If this is how America treats its friends...

[almostwitty]

So the UK stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the US against pretty much everyone else in launching a doomed war against Iraq, which sends Tony Blair out of office, potentially Gordon Brown with him and ushering in the Tories at the next general election ... and what does the UK get in return?

All European visitors to be forced to register with the Department of Homeland Security 72 hours before entering the United States on a visa-waiver system.

Erm... surely, the whole POINT of a visa-waiver system is so that you don't have to do bureaucratic things like registration, retinal scans, fingerprint IDs and all that?

It's the equivalent of asking your neighbour to help you burgular-proof your place, then thanking him and demanding that your neighbour registers with you three days before the next time he wants to visit.

I'd like to think Obama would change this when he gets into office. But he won't.

Ever wonder why we get the feeling that Bush/NASA's plans for a Mars colony aren't about exploration, but about setting up Planet America? ;)

Comments

[lmurph524.livejournal.com]

My point was that I would prefer my legislators err on the side of caution than be lazy.
Someone mentioned Timothy McVeigh, add the Unibomber to that and many other American terrorists. You can't tell me similar things have NOT happened in Britian or any other democratic country.
Does the visa waver crap suck? Yeah. Is it going to stop terrorists? Probably not. But does it make the average American feel a bit safer knowin that their government is doing what it can to protect its citizens? Yeah, it does. That's the whole purpose of it. Our leaders don't do things with individuals in mind. They do them with everyone (and thier own pocetbook) in mind. People in mass are stupid, scared creatures. Individuals are smart and see through the bullshit.

[almostwitty]

I personally would prefer everyone's legislators to use policies that work. Asking your allies' citizens to pre-register before arrival in your country is *not* going to stop or even deter them from entering the United States. How on earth could it? It's just going to piss off more people. How would you like having to pre-register before you could come to the UK?

And erm... yes, other countries have had years of experience in dealing with terrorists. The UK for instance, which had 20 years of Irish citizens being suspected for terrorist activities. Not once, in those 20 years, did they ask Irish citizens to pre-register before visiting the United Kingdom. And there's only a land border between them.

Your leaders, btw, have now mandated that all new passports must have electronic tags before people are allowed entry into the United States. Tags which carry personal biometric data UNENCRYPTED so that anyone with off-the-shelf equipment can read said data. Hell, my London Oyster card is more secure.

[almostwitty]

btw, what's your point exactly about home-grown terrorists, except to re-iterate the point that not all terrorists are nasty foreigners who would have to apply for entry into the USA first?

[lmurph524.livejournal.com]

First, someone else made a point about homegrown terrorists. I was basically pointing out that I'm not an idiot and am totally aware that there are homegrown terrorists.
Second, as I said, yes it sucks to preregister. If I had to do it to enter the UK, I would but I would also think it sucks ass.
Third, 20 years of Irish terrorism...yeah I know. And the technology to do what the US is doing now wasn't AVAILABLE then.
Fourth, the freakin' CIA knew of the potential attack on the US and did nothing about it. The excessive security measures are to make the average joe feel safe. That's it. That's the whole point.
Fifth, the US cannot say it's okay for the Brits to come in without following these procedures but not the French or the Spaniards.
This disagreement is up there with people who bitch about our elected leaders but don't vote. It sucks, but it is the world we live in.
Everyone would prefer legislation that works. But because of the stupid party system that we have, Americans suffer. We have no national healthcare plan, our elderly can barely survive because of the cost of medication. Medication that is regulated by a government organization that allows pharmeceutical companies to add placebos to drugs that they are losing their patents on just to get a new patent and RAISE the cost of medication. We have a social security system that has been run to the ground and won't have any funds in it by the time I'm eligible. The US has serious problems. We have a major immigration issue with Mexicans sneaking past our borders and then living off the welfare system because the INS can't find anyone.
The visa waiver issue pissing off our neighbors is just one of many problems. Will Obama fix this? Doubtful. He has no experience with foreign policy. He's just a smooth talker. Will McCain fix it? Doubtful. He's going to be more focused on Iraq and the strugglng economy.
Regardless about whether we agree or disagree, there are two sides to this coin. Neither side is right.

[almostwitty]

Of course there are much bigger problems that are higher up in priority terms than making it easier for tourists to visit the us. But the latest ruling didnt need to be enacted - its like putting fuel on a fire. It just didnt need to be done. Imagine the cost of implementing the new system - to the us taxpayer. And its not as if your average voter was demanding this legislation. Also i think it applies to canadians too ...

btw if people are illegally moving to the us via mexico or canada then presumably they have no paperwork. So how can they claim welfare? I imagine if i turned up to a us welfare office asking for money but being unable to offer any proof of eligibility i would be shown the door very quickly.

[lmurph524.livejournal.com]

You would be surprised at how easy it is to defraud the government. Each agency is too busy to confer with other agencies. It's a constant power struggle. I see people everyday who collect SSI (Social Security Insurance) for no real reason. The illegal Mexicans can easily forge social security cards with some blank cards and a typewriter. Companies who hire them aren't aware of it until the beginning of the year when the Social Security Administration contacts the HR person and tells them that a number is invalid or the number doesn't match the name.
You mention the cost of implementing the visa waiver and the waste of funds. Well, it can't be as bad as a failed fence along the US - Mexican border! Add on top of that the cost of development.
It is just one of many ways to waste money. It sucks ass.