They may not be responsible for past policy, but I don't think it unreasonable to blame successive executive branches if they make the policy even more irrational.

ill never forget the time when a national gaurd(?) member pointed (but not aimed) a military assat rifle at my little sister and seperated her from my family while they looked through her backpack for the electronics she forgot to empty. it was a scientific calculator, and she was 13 i think? so yeah, agreed. Airtravel hasn't been rational in a long time.

this was sometime in the months following 9/11.

Just because it's always been irrational doesn't mean it isn't especially irrational now.

I can see where you are coming from. But isn't this a policy directly from the administration?

It seems they've taken a keen interest in making travel very painful for select foreigners. I don't think this is a policy from anyone other than the new government?