I once took a bus from Croatia to Montenegro, thereby leaving the EU and having to go through passport control. You could identify the Americans on the bus because they had their passports out, hands visible, bags open, ready to be searched by anyone in a uniform. The Europeans, on the other hand, snorted in disgust and grudgingly tossed their passports disdainfully at the customs desk.

It's strange that the most militarily and economically powerful country in the world has this wild cultural fear and insecurity. But then, given the shrieking hysteria of American media, maybe it's not that strange after all.