EU citizen will soon need VISA for US

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Rufus

You have been a great source of info on this thread. It seems to me that the Administration would definetly have benefited from a more cooperationalist attitude towards the deal and not, here is what we require, now do it type of attitude. That doesn't particularly work as good as the alternative (cooperation).

Hey, it's my job.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Atahualpa
Well TCO, I don't want to question America's rights as what to do with their borders (except when it would fail with human rights), BUT the whole world has shifted to be way more global than before and America is profiting a LOT from that, so you can't neglect one thing and use the other.
The days where you can say: **** the rest we can do what we want are numbered; the more everyone gets involved in everyone elses business just like America gets involved in pretty lot businesses pretty everywhere on the globe, wouldn't you agree?

In fact it would be nice to see more kind of cooperation, but the US stance is always perceived as: do as we say!



So true, I've been trying to help a Russian (Uzbek) enter the EU. He told me it would be easier if I sign a paper saying that I will take responsibility for him and pay for all the costs that he could possibly have here (provide lodging, food, pay for medical treatment should he become ill, accidents,...). Yeah sure
Well now he needs a hotel room and whatnotelse.


In any case everyone please watch your language.

Put this in your pipe and smoke it. You ARE NOT a citizen of the US. When Americans go over and tell other people what to do, I have no problem with them being held up as insensative. But every frigging Mozart-kugel eating lederhosen-wearing Steirer buhr thinks he can tell us what do with our death penalty and our border controls and our defense budget. Butt-out *******!

[St Leo]

It's not your death penalty. Countries have no right to kill anyone ever. The US does not have the jurisdiction to impose a death penalty on anyone, including its citizens.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

It seems to me that the Administration would definetly have benefited from a more cooperationalist attitude towards the deal and not, here is what we require, now do it type of attitude.

As an insider I can tell that after 9/11 there was a lot almost blind panic from the Administration, remember at the time there were fears of further attacks including possibly using NBC weapons, they really did believe that, anything seemed possible.

This played out officially as the USG just announcing new security measures and telling its allies and others you have to comply with measure x or y, or do x or y. That grated a lot, especially because some of the measures were not very well thought through. Some of the people the administration appointed as security "Tsars" didn't have a lot of experience, especially dealing with other countries and there were some abrasive personalities involved - ex cops and the like.

Consultation and cooperation was not their strong suit. These were more command and control, kick ass guys. Also remember the US agencies were in turmoil while the homeland security administration was being set up.

When flaws and problems were pointed out the attitude was often very defensive like you really weren't "on the team" but often countries were just pointing out practical problems. This biometric passport business was caught up in all of that.

So there Rufus, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
So there Rufus, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Uh, that's pretty much what I've been saying.

You taking reading comprehension lessons from TCO now?

[Alexander's Horse]

nah, I know, I just felt like writing it

[Ted Striker]

I don't know how much longer I can take these morons.

I thought Wolfowitz appointment to the World Bank was a joke but it's more like a bad nightmare.

I hope that we can appoint WWE Wrestling sensation Triple H to Diplomacy Czar.

[Ted Striker]

HAS THE RICE EXPORT TARIFF BEEN LIFTED YET?????

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
I don't know how much longer I can take these morons.

I thought Wolfowitz appointment to the World Bank was a joke but it's more like a bad nightmare.

I hope that we can appoint WWE Wrestling sensation Triple H to Diplomacy Czar.

You know what you need to do Ted? Get off the sidelines and get involved in politics. Win or lose you'll feel a whole lot better.

[Ted Striker]

You are right of course.

Right now I'm in with my pocketbook. What else should I be doing? Volunteering?

Arguing with the fundies doesn't seem to cut it. It's like listening to a bunch of partisan soundbites over and over again. They should just turn on Rush Limbaugh and have me listen to that instead.

Somehow critical thinking went out the window. People have forgotten how to see past all the BS.

[Alexander's Horse]

well basically the christian right took control because noone else could be bothered going to meetings

same happened here

we really only have ourselves to blame

[Atahualpa]

Originally posted by TCO


Put this in your pipe and smoke it. You ARE NOT a citizen of the US. When Americans go over and tell other people what to do, I have no problem with them being held up as insensative. But every frigging Mozart-kugel eating lederhosen-wearing Steirer buhr thinks he can tell us what do with our death penalty and our border controls and our defense budget. Butt-out *******!

Ah yes of course the victim that is called the US
Sorry, but in reality it's not a single bit like you want to portrait it. Any public person has to bear public criticism and a country like the US with a tremendous amount of influence of the world politics has this as well.
That's just the way it is and you have to live with it. You can't have one thing without the other...

[Alexander's Horse]

I see where the pipe smoking reference came from now

The US has gone completely nuts since 9/11. There is no doubt about it.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by TCO

I think we are poor in tradecraft (and linguistics is just an example of that). You have to have people who really care about their job and create an ethic that this is much more than a government posting. CIA is full of middle manager buttkiss types. It is antithesis of Naval Reactors or SEAL TEAM organizations or whatever.

Perhaps we should allow the SEALs and the CIA to switch jobs? The CIA did a good job taking over Afghanistan, while the SEALs seem to take a lot of casualties whenever they take the field. Plus I'm sure that the SEALs couldn't possibly do a worse job in many ways than the CIA has running aspects of our intelligence operations.

[Alexander's Horse]

or you could just.....