Bush orders clampdown on flights to US

[cal04]

Source: Guardian

EU officials furious as Washington says it wants extra data on all air passengers
The US administration is pressing the 27 governments of the European Union to sign up for a range of new security measures for transatlantic travel, including allowing armed guards on all flights from Europe to America by US airlines.

The demand to put armed air marshals on to the flights is part of a travel clampdown by the Bush administration that officials in Brussels described as "blackmail" and "troublesome", and could see US visas being introduced for west Europeans and Britons travelling to the US if their governments balk at the American requirements.

According to a US document being circulated for signature in European capitals, EU states would also need to supply personal data on all air passengers overflying but not landing in the US in order to gain or retain visa-free travel to America, senior EU officials said.

And within months the US department of homeland security is to impose a new permit system for Europeans flying to the US, compelling all travellers to apply online for permission to enter the country before booking or buying a ticket, a procedure that will take several days.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/11/usa.theairlineindustry

[Demeter]

1. Bush is Kicking the Dogs of Europe Again

Must have had a bad day at the office.

[fascisthunter]

2. Isn't Oil Possibly Going to Euros? (nt)

[natrat]

3. sounds like the neocons are goint to do something so heinous that

we will need this type of security

[tularetom]

4. Yessir that's just what we need to encourage tourism.

About the only thing we've got going for us now is the weak dollar. We should be doing everything we can to get Europeans to come here and spend their dough. Instead this douchebag is trying to make it harder for that to happen. I saw somewhere where he said "his" experts told him there's "no recession".

I suggest he go back and ask them again after a couple of months of this genius policy. Chase away the one thing that brings money into our economy. well, except for planes and tanks.

[paparush]

5. He's Pissed about all the stories of Europeans coming over hear to buy

goods since the dollar is so weak against the Euro and the Pound.

We're the Goodwill Store of the industrialized world

[ixion]

6. why is this schmuck still in office?

why does our congress continue to tolerate his destruction of this country?

:wtf:

[DemoTex]

7. Can you imagine how happy the EU will be to see Bu$h out?

Ah-so .. I guess you can. I can imagine it. What a fucking dimwitted, narcissistic, moronic, vapid little dick (with an extra small "d").
I hope that the international courts go after the Bu$h/Cheney cabal so vigorously that not a one of them can ever visit splendid Europe again. In fact, hell-on-earth for the lot of them might be to be confined to the Crawford-South ranch in extradition-proof Paraguay with each other.

[YankmeCrankme]

21. You're supposing a lot of that will change.

Personally, I'm in a wait and see mode. We'll see if a lot of these egregious rules, laws and regulations will disappear, but I won't hold my breath.

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. It gets worse, read the whole article - here's a snip or two

.
.
.

"And within months the US department of homeland security is to impose a new permit system for Europeans flying to the US, compelling all travellers to apply online for permission to enter the country before booking or buying a ticket, a procedure that will take several days.

The data from the US's new electronic transport authorisation system is to be combined with extensive personal passenger details already being provided by EU countries to the US for the "profiling" of potential terrorists and assessment of other security risks.

Washington is also asking European airlines to provide personal data on non-travellers - for example family members - who are allowed beyond departure barriers to help elderly, young or ill passengers to board aircraft flying to America, a demand the airlines reject as "absurd"."

/snip/

So the airlines gotta identify and interview everyone that sees a friend or relative off? - and how are they supposed to verify that information?

OH - just tell the passengers to book another flight in a week or two while they check their friends/relatives out -

sheesh.

[Diclotican]

9. cal04

cal04

If US don't want us to visit your country, eat your food, pay for your bills, and so on, it looks like US are in the position to close the border, under the name of "national security" off course...

Europe can always travel by other means then to US if they want to visit the americans.. We may even by our product el severe if we have to...

