Very deeply disturbing.
US 'wants British Pakistanis to have entry visas'
Matt Weaver
Wednesday May 2, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
The American government wants to impose travel restrictions on British citizens of Pakistani origin because of concerns about terrorism, according to a report today.
In talks with the British government, the US homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, called for British Pakistanis to apply for a visa before travelling to the US, according to the New York Times.
(snip)
But today the Foreign Office made it clear would resist the idea. It said it would oppose any attempt to exclude particular ethnic groups from the US visa waiver scheme that allows citizens from 27 countries, including the UK, to travel to the US without a visa for up to 90 days.
(snip)
Mohammad Sarwar, the Labour MP for Glasgow Central, described the proposal as "unbelievable and shocking. Every British citizen must have the same rights. I don't think America has any right to interfere in this way."
The people who took down the World Trade Center were from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon or Egypt. Have similiar restrictions gone out for people with this kind of ancestry?
Oh look, they eased up the restrictions for the Saudis in 2005!!
******UPDATE****
Looks like Lil Mikey Chertoff got his hat handed to him. The original article is still available at the link above, but in it's place at the Guardian site front page is this article.
US entry visa plan for British Pakistanis denied
Go read both the articles and tell me what you think. One item to point out, the author of the first article is just a reporter. The Author of the second article is a DIPLOMATIC EDITOR. heh.
My take from the two articles?
Chertoff tried, the UK said nuh-uh, it got reported and now both of them are trying to pretend it never happened.
The UK by saying they'd never even consider it (true) and the US by saying it isn't going to happen (also true).
Spin baby, spin.
posted by Paddy @ 12:58 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Argh.
Double argh.
Amazing!
Well maybe the UK could impose travel resrictions on, say, US catholic priests (I;m thinking of the children here) and ummm...born-again evangelists because you know how they like to blow up abortion clinics and in the UK you can get an abortion from the national health. SO maybe that wake even things up a bit.
Here's a thought! How about restricting the travel of the US Army ( and the Brits). I think that might do a lot reduce the terrorist threat.
While I have no love for any of the religious groups, neither Catholic priests or Evangelicals are presently committing acts of terrorism; NOR have I seen them fly any airplanes into buildings lately; NOR have I seen them engaging in jihad.
Whether it is politically correct to say so or not, it is ISLAM that is responsible for the majority of terrorist attacks in the world today.
Simply because Britain has allowed these potential terrorists, of Pakistani origin, free reign, that does not constitute a valid reason for the United States to do so.
Post a Comment
<< Home