With all the caucuses and primary elections going on, it’s easy to forget that we Americans are still living with the Bush administration. And although Super Tuesday may have made you feel like change was just around the corner, the current administration is still working on getting some last thrills in before the run is over, and one of them regards transatlantic travel security.
The administration is pushing for a whole lot of changes that irk the Europeans, including armed guards on all flights from Europe to America by US run airlines. As for those countries who don’t follow the administration’s demands, their citizens will be forced to apply for visas for travel to the US. Currently citizens of Western European countries and the UK participate in the visa waiver program which allows those travelers staying in the US for up to 90 days sans official visa. Changing that policy who make a whole lot of people pretty upset.
Even worse, the Department of Homeland Security is soon to kick off a new permit system for Europeans traveling to the US which will require them to go fill out an online application to receive permission to enter the country. The people at DHS like to have as many personal details on file as possible.
I think some officials in Brussels said it best when they referred to the administration’s proposed policies as “blackmail.”
Read more about the administration’s demands and the EU’s frustrations here.