THis "requirement" are something no american administration would accept if it was coming from Europe, ore other places. And if it goes on for a while maybe United States of America should be treated the same way?.. With exactly the same rules and regulations, that are given US citizen some really problems when visit Europe...?.. We may even curb travel to US all together, under the pretext of "national security".. Or maybe "European security are on the risk, so we have to stop air and sea traffic to United States for a while... No aircraft, no ships, no traffic what so ever...

I really hope and pray for that this administration are _soon_ history, and that US now are starting to fix the damage that this madness have made for US.. In the aye in the world, you act as children, spoiled, arrogant shildren... This administration just get my blood boil dangerously high...


Diclotican

Sorry my bad English, not my native language

[LynnTheDem]

10. Too bad george w. bush just ignored the pre-911 warnings.

Then we wouldn't need the third reich bullshit.

[DemoTex]

11. Yep. Too bad the MSM didn't wave the BS flag when A/G Ashcroft stopped flying the airlines 7/2001.

That's when I started, as an MD-80 captain for a major US airline, briefing my crews that something was up. In August 2001, I moved my 401k out of stocks. On 9/10/2001 I retired .. medically.

If I could figure out that the shit was about to hit the fan, why couldn't the MSM? If Bu$hco's bullshit was enough to drive my B/P through the roof, why wasn't it covered?

This EU thing is just another Bu$hco publicity stunt to scare Americans. Bu$h has 344 days left to work this kind of bullshit (according to my Out of Office Countdown calendar). Maybe more (martial law); maybe less (impeachment, resignation for pardon, etc.). The European culture has been around for several thousand years. They have seen many a small-dicked, tin-pot despot come and go. George Bu$h is no different.

But, as Bu$h fucks with the EU (as the fuck-or) he is extremely short-sighted regarding the turn-about: becoming the fuck-ee. Their will be a "payback" from the EU, and it will be .. as we said in Viet Nam .. a motherfucker. But payback will probably be aimed at Bu$hco, and not at the US. In Europe's eyes, we can be rehabilitated rather quickly .. once Bu$hco is gone.

[primavera]

13. Since you've worked in the industry...

... maybe you can explain to me why there's suddenly all of this concern about getting rid of TWOV (transit without visa) and initiating visas for passengers overflying the US without ever even touching down. Are the Homeland Security Gestapo really worried about terrorists parachuting out of commercial aircraft flying 500 mph at 30,000 feet? Wtf are they thinking? Do you have any idea?

[DemoTex]

14. Sounds like a question for the State Dept. to me.

No. I am sessile now. Totally! I am retired. I've flown once since I retired on 9/10/2001.

[annabanana]

12. Well! There go all those cool Euros we were hearing about!

What a dumb shit.

[Not a robought]

15. Aw Jeez

[JCMach1]

16. EU will retaliate

and that will make it a pain in the ass for Americans to travel in Europe.

[Eurobabe]

17. I see the petty dictator is stirring up trouble this morning

I cannot wait until this good for nothing a-hole is out of office and we can restore some normalcy to the world.

[tanyev]

18. Well, the airlines might as well take a few more European flights off the schedule.

'Cause if this goes through, the only people that are going to come here are those that absolutely have to.

[Deny and Shred]

19. Hmm, build a wall with Mexico, increased scrutiny at Canadian

borders. Now this. Ever get the feeling somebody wants very little outside contact? No objective eyes? We've gotten the same mantra-like slogans for years. Many will never be realized by Jan '09, with the possible exception of the follow through on the Iran War Drum.
Orwell and Vonnegut both caught between 'I told you so' and 'Didn't you know we were being sarcastic?' Sorry fellas, this Administration IS that stupid.

[Deny and Shred]

20. Hmm, build a wall with Mexico, increased scrutiny at Canadian

borders. Now this. Ever get the feeling somebody wants very little outside contact? No objective eyes? We've gotten the same mantra-like slogans for years. Many will never be realized by Jan '09, with the possible exception of the follow through on the Iran War Drum.
Orwell and Vonnegut both caught between 'I told you so' and 'Didn't you know we were being sarcastic?' Sorry fellas, this Administration IS that stupid.