Don't travel here!

The U.S. has been ranked the most unfriendly country by travelers the world over:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rude immigration officials and long delays in processing visas have turned the United States into the world's most unfriendly country for international travelers, according to a global survey released on Monday.

The survey showed that the United States was ranked "the worst" in terms of visas and immigration procedures by twice the percentage of travelers as the next destination regarded as unfriendly -- the Middle East and the Asian subcontinent.

This is no great surprise to me. Even years and years ago, I found it far more difficult to get back into the U.S. after travelling abroad than it was to get into any of the countries I visited (excepting, perhaps, a few of the Middle Eastern countries where there tended to be long lines waiting for visas). The immigration lines were always the longest, and at customs I was often delayed while officials unpacked my bags and left me to repack them. By contrast, you didn't even pass customs in most other countries, you just walked through the "nothing to declare" line.

Today, with all the extra restrictions and the hostility of immigration officials to "foreigners," I'm sure it's really unpleasant for visitors from abroad.

I guess we're doing a really good job of keeping the bad guys out -- ooops. They seem to be the ones that get through the easiest.