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November 30, 2006
Something That Makes Me Say WTF?!
Bush Seeks to Ease Visa Requirement
TALLINN, Estonia -- President Bush said yesterday he will push Congress for a "loosening" of requirements for foreigners to visit the United States without a visa, pitting him against those who have called for the program instead to be tightened or even scrapped altogether after September 11.
The Visa Waiver Program allows visitors with valid passports from 27 approved countries to enter the United States for up to 90 days without a visa. That makes tourism and business travel easier by eliminating the need for a visa, though such travelers can avoid a security screening.
After meeting with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves in Tallinn, Mr. Bush said he will press Congress to revamp the program to allow more countries to join.
"I'm going to work with our Congress and our international partners to modify our Visa Waiver Program," Mr. Bush said. "It's a way to make sure that nations like Estonia qualify more quickly for the program and, at the same time, strengthen the program's security components."
But the proposed expansion would run athwart concerns that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cannot keep up with the 27 countries already approved, as the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress' investigative branch, found in a July report.
"DHS cannot effectively monitor the law enforcement and security risks posed by visa waiver countries on a consistent, ongoing basis because it has not provided [the Office of International Enforcement] with adequate staffing and resources," GAO investigators concluded, adding they also found "weaknesses" in how DHS talks with overseas posts working on visa issues.
European Union officials have complained that while U.S. nationals can visit any of the 25 EU member states without a visa, only 15 of these countries receive reciprocal privileges from the United States. Mr. Bush discussed the problem with EU officials at a July summit in Vienna, Austria.
Exclusion from the waiver program is a point of contention in former communist bloc countries such as Estonia, Poland and Hungary that have become staunch U.S. allies in the war on terrorism.
Mr. Bush said the economic and political progress those nations have made earns them the privilege of participating in the program.
"Both the [Estonian] president and the prime minister made this a important part of our discussions," he said. "They made it clear to me that if we're an ally in NATO, people ought to be able to come to our country in a much easier fashion."
Mr. Bush said he wanted to "assure members of Congress that in loosening the visa-waiver issue, or changing the visa-waiver issue, that we'll still be able to protect our country from people who would exploit the Visa Waiver Program to come to our country to do harm."
Wild Thing's comment......
This is very disturbing. Unless I'm missing something? I mean really am I missing something here???? I don't understand how anyone could go through 9-11 and not recognize the need for tighter borders...stricter control of those entering the country.
Whew wow.....well this is one of those things that make you sit back and say "WTF??"
Posted by Wild Thing at November 30, 2006 12:44 AM
Comments
Chrissie, were all missing something. The furthest thing from El Presidente's mind is strict border control. Why, he even wants Illegal Immigrants given flu shots.
http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/10415947/detail.html
After all, their aren't enough for American Citizens but we'll make sure those here illegally get theirs.
Posted by: BobF at November 30, 2006 07:54 AM
Posted by: Charlie H. at November 30, 2006 08:20 AM
It has to be for more reasons than just "jobs Americans won't do". Why? I don't know, but I have to think back to Bush's dad's statement of "the New World Order" which was never explained.
We may or may not be winning the War on Terrorism, but we are losing the second, and as serious, War for the American Culture.
Posted by: TomR at November 30, 2006 11:32 AM
OMG Bob this is horrible. I never saw this, thank you for the link. How stupid is this. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 30, 2006 01:48 PM
Charlie H, thanks for the video link, it is very interesting. I really appreciate it.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 30, 2006 01:54 PM
Tom, your right, it could very well be a sad goodbye American Culture.
There is something inside of me that says it will not disappear. That people like you and I and others will not let it happen. Not that we can change our leaders we can't and that breaks my heart because most of them are not worth the air they breath imo, but we can hold fast and true to the America we know and love and keep it going as much as possible. I pray so anyway.
I pray parents teach their children what schools are not, the true history of America, why we live in the land of the free. So many don't anymore, parents just do't care, don't want to take real time with their kids.
OH well it is so sad, and makes me angry but I still have a ray of hope for the America I have loved so much to stick around. ( fingers crossed too)
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 30, 2006 01:57 PM
Tom is spot on with this, it's all about the one world order, the nasty ragheads have gummed up the works for them but GW is just doing the bidding of the CFR and the one worlder's. Max Friedman's Betrayal Of America needs to be revisited by everyone of voting age.
Posted by: Jack at November 30, 2006 02:27 PM
