Mickey Is Going To Be Very Lonely
A new kind of "cold war" is brewing, only this time it is between the US and the European Union. The cause of the problem? Extreme and very silly new rules with respect to travel to the United States, according to an editorial in Germany's Financial Times Deutschland.
In the annoying dispute surrounding transatlantic freedom of travel, the Americans have dreamed up something new: E.U. citizens who want to travel to the United States must register at least 48 hours in advance.
The European Union wants to respond in kind and introduce a similar obligation for Americans to register. But that isn't enough.
This is the time for an escalation, for a provocation, that can cause a change of course in U.S. policy. The European Union should threaten to drastically aggravate the conditions of entry for U.S. citizens - and if necessary be prepared to implement tough visa restrictions. One knows that the only way to force Washington to confront its own mania in regard to security measures for travelers entering the country is to confront Americans with even bigger obstacles at Europe's borders. ...
This new obligation to register will particularly impact business travelers, who must at times fly to the USA on short notice. This is bad for economic relations as well as the transatlantic friendship in general. This is the clear message that the E.U. should direct to the USA. The ill-treatment of E.U. citizens due to increasingly onerous rules for entering the country have already resulted in fewer European visitors to America. It cannot be the aim of the United Stated to hermetically isolate itself from its friends. [Emphasis added]
The EU countires have a legitimate gripe. All of these rules have been implemented unilaterally and without even casual discussions with our transatlantic allies. Just because US citizens are willing to give up their rights at the mere whisper of the word "terrorism" doesn't mean the rest of the world is as frightened or as foolish.
What I found interesting in the editorial, however, was the very obvious proposition that the only way to deal with the over reaching of the White House is to stand up to it and to refuse to go along. That's the best way to confront the school yard bully. It's a lesson our Congress would do well to learn.
In the annoying dispute surrounding transatlantic freedom of travel, the Americans have dreamed up something new: E.U. citizens who want to travel to the United States must register at least 48 hours in advance.
The European Union wants to respond in kind and introduce a similar obligation for Americans to register. But that isn't enough.
This is the time for an escalation, for a provocation, that can cause a change of course in U.S. policy. The European Union should threaten to drastically aggravate the conditions of entry for U.S. citizens - and if necessary be prepared to implement tough visa restrictions. One knows that the only way to force Washington to confront its own mania in regard to security measures for travelers entering the country is to confront Americans with even bigger obstacles at Europe's borders. ...
This new obligation to register will particularly impact business travelers, who must at times fly to the USA on short notice. This is bad for economic relations as well as the transatlantic friendship in general. This is the clear message that the E.U. should direct to the USA. The ill-treatment of E.U. citizens due to increasingly onerous rules for entering the country have already resulted in fewer European visitors to America. It cannot be the aim of the United Stated to hermetically isolate itself from its friends. [Emphasis added]
The EU countires have a legitimate gripe. All of these rules have been implemented unilaterally and without even casual discussions with our transatlantic allies. Just because US citizens are willing to give up their rights at the mere whisper of the word "terrorism" doesn't mean the rest of the world is as frightened or as foolish.
What I found interesting in the editorial, however, was the very obvious proposition that the only way to deal with the over reaching of the White House is to stand up to it and to refuse to go along. That's the best way to confront the school yard bully. It's a lesson our Congress would do well to learn.
Labels: Foreign Policy, Terra Terra Terra
posted by Diane at 1:02 PM
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