

OK, so it's only peripheral, but the interview is a good read.


Anything by PJ is a good read, I can assure you.

"I think the public is worrying too much about terrorism. It's starting to affect us too much with respect to issues like traveling."

That's because traveling is an unnecessary hassle. If we quit harassing people who want to travel by plane, maybe people will worry less about it. @:-)