Not weird, just normal American arrogance to have their government agencies operating openly in other countries. Do these subject countries have no pride that they let their sovereignty be usurped?
The subject countries should evict these American government operations. Flights to and from the USA should be no different from flights to and from other countries. If the Americans want to get difficult then impose counter-vailing duties and similar retaliations. A few years ago when the yanks started getting nasty they required all visiting Brazilians to be finger printed. Credit to Brazil for promptly requiring all visiting Americans to be finger printed! If they can do it then so can American vassal countries such as Eire and Canada
For me it would be okay to hassle with TSA, Immigration and customs IF the european governments would treat US citizen and crew in the same ****ty way - but they just walk off the aeroplane and through much less troubl than we do over there. For the time being we donīt fly into the US and Iīm most thankful for that, despite the fact that I actually like taying in the US the whole shebang to get into this country puts me off, holidays included.
The brazilian stunt was btw done by a local brazilian judge and I think it has been withdrawn. But this guy showed way more guts than all european governments together. The 'mericans whistle and they follow. The brits being the first I have to say, but ours follow your lead immediately. Even the notoriuos opposing french have become 'domesticated' in that respect.
The preclearance thing is btw a good thing IMO, at least if one gets rejected he is not too far from home...